FOREST RIVER Complaints

1. I WAS TOWING A 2005 WILDWOOD TRAVEL TRAILER ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THE IMPENDING FAILURE. 2 THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE AXLE SUSPENSION. THE SPRING EQUALIZER THAT LINKS THE TANDEM AXLE LEAF SPRINGS TOGETHER CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE TRAVEL TRAILER FELL ONTO THE SPINNING TIRES, AND THE TIRES WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE TRAILER. ONCE THE EQUALIZER BROKE, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AXLE WAS ONLY HELD ON BY ONE BOLT. IT COULD HAVE MADE THE TRAILER BECOME UNSTABLE, SWERVE AND ROLLOVER; HOWEVER, I WAS TOWING WITH A DUAL REAR WHEEL PICKUP AND THE TRAILER REMAINED BEHIND THE TOW VEHICLE. 3. THE TRAILER WAS TAKEN TO COE ALIGNMENT IN JAMESTOWN, KY. A NEW SPRING EQUALIZER WAS INSTALLED. I STILL HAVE THE OLD EQUALIZER AND CAN SEND YOU PICTURES IF YOU LIKE. IT APPEARS THE EQUALIZER HAD PREVIOUSLY CRACKED AND LOST A SECTION, MAKING IT WEAK. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED OFF THE HIGHWAY WHERE A 14 INCH TEAR WAS FOUND IN THE SIDEWALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE WRONG AIR PRESSURE RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER WAS WEAKENING THE SIDEWALL. THE DEALER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES.

CARLISLE TIRE ON 2003 ROCKWOOD TRAVEL TRAILER HAD A BLOWOUT WHILE TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY. RUBBER CAME OFF OF TIRE AND STRUCK SIDE OF TRAILER LEAVING BLACK MARKS. TIRE WAS PROPERLY INFLATED. CARLISLE WILL NOT REPLACE AS WE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THE TRAVEL TRAILER. WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE CARLISLE TIRES MADE FROM 2002-2004. COST TO REPLACE TIRE IS $100. WE STILL HAVE OLD TIRE. *NM

VIN [XXX] FOREST RIVER 5TH 2003 WHEEL DEVELOPED 5 CRACKS IN THE FRAME. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

PIN BOX BROKE LOOSE FROM VEHICLE. UPON ARRIVING FROM A VACATION THE CONTACT UNLOADED THE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER AND FOUND AN 1 INCH TO 11/2 INCH GAP IN THE RIGHT TOP CORNER, BIG ENOUGH TO STICK HAND RIGHT OUTSIDE. ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE DISCOVERED THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE OUT THE FIBERGLAS WAS FRACTURED, AND THERE WAS AN 1/2 INCH GAP IN THE CRACK. *AK

WHILE MAKING A 200 MILE TRIP TO IOWA WE THOUGHT THAT WE HAD JUST BLOWN A TIRE. WHILE TAKING SHELTER INSIDE THE CAMPER FROM THE BUSY HWY WE DISCOVERED THAT THE AXEL WAS BROKEN AND THE WHOLE CAMPER COULD'VE TIPPED OVER WITH US(INCLUDING A 6 MONTH OLD INFANT.) THE TIRES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD BEEN RUBBING CAUSING THE BLOW OUT. THE BLOW OUT ALSO DAMAGED A LOT OF THE UNDERSIDE. THIS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE DOUBLE AXEL IT NEEDS A TRIPLE AXEL TO BETTER WITHSTAND THE WEIGHT. THE NEXT DAY WE HAD IT WELDED AND NEW TIRES PUT ON AND PULLED IT A FEW MORE MILES TO A CAMP SITE AND LEFT IT THERE UNABLE TO TRUST IT TO GO ANY FURTHER. WE CONTACTED FOREST RIVER AND BASICALLY WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY DIDN'T CARE BUT DID EVENTUALLY COME AROUND AND GAVE US THE NUMBER OF THE CLOSEST FOREST RIVER DEALER TO GET IT. THE DEALER AND OURSELVES CALLED FOREST RIVER ON A DAILY BASIS ALMOST WITH NO PREVAIL. AFTER ABOUT 3 MONTHS OF CALLING THE COMPANY THAT DID THE WORK ON THE AXEL CALLED US AND OFFERED TO REINFORCE THE AXEL. WHEN THE ENTIRE AXEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SO AFTER ALMOST 8 MONTHS IT IS STILL SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP IN IOWA GATHERING DUST WITH NOTHING BEING FIXED. *NM

FROM PURCHASE CREAKING UNDER TRAILER, BELLY PAN FELL OFF ON THE ROAD TWICE, THEN FOUND 5-6 LENGTHWISE CRACKS IN THE FRAME ( WELDED BY LIPPERT'S MANUFACTURER OF THE FRAME) TWICE. TRAILER NOW DOG TRACKS. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED FROM RUBBING ON FRAME. MOTION CAUSES EVERYTHING TO MOVE DRAWERS FALL OUT EVERY TRIP. COUNTER REPLACED BECAUSE IT CRACKED, PULLS AWAY FROM WALL. MULTIPLE OTHER PROBLEMS. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING THE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER 20 MPH, THE PIN BOX SHEERED. AS A RESULT THE TRAILER COLLAPSED ONTO THE TRUCK AND CAUSED A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TRAILER AND THE TRUCK. BOTH THE TRAILER AND TRUCK SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE; HOWEVER NO INJURIES OCCURRED. THE TRAILER WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FOREST RIVER SALEM TRAVEL TRAILER. WHEN THE TRAILER WAS TOWED THE LEFT TIRES RUBBED AGAINST THE FRAME SUPPORTS. ALTHOUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.*AK UPDATED 3/28/2006 - THE MANUFACTURER HAS AGREE TO REPAIR THE UNIT AND REPLACE THE TIRE AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. *NM

PURCHASED 2005 FOREST RIVER GEORGETOWN (WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE 2004 MODEL) AND TOOK DELIVERY IN APRIL 2005. HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS RV AND IT HAS BEEN IN DEALERS SHOP 3 TIMES FOR WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT/REPAIR. WINDSHIELD WAS ALSO REPLACED 1ST TIME IN AUGUST, 2005 IN OWOSSO MICHIGAN. OTHER PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN WITH ALL THREE SLIDE-OUTS, ONE OF WHICH WAS NOT EXTENDING ALL THE WAY AND DAYLIGHT COULD BE OBSERVED AT BOTTOM. AFTER DEPARTING DEALERSHIP NOV 18 AND ARRIVING AT DESTINATION LATE IN AFTERNOON THE OPPOSITE WINDSHIELD FRACTURED, CASCADING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WITH SPIDER CRACKS ACROSS AND DOWN. NOW THE FACTORY, FOREST RIVER EXPECTS ME TO BRING THIS RV FROM CALIFORNIA TO INDIANA IN THE WINTER SO THEY CAN "TEAR IT DOWN AND FIND THE PROBLEM". IF THEIR DEALERS ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE THE REPAIR AND HAVE ADMITTED THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW, THE 2200 MILE TRIP IN MY "HOME" IS OUT OF THE QUESTION. I HAVE MY PERSONAL PROPERTY AFTER BECOMING A FULL-TIME RV PERSON. NOW THERE HAVE BEEN 2 STRESS FRACTURES ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND 1 ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE ALSO HAD THE TOP OF THE SECOND NEW WINDOW BULGING OUT AT THE TOP OF THE FRAME AND THE BAND-AID APPROACH WAS TAKEN WITH THIS REPAIR. THIS COACH HAS ALSO HAD NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS INDICATING POOR WORKMANSHIP ON THE PART OF FOREST RIVER ALONG WITH POOR QUALITY CONTROL. I HAVE HAD OVER 65 DAYS IN DOWN TIME NOW SINCE MY TAKING POSSESSION - 65 DAYS ACCUMULATED IN LESS THAN 7 MONTHS. I SEE ON THIS SITE THAT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY GEORGETOWN AND ALSO ON ANOTHER SITE THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES WITH THESE RV'S FROM 1999 THAT THE FACTORY HAS BEEN AWARE OF AND APPARENTLY HAVE DONE NOTHING. ONE WAS EVEN REPAIRED IN RIPON, CA, LESS THAN A 10 MILE RADIUS FROM THE DEALER WHICH SOLD ME MY RV. *JB