FOREST RIVER Complaints

HELP PLEASE INCIDENT, TWICE CAMPING, STATIONARY AND ONCE ON THE STREET, ALSO STATIONARY. I HAVE RESEARCHED FOR ANY RECALLS AND FOUND RECALL # 15V798000, PROBLEM CONCERNING THE DOUBLE AND TRIPLE STEPS, A BOLT MAY FRACTURE ALLOWING THE FAN GEAR TO DISENGAGE FROM THE STEPS....I PHONED LIPPERT AND SPOKE WITH A [XXX] , I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN TO HIM REGARDING THE CONTINUED FRACTURE BOLT, IF IT MAY POSSIBLY BE CAUSED BY THE RECALL. [XXX] THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO SEARCH FOR A MOTORHOME SERVICE CENTER WHOM WILL WORK ON RECALLS, THEY WILL THEN CONTACT LIPPERT WITH THEIR FINDINGS AND DETERMINE THE OUTCOME. I FOUND CORDELIA RV IN FAIRFIELD. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS THEY HAVE CONTACTED LIPPERRT, TODAY I RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM [XXX]. , STATING THE MOTORHOME HAS NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY THE RECALL BUT DOES NEED THE BOLT REPLACED (I STATED THIS IN OUR INITIAL CONVERSATION OF CONCERN) AS WELL AS THE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO PHONE [XXX] BUT HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM AS OF YET (3 HOURS) I HAVE GONE INTO FURTHER DEPT WITH RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE STEP...I HAVE FOUND TWO FORUMS WITH MULTIPLE PAGES OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM....INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED, EVEN TO AN EMPLOYER. SOME HAVE CONTACTED THE WARRANTY, AFTER EXPIRATION AND HAD IT REPLACED ANYHOW DUE TO THE MANY COMPLAINTS. THE STEPS WERE REPLACED WITH A KWIKEE BRAND, WHICH HAS REPORTED TO BE BETTER BUILT. MANY, AS MYSELF, ARE SURPRISED AS TO WHY THIS STEP PROBLEM HAS NOT BECOME A "RECALL" I AM SEEKING FOR THE STEP TO BE REPLACED FOR FREE, THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEMATIC ORDEAL, NO FOLLOW UP CALLS FROM CORDELIA AND NO ANSWER FROM LIPPERT WHEN I CALL AS EMAIL INSTRUCTED. I DO NOT HAVE ANY PICTURES AT THIS MOMENT, THE RV IS STILL IN THE HANDS OF CORDELIA RV. THE BOLT THAT CONTINUES TO FRACTURE IS THE LEFT, TOP BOLT (FACING THE STEP FROM THE OUTSIDE) THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON I-75 NORTH OF KNOXVILLE, TN I EXPERIENCED A TIRE FAILURE ON THE RIGHT REAR AXLE WHICH HAD 1 PREVIOUS BLOWOUT BOTH ON THE INSIDE/BACK OF THE TIRE ( A TOTAL OF 3 BLOWOUTS ON THE REAR HUB AND 1 BLOWOUT ON THE FRONT HUB OF THE CURB/RIGHT SIDE OF THE 5TH WHEEL. TELE CONVERSATIONS WITH FOREST RIVER NETTED NO HELP OR DESIRE TO FURTHER INQUIRE AS TO THE CAUSE OF 4 TIRE FAILURES ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE 5TH WHEEL WHICH HAS LESS THAN 4K MILES. THE FIRST 2 BLOWOUTS OCCURRED ON A TRIP TO ST. AUGUSTINE WHILE TRAVELING ON I-95. IN ALL BLOWOUT CASES THE SPEED WAS BETWEEN 60-65 MPH.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY TWO LANE MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH, WE WERE FLAGGED TO PULL OVER FROM SURROUNDING VEHICLES IN REGARDS TO SOMETHING DRAGGING UNDER THE REAR OF THE TRAILER. AFTER PULLING OVER ON TO THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER, I FOUND A FRAME CROSS BRACE DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. FURTHER CHECKING INTO THE ISSUE, I FOUND THE SHACKLE TO THE REAR AXLE HANGING AND ALL WELDS BROKEN ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE PASSENGER SIDE WELD ARE FRACTURED AS WELL. THE TIRE HAD BEEN RUBBING THE FRAME, AXLES NOW SEEM BENT AND SEVERE STRESS IS PRESENT ON THE SPRINGS, AS THEY ARE FLAT AND NOT CURVED.THE BROKEN AXLE SIDE HOLDS THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY FOR THE TRAILER AS WELL. IF THE PASSENGER SIDE WELDS COMPLETELY SEVERED LIKE THE DRIVERS SIDE DID, THE ENTIRE SECOND AXLE WOULD HAVE COME LOOSE, CAUSING A SEVERE ACCIDENT TO US OR OTHER VEHICLES ON THE BUSY HOLIDAY ROAD! THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ASAP!!

AT LESS THAN 1000 MILES ON THE GREY WOLF TRAVEL TRAILER, A TIRE DISINTEGRATED AND DAMAGED THE UNDER-LINING OF THE RECREATION VEHICLE ON MAY 27, 2016. THE TIRES WERE INFLATED TO 50PSI BEFORE STARTING THE TRIP. THEY WERE CHECKED FOR HEAT AT 100 MILES INTO THE TRIP AND NO EXTREME HEAT CONDITION WAS NOTICED. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON MARCH 1, 2015, SO THE MANUFACTURERS OF THE TRAILER AND THE TIRES ARE CLAIMING THAT ANY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, NOW THAT IT IS MAY OF 2016. WE TRAVELLED ON WELL MAINTAINED ROADS AND DID NOT SEE ANY DEBRIS THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE ISSUE. I AM WONDERING IF THESE TIRES ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN NHSTB ITEM 14T001. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FOREST RIVER SALEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GREY WATER TANK DETACHED WHILE THE RV WAS IDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR MARATHON ST TIRES, SIZE: ST235/80R16. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

ON DECEMBER 31 WE WERE RETURNING FROM A TRIP AND WERE APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES FROM OUR HOME WE WERE FLAGGED DOWN BY A MOTORIST AT AN INTERSECTION HE INDICATED THAT SMOKE AND OIL WERE BLOWING OUT OF OUR DRIVER SIDE REAR AXLE ON OUR 5TH WHEEL. WE FOUND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND SAW THE WHEEL HUB CAP WAS MISSING AND GREASE WAS COMING OUT OF THE WHEEL HUB CREATING A LOT OF SMOKE AND HEAT. YOU COULD SMELL THE GREASE BURNING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE RV. DUE TO THE TIME OF DAY, APPROXIMATELY 5:00 P.M. ON NEW YEAR'S EVE WE COULD NOT FIND A SERVICE CENTER OPEN. WE PROCEEDED AT A VERY SLOW PACE, APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, STOPPING PERIODICALLY TO CHECK WHEEL, UNTIL WE REACHED OUR HOME. THIS IS OUR FIFTH AND FINAL MECHANICAL FAILURE FOR THIS RV UNIT. IT IS A LEMON AND WE ARE ASKING FOR A FULL REFUND FOR THIS ROCKWOOD FROM FOREST RIVER. WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO EVER TAKE THIS RV AGAIN. IT IS UNSAFE AND WE WILL NOT PUT OUR LIVES IN JEOPARDY. WE ARE ONLY ASKING FOR FOREST RIVER TO TAKE THIS RV IN RETURN AND SETTLE WITH THE BANK. WE'VE ALWAYS HAD ROUTINE SERVICE COMPLETED. WE FIND THAT WE CAN'T ENDURE THE UNCERTAINTY OF TRAVEL AND GREAT PERIL IF SOMETHING ELSE SHOULD GO MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THIS 5TH WHEEL. FOREST RIVER HAD THIS UNIT TOWED TO LIBERTY RV TO DO REPAIRS "AGAIN". THIS IS NOT A TRUSTWORTHY UNIT EVEN WITH "THEIR REPAIRS". THEY HAD SAID, ON THE PRIOR INCIDENT, THAT THEY REPAIRED THESE AXLES BUT THEY FAILED US AGAIN. THIS UNIT IS NOT SAFE ON THE ROAD FOR US OR FOR OTHER MOTORIST. WE HAVE INDICATED TO FOREST RIVER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE TOWING THIS VEHICLE AFTER LOSING THE BRAKES AND THE AXLES TWICE! INCIDENT #5 OF 5. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH MS IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT SOMETHING WAS RUBBING ON THE TIRE ON OUR FIFTH WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION WE COULD SEE A BOLT AND A PIECE OF METAL, WHICH WERE ATTACHED TO THE SLIDE UNIT, RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE. WE PROCEEDED TO A RV CENTER IN HAMMOND, LA TO HAVE FURTHER INSPECTION ON THIS ISSUE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BOLT WOULD HAVE TO BE SHORTENED AND THE RAM FACE WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT BACK TO ALLOW FOR FREE ROTATION AND REDUCE THE RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. THEY CUT THE BOLT AND RETHREADED IT TO WHERE IT WAS SHORTENED ENOUGH NOT TO COMPROMISE THE TIRE. THEY ALSO CUT BACK THE RAM FACE END TO ELIMINATE THE CHANCE OF IT RUBBING THE TIRE ANY FURTHER. WHILE THEY WERE REPAIRING THE TIRE ISSUE THEY ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD BEEN RUBBED THROUGH AND HAD EXPOSED THE BARE WIRES. THE EXPOSED WIRING HAD TO BE CUT OUT AND REPLACED. THE NEW WIRING AND HARNESS WERE REATTACHED IN A MORE SECURE FASHION. AGAIN, WE ENDURED STRESS, DELAY, EXPENSE AND APPREHENSION WITH THIS 5TH WHEEL. WE ARE ALWAYS WAITING FOR THE NEXT SHOE TO DROP! WHAT NEXT? INCIDENT #4 OF 5 WE WILL BE POSTING. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS

WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY WHEN A MOTORIST BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT HE SAW THE GREASE CAP BLOW OFF AND THERE WAS SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL OF THE 5TH WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HUB BEARING OVERHEATED AND LOST ALL THE GREASE IN THE BEARING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE SPINDLE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. REPLACEMENT OF AXLE WAS NEEDED. THIS AXLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE MANUFACTURED BY THE COMPANY IN INDIANA THAT MADE THE ORIGINAL AXLE. THE PART HAD TO BE SHIPPED FROM INDIANA TO THE REPAIR CENTER IN KENTUCKY WHERE THE 5TH WHEEL WAS WAITING TO BE REPAIRED. SAFETY IS THE KEY ISSUE FOR OUR FAMILY AND FOR THAT OF OTHER MOTORIST. WE DID NOT DRIVE THE 5TH WHEEL ANY FURTHER NOR DID WE HAVE ASSURANCE IN THE REMAINING, ORIGINAL AXLES, MANUFACTURED BY AL-KO, THAT WERE STILL ON THE VEHICLE. HAVING THE SAME MANUFACTURER (AL-KO) REPLACE THE BROKEN AXLE DID NOT MAKE US FEEL SAFE. ON APRIL 2 WE WERE SENT A RETURN FORM TO HAVE THE 5TH WHEEL UNIT PICKED UP IN KENTUCKY AND TAKEN TO THE FOREST RIVER FACILITY IN INDIANA FOR REPAIR. THE PART WAS BEING SHIPPED FROM AL-KO TO THE QUALITY AUTO CARE, IN KENTUCKY, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO INSTALL THE AXLE SO THE 5TH WHEEL COULD BE MOVED TO IN. THE UNIT WAS THEN MOVED TO INDIANA TO HAVE FINAL REPAIRS AS NEEDED. REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED IN INDIANA AND WE WERE NOTIFIED ON APRIL 29, 2014 THAT THE UNIT WAS BEING DELIVERED TO US IN KANSAS.WE HAVE BEEN INCONVENIENCED AND PUT AT GREAT RISK TOWING THIS UNIT. WE ARE SKEPTICAL THAT A NEW AXLE WAS INSTALLED OR REPAIRED BY FOREST RIVER SINCE WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL AXLE FAILURE IN 2015. THIS IS INCIDENT #3 OF 5 WE WILL BE POSTING. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS

ON A RETURN TRIP HOME FROM INCIDENT #1 WE BLEW A TIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT ON OUR FIFTH WHEEL AND WE WERE STRANDED ON VERY BUSY INTERSTATE 25. A NM DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEE STOPPED AND HELPED CHANGE TO THE SPARE TIRE. HE DIRECTED US TO THE CLOSEST RV REPAIR DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOT DEAL IN TIRES SO THEY SENT US TO ANOTHER SERVICE. WE THEN WENT TO A TIRE DEALER FOR A TIRE REPLACEMENT. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE SENT TO FOREST RIVER OF THE BLOWN TIRE WHILE WE WERE IN NEW MEXICO. THE TIRE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THE TIRES HAD BEEN COMPROMISED FROM OVERHEATING OF AXLES AND BRAKES IN PRIOR INCIDENT #1. ALSO, WE WERE ADVISED THAT ORIGINAL 6 PLY TIRES WERE INSUFFICIENT PLY FOR THIS FIFTH WHEEL UNIT. HE REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WITH A 10 PLY TIRE BECAUSE HE REFUSED TO PUT ANOTHER 6 PLY ON DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES. HE RECOMMENDED ALL TIRES BE REPLACED WITH 10 PLY WHEN WE RETURN HOME. WE TOOK THIS ADVICE AND UPON RETURNING HOME HAD THE THREE ADDITIONAL 6 PLY TIRES REPLACED WITH 10 PLY TIRES. EACH TIRE COST $119.00 ($476.00). FOREST RIVER PROVIDED A CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT OF $320.00 TOWARDS REPLACEMENT OF TIRES. HOWEVER WE FEEL OUR SAFETY WAS AGAIN COMPROMISED AND, NEED WE SAY, OUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS 5TH WHEEL WAS CONTINUING TO ERODE. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE SENT OF THE BLOWN TIRE TO FOREST RIVER WHILE WE WERE IN NEW MEXICO. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#:8289WS THIS IS INCIDENT #2 OF 5 THAT WE WILL BE POSTING.