FOREST RIVER Complaints

IN ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA WHEN WE STOPPED FOR FUEL IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT GREASE WAS LEAKING FROM ALL FOUR HUBS OF THE TWO AXLES ON OUR 5TH WHEEL. AFTER STAYING IN ARDMORE FOR TWO DAYS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE REPAIRS WE NEEDED WE HAD TO DRIVE TO A SERVICE FACILITY IN DENTON, TX WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE BRAKES WERE BURNED OFF OF ALL FOUR WHEELS AND THIS HAD CAUSED THE AXLES TO OVERHEAT AND FORCED ALL THE GREASE OUT OF THE HUBS AND IT HAD BURNED OFF ALL THE BRAKE WIRING AS WELL. AFTER PARTS WERE OBTAINED FROM DALLAS, TX THE BRAKES SHOES WERE ALL REPLACED, NEW BRAKE WIRING INSTALLED AND AXELS REPACKED. WE REALIZED AT THIS TIME WE HAD DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE AN ADDITIONAL 66 MILES WITH NO BRAKES. THIS WAS VERY DISCONCERTING TO SAY THE LEAST. IN AUGUST, 2013 WE DELIVERED THE DAMAGED PARTS TO THE FOREST RIVER FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE WHEN WE ATTENDED THE FROG RALLY IN IN. ROCKWOOD UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS PURCHASED 3/13/12 DATE OF MANUFACTURE: 12.14.2011 THIS IS INCIDENT #1 OF 5 ON THIS VEHICLE. WE WILL BE POSTING ALL 5 INCIDENTS.

I HAVE A FOREST RIVER TRAVEL TRAILER THAT IS LESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD. WHEN I RUN THE AIR CONDITIONER, AND THE HOT WATER HEATER ON PROPANE, THE CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES ARE COMING INTO THE RV AND CAUSING THE UNIT TO FILL WITH CARBON MONOXIDE. I HAD A TECH LOOKING AT IT BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT HELP YET.

WHEN I HAVE THE AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING IN THE TRAVEL TRAILER, AND HAVE THE HOT WATER HEATER ON USING PROPANE THE RV FILLS UP WITH CARBON MONOXIDE. IT SETS OFF BOTH MY ALARMS. I HAD A TECH LOOK AT IT BUT COULD NOT FIND OUT WHERE THE FUMES ARE COMING IN FROM. IT LOOKS LIKE A DESIGN FLORE OF THE MANUFACTURER, FOREST RIVER. SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN NO HELP. THE UNIT IS STATIONARY IN AN RV PARK.

CURT CONTROLLER IS FAILING IN WET CONDITIONS. CURT CONTROLLER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, REVERSE LIGHTS, BASICALLY ANY EXTERNAL SAFETY LIGHTING ON THE RV THAT INDICATES YOU'RE STOPPING OR TURNING. FOREST RIVER PLACED THE CURT CONTROLLER ON THE REAR BUMPER, DIRECTLY BEHIND THE WHEELS WHERE ROAD SPRAY WILL GET DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE ELECTRICAL. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CURT CONTROLLER SPECIFICALLY STATES ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT IT SHOULD BE PLACED IN A DRY INTERNAL AREA OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS ALL THE LIGHTS JUST COME ON AT ONCE AND DON'T TURN OFF UNLESS YOU PULL OUT THE FUSE. THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CURT CONTROLLER TO DRY OUT BEFORE IT WORKS NORMALLY AGAIN. WE'VE ASKED FOREST RIVER TO FIX THE DESIGN AND TO DATE THEY HAVE DECLINED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FOREST RIVER BLUE RIDGE CAMPER BEING HAULED BY A 2015 GMC SIERRA 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION WAS NOT PROPERLY SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE RATINGS DID NOT MATCH THE CAMPER FOR THE APPROPRIATE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION. IN ADDITION, BY ADDING THE CARGO TO THE MAXIMUM, IT CAUSED THE WEIGHT TO BE OVER CAPACITY AND COULD CAUSE A FRACTURE TO THE CAMPER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FOREST RIVER GEORGETOWN. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO USE THE ELECTRIC STEPS, THE STEPS WOULD MAKE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE RECALL WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V798000 (EQUIPMENT); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,400.

THE TRAILER WAS FURNISHED WITH TRAIL EXPRESS POWER TOWING ST225/75R15 TIRES FROM THE FACTORY. WITH ONLY ABOUT 2000 MILES ON THE TIRES, ONE STARTED TO HAVE A SLOW LEAK WHILE IT WAS PARKED AT MY HOME. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TIRE DEALER AND HE FOUND THAT THE SIDEWALL WAS LEAKING ABOUT A HALF AN INCH FROM THE RIM. I HAVE OPTED TO REPLACE THESE PRACTICALLY NEW TIRES WITH ONES MADE BY MAXXIS. I WOULD NOT WANT TO RISK A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHILE TOWING THIS LARGE TRAILER. FOREST RIVER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR THESE HAZARDOUS TIRES. ALSO, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE BANNED FROM SELLING THEIR PRODUCTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 (NA) FOREST RIVER FIFTH WHEEL SIERRA 365 SAQ (NA) MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FAILURE OCCURRED WITH THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE AND IT FELT UNSTABLE. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH AXLES WERE BENT. FOREST RIVER REPLACED THE AXLES, TIRES, AND UPDATED THE SPRINGS. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE FRAME SUPPORTS WERE FRACTURED. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE REAR OF THE MOTOR HOME SWAYED LEFT TO RIGHT. ALSO, THE DOOR ALIGNMENT WAS OFF AND THE DOORS FAILED TO CLOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

GOODYEAR MARATHON TIRE PROBLEMS: OUR RV (2014 BLUE RIDGE FIFTH WHEEL) CAME WITH GY MARATHON TIRES (LT235/85 R16 ' 10 PLY). WE HAVE NOW HAD 3 OF THE 4 ORIGINAL TIRES BLOW OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AND THERE IS LESS THAN 4K MILES ON THEM. THE BLOWOUTS OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON EITHER INTERSTATE OR MAJOR ROADWAYS. WE HAVE MONITORED FOR SAFETY ON ALL TRIPS TO ASSURE THAT THE AIR PRESSURE IS CORRECT AND THE TREAD LOOKS GOOD. THE BLOWOUTS CAUSED FENDER DAMAGE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RV AND ALSO BUSTED THE HYDRAULIC LINES THAT CONTROL THE SLIDES, LEVELERS, AND LANDING GEAR. TRYING TO TURN ON THE SWITCH FOR EITHER THE LANDING JACKS OR THE SLIDES CAUSED HYDRAULIC FLUID TO BE BLOWN OUT OF THE LINES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE HAVE NOW REPLACED THE GOODYEAR MARATHONS AND WILL NOT USE THEM AGAIN. UNTIL THIS HAPPENED, WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE MANY COMPLAINTS RECORDED WITH THE NHTSA ON THESE TIRES.

LAST WEEK I WAS PULLING MY 2013 CRUSADER MODEL 29RLT 5TH WHEEL RV FROM PALMETTO FL. TO JOLIET IL. I HAD AIR THE TIRE TO THE MFG. RECOMMENDED AIR PRESSURE 80 PSI AND THE TRAILOR WAS NOT OVERLOADED. I GOT ABOUT 50 MILES INTO MY TRIP WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE TIRES. I PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE TIRES AND FOUND 3 OF THE 4 TIRES THE TREAD HAD STARTED TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE TIRE. THE SPARE WAS USED ALONG WITH 3 NEW TIRES, IT BLEWOUT AFTER 700 MILES. THE TIRES ARE TOWMASTER 235/80R16 DOT #P3B5 GPB0212. THESE TIRES ARE VERY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE MARKET. IT WAS JUST LUCK THAT NOBODY WAS HURT OR PROPERTY DAMAGED. THE TIRES EXCLUDING THE SPARE HAD 7000 MILES AND THE SPARE HAD 700 MILES. THE VIN IS [XXX]. I REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES NEW ONES OF A DIFFERENT BRAND. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR