FOREST RIVER Complaints

SHACKLE PLATE BOLTS WERE TIGHT WITH LOCK NUTS BUT ALL OF THE BOLT HOLES ON THE 8 SHACKLE PLATES (2 ON EACH PLATE SO 16 HOLES) WERE WALLERED CAUSING EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, BLOWOUTS, AND TRAILER FENDERSKIRT DAMAGE. FOREST RIVER WARRANTY ADMINISTRATOR CLAIMS THE CONSUMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHECKING SHACKLE BOLTS HOWEVER SINCE THE BOLTS WERE TIGHT, DAMAGE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. FORTUNATELY THE PROBLEM WAS DETECTED BY THE CONSUMER BEFORE THE SHACKLE PLATES BROKE AND AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. FACTORY REPLACEMENT SHACKLES WERE 1/2 INCH THICK WHEREAS ORIGINAL PARTS WERE 1/4 INCH THICK. FOREST RIVER NEEDS TO USE THE THICKER SHACKLES INITIALLY RATHER THAN WAITING TO SEE IF THE TRAILER SURPASSES THEIR ONE YEAR WARRANTY. OUR UNIT WAS 14 MONTHS OLD BUT THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE DEVELOPED SOONER IF WE HAD TRAVELED MORE MILES. HAD THE SHACKLE PLATES BROKE WHILE TRAVELING DOWN ONE OF THE MOUNTAIN PASSES IN COLORADO, WE MAY NOT BE HERE TO WARN OTHERS. *TR

PURCHASED NEW FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF 2008 MODEL ON JUNE 20, 2008. I WAS NOT TOLD OF A RECALL ON THE WINCH AND DID NOT KNOW OF IT UNTIL 12/01/2011. THE RECALL WAS 11/2007. ON THE FIRST NIGHT OF MY FIRST TRIP JUNE 24, 2008 I HAD TO HAVE ASSIST FROM THE CAMPGROUND HOST TO RAISE MY CAMPER - THE ELECTRIC LIFT WOULD NOT WORK. ALMOST EVERYTIME I HAVE USED THE CAMPER SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE LIFT. I INFORMED THE DEALER (TOM JOHNSON'S RV, MARION, NC) OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE LIFT (WINCH) IN 2009, WHEN I TOOK THE CAMPER BACK FOR SERVICE FOLLOWING ANOTHER PROBLEM (SEE COMPLAINT ODI # 10438096). THEY DID NOT TELL ME THEN THAT THE WINCH HAD BEEN RECALLED. ON JUNE 13, 2011 @ 1:30AM WHILE CAMPING AT CADES COVE IN THE GREAT SMOKIES THIS CAMPER STARTED SETTING ITSELF DOWN WITH ME AND THREE OF MY GRANDCHILDREN SLEEPING INSIDE. WE WERE AWAKENED BY THE NOISE AND WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE THROUGH THE EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY BECAUSE WE HAD THE EMERGENCY BRACES IN PLACE. IT WAS VERY TRAUMATIC TO US ALL. I SPENT 2 DAYS ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE AT FOREST RIVER SEVERAL TIMES ASKING FOR REPAIR REFERENCES. THAT REPRESENTATIVE NEVER TOLD ME THAT THE WINCH ON THIS CAMPER MAY HAVE BEEN RECALLED. FINALLY ON DAY 3, 2 REPAIRMEN CAME FROM KNOXVILLE AND LOWERED THE CAMPER SO I COULD TAKE IT HOME. THE COST OVER $500.00 + LODGING AND FOOD FOR 3 DAYS. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE (PROBABLE) RECALL OF THE WINCH ON THIS CAMPER AT ANYTIME BY THE MANUFACTURER OR THE DEALER. I DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF THE RECALL UNTIL 12/01/2011. *TR

PURCHASED NEW 2008 FORESTRIVER FLAGSTAFF HW CAMPER JUNE 20, 2008 FROM TOM JOHNSON'S RV IN MARION, NC. I LEFT HOME WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN FOR A 3 WEEK ROADTRIP ON JUNE 23, 2008 PULLING THIS CAMPER. ON OUR ROUTE HOME ON I-29, JUST OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA, MY CAR AND CAMPER SWERVED VIOLENTLY. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL THINKING IT WAS CAUSED BY THE WIND. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN LEAVING THE MOTEL WE STAYED IN - I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. I DROVE ACROSS THE PARKING LOT INTO THE CAMPING WORLD LOT. THERE THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE ON THE CAMPER HAD "BURNED UP" AND WAS MELTED TO THE AXLE. I ATTEMPTED, AS DID THEY, TO CONTACT TOM JOHNSON'S IN MARION, NC. MY 4 GRANDCHILDREN AND I WAITED IN THE LOBBY ALL DAY WHILE THEY REPAIRED THE CAMPER. WHEN THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETE WE AGAIN TRIED TO REACH TOM JOHNSON'S BUT RECEIVED A RECORDING THAT THEY WERE CLOSED. WE ALSO CONTACTED FOREST RIVER. NEITHER OF THE TWO COMPANIES OFFERED TO PAY FOR THE EXTRA EXPENSES I INCURRED. I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET - MONEY I NEEDED TO COVER EXPENSES ON THE WAY HOME. LATER I DID RECEIVE A CHECK FOR PART OF THE COST FROM THE MANUFACTURER OF THE BRAKES OR WHEEL. THE REPAIRMEN AT CAMPING WORLD SAID THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS HAPPEN WITH TRAILORS LIKE THE ONE THAT MY CAMPER WAS BUILT ON. THEY SAID IT WAS A BOAT TYPE AND THAT FREQUENTLY MECHANICS WILL PUT TOO MUCH AXLE GREASE IN THE AXLE. TOM JOHNSON'S ADDED AXLE GREASE JUST BEFORE I LEFT THEIR DEALERSHIP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FOREST RIVER R-POD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL SEIZED AND THE TRAILER JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600.

CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR NOT WORKING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE CHECKED THE REAR OF THE REFRIGERATOR, HE DISCOVERED YELLOW RESIDUE, AND A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE BOILER TUBE, IN WHICH AMMONIA LEAKED OUT. A REPAIRMAN INSTALLED THE REQUIRED SBH KIT ON THE REFRIGERATOR AT NO CHARGE. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORREST RIVER SALEM. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, ANOTHER DRIVER ALERTED HER THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, WHICH WAS LOCATED ON THE REAR AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR AXLE MELTED DUE TO A BEARING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THE RV BEGAN TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHILE ATTACHED TO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THE CONTACT INFLATE THE TIRES TO 15 PSI MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED INFLATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DOES NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE BUT HELPS REDUCE THE MOVEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. UPDATED 12/06/11*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER WILDWOOD TOW TRAILER EQUIPPED WITH GREENBALL CORPORATION TOW MASTER TIRES, SIZE FT 205/75R15, SERIAL NUMBER: 9DUL2810. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRES WENT FLAT DUE TO CRACKS ALONG THE TIRE TREAD. THE REMAINING TIRES ALSO EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE. ALL FIVE TIRES ON THE TRAILER WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS. THE TRAILER DID NOT HAVE A MILEAGE TO REPORT. THE VEHICLE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FOREST RIVER SIERRA RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTENSION FOR THE KITCHEN COUNTER TOP THAT FOLDED UP AND DOWN WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. THERE WAS A SPRING LOADED FLIP LEVER ON EACH SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE SHELF WAS RELEASED, IT DROPPED DOWN HARD AND SEVERED THE TIP OF THE THUMB FROM THE CONTACT'S RIGHT HAND. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE FAILURE TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE OF HOW HARD THE SHELF IS RELEASED AND THE WAY IT IS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/31/11 *BF UPDATED 11/14/11 *BF UPDATED 11/18/11 UPDATED 3/30/12 *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FOREST RIVER GEORGETOWN RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 473 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,340.