FOREST RIVER Complaints

TIRES (TRAIL EXPRESS) ARE DEVELOPING AIR BUBBLES IN THE SIDEWALLS AND POPING. *TR

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FILL RV WITH UNLEADED GASOLINE, THE GAS LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND AND CAUSED A SPILL OF APPROXIMATELY 2 GALLONS OF GAS. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE TOOK THE MOTORHOME TO A MECHANIC AND HE DISCOVERED THAT THE FILTER HOSE LEAKED GAS FROM HOLES IN IT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. HE HAS NEVER SEEN A LEAK LIKE THIS ONE, EVEN ON 40-50 YEAR OLD VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO REPAIR, BECAUSE A HOLDING TANK MUST BE REMOVED TO ACCESS THE HOSE AND THE REPAIR WAS TOO EXTENSIVE FOR MY FAMILY WHILE TRAVELING. THE MECHANIC DROVE THE RV TO A GAS STATION AND FILLED IT WITH GAS, SO WE COULD TRAVEL HOME, APPROXIMATELY 140 MILES. THE MECHANIC ASSURED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, BECAUSE THE EXHAUST WAS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE GAS WOULD NOT LEAK AFTER IT REACHED THE FUEL TANK. I WILL FIND A LOCAL MECHANIC OR RV REPAIR SHOP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND REPLACE THE FUEL HOSE. THE MECHANIC ESTIMATED THAT THE NEW HOSE WOULD COST ABOUT $30.00, BUT REMOVING THE HOLDING TANK TO ACCESS THE HOSE WOULD REQUIRE EXTENSIVE MAINTENANCE. THE MECHANIC CHARGED $108.00 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. IF THE MANUFACTURER HADN'T ROUTED THE HOSE BEHIND THE TANK, THE MECHANIC WOULD HAVE REPAIRED IT IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES. *TR

DISCOVERED A MAJOR DEFECT WITH ALL OF THE RETURN ORANGE HYDRAULIC HOSES USED WITHIN THE ROOM SLIDE AND STABILIZING JACK SYSTEM WITH THE MOTOR HOME. THE DEFECT IS SEVERE BLISTERING (OR BUBBLING) WHICH OCCURS OVER THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE HYDRAULIC LINE. AS THE SYSTEM OPERATES AT HIGH PRESSURE, THESE BLISTERS WILL EVENTUALLY RUPTURE CAUSING A COMPLETE LOSE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID AND PRESSURE WITHIN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. THIS LACK OF PRESSURE WILL CAUSE ALL OF THE STABILIZER JACKS TO FALL/DEPLOY AND FOR THE POTENTIAL ROOM SLIDE EXTENSIONS TO EXTEND/DEPLOY. THIS IS AN DANGEROUS/EXTREME/SERIOUS HAZARD IF THIS HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEED. FOREST RIVER ADMITS TO THE DEFECT AND HAS RECENTLY CHANGED HOSE MANUFACTURES. THEY ARE ALSO COVERING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HOSES FOR ORIGINAL OWNERS WHO ARE WITHIN THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. ALL OTHERS ARE ON THEIR OWN TO DISCOVER AND RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS KNOWN TO IMPACT FOREST RIVER GEORGETOWN MODEL YEARS 2010 THROUGH 2012. SEE THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE DETAILS FROM MANY OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT/ISSUE/CONCERN. HTTP://WWW.FORESTRIVERFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/F16/BULGES-IN-HYDRAULIC-HOSES-15697.HTML NOTE: CONTEXT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY AND WORKINGS OF THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS TAKEN FROM A FOREST RIVER AUTHORIZED REPAIR CENTER AFTER LOOKING OVER MY UNIT AND DISCUSSING THE BLISTERING LINES. A STATEMENT FROM THE REPAIR CENTER CAN BE PROVIDED IF NEEDED. *TR UPDATED 7/11/12 *CN UPDATED 07/26/12*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FOREST RIVER GEORGETOWN MOTOR HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL AND STEERING GEAR BOX FAILED, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS AND RETURNED IT TO THE CONTACT WITHOUT BEING REPAIRED. THE WAS UNSURE AS TO WHY THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER WILDWOOD EQUIPPED WITH TRAIL EXPRESS TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXAMINING THE TIRES HE NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALLS WERE CRACKED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY REPORTED THE FAILURE TO THE MANUFACTURER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FOREST RIVER SABRE TRAVEL TRAILER EQUIPPED WITH MISSION RADIAL TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE TREAD WAS BULGING ON THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. THE CONTACT INSTALLED A FULL SIZED SPARE TIRE AS A REPLACEMENT. THE SPARE TIRE WAS ALSO A MISSION RADIAL TIRE. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER. THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE AGAIN EXPERIENCED BULGING OF ITS TREAD. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING, BUT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RECORD A MILEAGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF RV, EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR MARATHON TIRES, SIZE ST235/80/R16. WHILE EXAMINING THE TIRE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SIDE WALL HAD EXPLODED. THE TIRE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRES WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ON MAY 13, 2012, THE OUTSIDE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT OUR LOCATION WAS 82 DEG F. WE HAD BOTH AIR CONDITIONER UNITS SET ON 71 INSIDE THE COACH. WE WERE ALSO WASHING A LOAD OF LAUNDRY. THE COACH WAS CONNECTED TO SHORE POWER WITH THE MANUFACTURER-SUPPLIED CORD. THE WASHING MACHINE STOPPED MID-OPERATION AND A BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL WAS OBSERVED INSIDE THE COACH. UPON INSPECTION, NO BREAKERS OR FUSES WERE TRIPPED OR BURNED. AFTER CHECKING ALL ELECTRICAL OUTLETS IN THE COACH, WE DETERMINED THAT THE MICROWAVE AND REAR AIR CONDITIONER UNIT WERE BOTH NOT OPERATIONAL. THE WALL PLUGS THAT ARE ON THE SAME CIRCUIT AS THE WASHER/DRYER WERE ALSO NOT OPERATIONAL. WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH IN ONE OF THE CARGO BAYS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE COACH. AFTER REMOVING THE COVER TO CHECK FOR DAMAGE, BURN MARKS ARE EVIDENT ON THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION POINTS AND ONE CAN EASILY SEE THAT WIRES HAVE MELTED/FUSED TOGETHER. THERE IS ALSO A BURN/SCORCH MARK ON THE INSIDE OF THE COVER PLATE. THE PART IN QUESTION IS THE IOTA ITS-50R. (MANUAL AVAILABLE HERE: HTTP://WWW.IOTAENGINEERING.COM/PPLIB/50RMAN.PDF ) THIS IS THE EXACT SAME PART INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V577000 WITH THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY FOREST RIVER. THIS COULD HAVE VERY EASILY CAUSED A FIRE AND OR/EXPLOSION. *JS

ON4/29/12 WHILE PULLING A 2010 FOREST RIVER WILD CAT 5TH WHEEL, A TIRE ON THE RV SEPARATED AND LOST ITS TREAD. THE TIRE MAKE WAS A RFD-TRAIL EXPRESS LOAD RANGE D, ST225/75R15. THE TIRE HAD LESS THAN 5,000 MILES ON IT. THE TIRE TREAD BROKE THROUGH THE TRAILER FLOOR BREAKING THE WATER LINES AND KITCHEN PIPES AND PUTTING A LARGE HOLE IN THE CAMPER FLOOR. PER INSURANCE ADJUSTER IT CAUSED $3,000 IN DAMAGE TO THE RV. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FOREST RIVER GEORGETOWN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY SHATTERED WHILE PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT GLASS DEALER FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD FRACTURED 14 DIFFERENT TIMES AFTER THE REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN AT THE GLASS DEALER STATED THAT THERE MAY BE A DEFECT WITH THE FRAME AROUND THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000....UPDATED 06/05/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN WHEN HE RECEIVED THE RV. UPDATED 06/18/12