FOREST RIVER Complaints

AT ABOUT 3:00 PM ON THE 29TH OF JULY, 2009 MY WIFE MYSELF AND TWO GRANDCHILDREN DEPARTED OUR HOME IN BEL AIRE, KS DESTINED FOR TAYLOR PARK, CO. WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2002 FORD E-350 VAN WITH V-10, TOWING A WORK AND PLAY TRAILER MADE BY FOREST RIVER (FRAME BY LIPERT COMPONENTS). THIS TRAILER CONTAINED A HONDA RINCON 4-WHEELER LOADED DIRECTLY OVER THE TANDEM AXLES AND 5000 WATT HONDA GENERATOR LOADED JUST BEHIND IT. IN THE VERY REAR WAS A HIGH CHAIR, GARDEN HOSE AND SEVERAL LAWN CHAIRS. NEAR THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER IN THE CLOSET THERE WERE SHIRTS AND COATS. ON THE FLOOR NEAR THE FRONT THERE WERE A FEW GROCERIES (WE ALWAYS SHOP FOR THE BULK OF OUR GROCERIES IN BUENA VISTA, CO BEFORE CROSSING THE COTTONWOOD PASS INTO TAYLOR PARK) THE FRESH WATER TANK WAS LESS THAN ONE THIRD FULL. ON HIGHWAY I-135 NORTH OF NEWTON, KS, MY WIFE HEARD A LOUD SCRAPING NOISE WHICH LASTED ABOUT 10 TO 20 SECONDS AND CEASED. WE AGREED THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT MIGHT HAVE GONE WRONG BUT IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY CONTINUED A FEW MILES TO THE "MOUNDRIDGE" EXIT. AFTER STOPPING SAFELY ON THE EXIT RAMP, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TONGUE OF THE TRAILER HAD COLLAPSED JUST IN FRONT OF THE TRAILER BOX AND ALLOWED THE TRAILER TO HIT THE PAVEMENT. THE ONLY REASON THE TRAILER DID NOT COMPLETELY DRAG THE GROUND WAS THE ALUMINUM BOX ON THE TRAILER TONGUE WAS IN "COMPRESSION" AS IF IT WERE AN AIR BAG. THIS FORCE WAS GREAT ENOUGH TO TEAR THE ALUMINUM MATERIAL AT THE CORNERS BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT FAIL COMPLETELY. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. THE PROPANE VALVES WERE IN THE OPEN POSITION AND THE GAS PIPE FEEDING THE REFRIDGERATOR DRUG THE GROUND. OUR GRANDCHILDREN WERE STRAPPED INTO THEIR CAR SEATS AND LIKELY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN EXTRICATED IN TIME HAD THE TRAILER CAUGHT FIRE AND TANKS EXPLODED. THIS WAS DIRECTLY A RESULT OF POOR DESIGN. WALL THICKNESS OF THE TONGUE WAS .100" TO .110" ON MY 2005 24' MODEL. THE THICKNESS OF A 2008 18' MODEL HAD A WALL THICKNESS OF .180 TO .200". *DT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FOREST RIVER SIERRA TRAILER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AND REAR TIRES SUDDENLY EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE REAR END OF THE TRAILER WOULD LEAN TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE WHILE TRAVELING. THE TRAILER HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND THE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DOMETIC RV REFRIGERATOR MOD. NO. RM2852 (ALREADY UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN ID 06E076000) TO INSTALL A HEAT SHIELD, DOES NOT ADDRESS THE DEFECTIVE COIL CRACKING, ONLY JUST DIVERTS THE FLAME FRONT IF AMMONIA IS RELEASED AND CATCHES FIRE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE COIL RELEASING SO MUCH AMMONIA THAT IT IRRITATED MY EYES AND REQUIRED VENTING RV TO RID IT OF THE FUMES. FORTUNATELY REFRIGERATOR WAS IN ELECTRIC MODE, NOT GAS SO NO FIRE. AFTER FINDING OUT ABOUT RECALL (WAS NEVER INFORMED OF BY DOMETIC AS REQUIRED UNDER TERMS OF RECALL) AND CONTACTING DOMETIC I WAS INFORMED BY THEIR REPRESENTATIVE THAT UNDER THE TERMS OF RECALL AGREED TO BY THEM AND THE NHTSA THEY WERE ONLY REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE HEAT SHIELD FREE OF CHARGE, NOT REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE COILS. ESPECIALLY IF YOUR UNIT IS OUT OF WARRANTY YOU ARE OUT OF LUCK TO GET COIL REPLACED AT NO CHARGE IF IT HAS FAILED BECAUSE OF CRACKED COIL. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS RECALL IS FLAWED, IN SO FAR AS IT HAS ALLOWED DOMETIC TO COVER-UP A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT WITHOUT BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT OF DEFECTIVE PART WHICH CAN RESULT IN POTENTIAL FIRE. I THEREFORE REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA RE-OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS RECALL AND REQUIRE DOMETIC TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE PART(S), THE ENTIRE COIL ASSEMBLY, THAT WILL FAIL OR HAVE ALREADY FAILED CREATING THE FIRE HAZARD, WHICH CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF ENTIRE RV DUE TO FIRE AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH OF THE OCCUPANTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FOREST RIVER CEDAR CREEK FIFTH WHEEL RV. THE AXLE HAS A SPINDLE THAT WAS MISALIGNED. THIS CONDITION CAUSED SEVERE TIRE FAILURE ON ALL FOUR TIRES. THE FOREST RIVER MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND HE WAS REFERRED TO AL-KO COBAR CORPORATION. HE WAS ADVISED BY A REPRESENTATIVE TO SHIP THE OLD SET AXLE TO ELKHART, INDIANA FOR EXAMINATION AND REPAIR. HE SHIPPED THE AXLE BACK IN SEPTEMBER 9, 2007 AND HAS NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THE MILEAGE WAS NOT APPLICABLE.

WHILE MAKING A TRIP TO MYRTLE BEACH S.C. THIS SUMMER, WE HAD THE TURN SIGNALS AND THE FLASHERS QUIT WORKING ON OUR 2003 GEORGETOWN MOTORHOME BY FOREST RIVER. WE HAD THIS PROBLEM LOOKED AT IN MYRTLE BEACH BY A WORKHORSE APPROVED GARAGE. WE FEEL THIS IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD AND WAS TOLD BY THE GARAGE THAT THEY REPLACE SEVERAL OF THE TURN SIGNAL UNITS A YEAR. BEING UNABLE TO SIGNAL FOR LANE CHANGE OR TURNS MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. WE CONTACTED WORKHORSE AND WAS TOLD THE MOTORHOME IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THIS IS NOT AN ONGOING PROBLEM. IF THIS IS HAPPENING AS OFTEN AS THE GARAGE INDICATED, IT IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD. WOULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE. *TR

THIS PAST MARCH I REPLACED MY 5 YEAR OLD FIFTH-WHEEL TRAILER TIRES (LOAD RANGE D) WITH SECURA SST 225-75/15 TIRES (E RATED TIRES). MY FIRST CAMPING TRIP IN APRIL OF APPROX 300 MILES I HAD NO PROBLEMS. OVER THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY ANOTHER TRIP OF AROUND 400 MILES RESULTED IN A BLOWOUT WITH TIRETREAD SEPARATION TO THE RIGHT REAR TRAILER AXLE . MY NEW SECURA SPARE WAS INSTALLED AND I RETURNED HOME APPROX 60 MILES. BLOWOUT WAS RETURNED TO THE PLACE OF PURCHASE AND AFTER AN INSPECTION OF THE TIRE I WAS GIVEN ANOTHER TIRE. MY THIRD TRIP OF THE YEAR IN AUGUST FOUND ME ABOUT 40 MILES FROM HOME WHEN I HAD ANOTHER BLOWOUT ON THE RIGHT REAR AXLE OF MY TRAILER. AFTER PUTTING ON MY NEW SPARE I PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT 30 MILES WHEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THIS IS THE SAME TIRE THAT WAS PUT ON THE ROAD ABOUT 130 MILES AGO THIS PAST JULY. NEW GOODYEAR TIRES WERE PUT ON BY EMERGENCY ROADSERVICE AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE ON ALL 4 TRAILER TIRES AS MY WIFE REFUSED TO RIDE IN MY TRUCK FEARING ANOTHER BLOWOUT ON THE TRAILER MIGHT CAUSE US TO BE IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT. ALL TIRES WERE RETURNED TO PLACE OF PURCHASE TO BE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THEIR REVIEW AND REPORT STATED THAT THE BLOWOUTS WERE A RESULT OF IMPACTS. I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT PULLS MY TRAILER AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THE TIRES DID NOT RECEIVE ANY IMPACTS. I AM RELIGIOUS IN CHECKING TIRE PRESSURES SO AS TO AVOID SUCH PROBLEMS. *TR

1. TOWING A 27FT. TRAVEL TRAILER IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A TWO LANE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. 2. CARLISLE TRAILER TIRE BLEW ON TRAVEL TRAILER; PULLED OFF ON SHOULDER AND CHANGED WITH SPARE. 3. THE TIRES ARE ~ 2 YEARS OLD WITH ~5000 MILES. FOUND THAT ALL FOUR OF THE TRAILER TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE (1 BLEW, 3 OUT OF ROUND). ALL FOUR WERE REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT MANUFACTURE'S TIRE. LEARNED ABOUT THE POOR QUALITY OF CARLISLE TRAILER TIRES FROM TIRE DEALERS AND THE INTERNET. LOTS OF STORIES REGARDING CARLISLE TRAILER TIRES BLOWING ON VARIOUS RV WEB SITES (EXAMPLE RV.NET). SENT ALL 4 TIRES TO CARLISLE FOR A WARRANTY CLAIM. WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED, NO MANUFACTURES DEFECTS, AND AN IMPACT WOUND CAUSED THE BLOW OUT. *TR

WE HAVE A 2008 FOREST RIVER SURVEYOR MODEL 301 30 FT TRAVEL TRAILER EQUIPPED WITH LIPPERT AXLES. WE WERE ON VACATION AND WE HEARD A LOUD BANG LIKE A TIRE BLOWING OUT. I PULLED OVER GOT OUT AND INSPECTED THE TRAILER AND MY TOW VEHICLE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. WITHIN 600 MILES MY RT REAR TIRE WENT BALD ON THE OUTSIDE AND I TOOK IT TO A TIRE DEALER IN KALLISPELL MONTANA AND THEY PUT MY SPARE TIRE ON. WE THEN DROVE HOME. I INSPECTED THE TRAILER AND FOUND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BALD AND ONE OTHER TIRE GOING BALD. I HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AND TOOK THE TRAILER TO MY DEALER AND POINTED OUT TO THEM THAT THE FRONT AXLE WAS BENT UPWARD IN THE MIDDLE AND THE FRONT AXLE SHACKLES WERE NOT TIGHT AGAINST THE FRAME. THE AXLE IS ACTUALLY TOUCHING THE FLOOR IN THE MIDDLE. PICTURES WERE SENT TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY INSIST IT IS A TIRE PROBLEM ANGOODYEAR SAYS IT IS AN AXLE PROBLEM. I FILED A REPORT WITH GOODYEAR AND I TOOK THE TIRE TO AN INDEPENDENT TIRE EXPERT AND BOTH CONFIRMED IT WAS A MISALIGNED OR DAMAGED AXLE. I DID NOTHING ON THE TRIP TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM.THE AXLE IS A MODEL 3500 BUT I CANNOT GET ANYONE TO GIVE ME A MANUFACTURE DATE.REPEATED CALLS TO FOREST RIVER HAVE BEEN UNANSWERED.ONE OTHER PROBLEM I FOUND WITH THE AXLES WEREPLASTIC DUST COVERS OVER THE AXLE BEARINGS HAD DISINTEGRATED(THIS WAS BEFORE THE TRIP). I TOOK THE RV TO MY DEALER AND THEY REPACKED THE BEARINGS AND REPLACED THE REAR SEALS.I REPLACED THE DUST COVERS WITH METAL ONES. WHEN I CALLED LIPPERT AND DISCUSSED MY AXLE PROBLEM I BROUGHT THE DUST COVER PROBLEM TO THEIR ATTENTION AND THEY SAID THEY WEREN'T USING THEM ANY MORE. I ASKED THEM WHEN THEY STOPPED AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHEN. THE RV HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR 6 WEEKS AND NOBODY CAN TELL MEWHAT CAUSED THE AXLE TO FAIL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK INTO. I AM NOT MOVING THIS RV UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED PROPERLY REPORTED AND FIXED. NOTE: ON YOUR WEBSITE "SURVEYOR" MODEL NOT LISTED SO I LISTED "SALEM" TO PROCEED. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 GEORGETOWN 370 TS.IT HAS BEEN TO FACTORY FIVE TIMES FOR THE WINDSHIELD COMING OUT AND CRACKING TOP LEFT CORNER. THE PROBLEM FIRST TIME WAS MAY 2005 WINDSHIELD CRACKED TOP LEFT. ASK FACTORY IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM ? NO FIRST TIME TO FACTORY JAN.06 WINDSHIELD CRACKED TOP LEFT CORNER,GASKET HAD MOVED. FACTORY ASKED TO GET IT BACK. SECOND TIME BACK WINDSHIELD MOVED TO THE LEFT PULLED AWAY FROM FRONT CAP TOP RIGHT. CAME BACK TO ME FROM FACTORY WITH GASKET PULLED OUT TOP RIGHT. THIRD TIME BACK TO FIX GASKETS AND LEAKS. FORTH TIME IN 08 TO REPAIR WINDSHIELD GASKET TOP RIGHT PULLED AWAY. THEY INSTALLED A BRACE FROM SIDE TO SIDE TOP OF FRONT CAP AND REPAIRED LEAK ROOF OVER LEFT SIDE . THE BRACE BROKE IN THE FIRST ONE HUNDRED FIFTY MILES. FIFTH TIME BACK TO FACTORY REPAIR FRONT CAP,SIDE WALLS INSIDE MOTOR HOME, REPAIR BRACE THAT BROKE , ROOF LEAKS AND REPLACE DASH BOARD THAT ROTTED FROM WATER LEAK . IT IS AT A DEALER NOW FOR ROOF ROTTEN OVER DRIVER SIDE FACTORY WANTS TO COVER UP. WINDSHIELD MOVING AGAIN. MOLD IS GROWING IN FLOOR AROUND DRIVE SIDE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL TRAILER(NA). THE VEHICLE HAS KENDA KARRIER LOWSTAR TIRES, ST255/80/16(NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; THE TRAILER BEGAN TO SWAY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IN THE EMERGENCY LANE, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND INSPECT THE TRAILER. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER TIRES EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE TIRE SEPARATION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH CAUTION. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 6,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.