FOREST RIVER Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID 05V121000 CONCERNING THE WHEELS, LUGS: NUTS: BOLTS. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. *AK

2003 FOREST RIVER SHAMROCK TRAVEL TRAILER WITH FOLD OUT BEDS. THE BED BROKE ON BOTH SIDES DUE TO DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURER. *JB

BOUGHT A NEW HOLIDAY TRAILER, WILDCAT BY FOREST RIVER IN 2004. TRAILER NEVER TRAILED RIGHT BEHIND TRUCK. IN 2005 THREE BRAND NEW SETS OF AXLES WERE PUT UNDER TRAILER AND ALL FAILED SAFETY REGULATIONS. FINALLY, AXLE HANGERS WERE MEASURED AND FOUND THAT THE ONE SIDE WAS SET BACK 1/2" FARTHER THAN THE OTHER SIDE. TRAILER WANTED TO PULL US INTO THE DITCH AND SWAYED THE TRUCK TERRIBLY. APPARENTLY THE TRAILER HAS TO BE PULLED ALL APART TO RE-WELD THE HANGERS TO THE ENCLOSED FRAME. ALMOST HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE TRAILER STARTED 'WHIPPING' BEHIND THE TRUCK.*JB

ON JULY 29. 2005 OUR FAMILY WERE HEADED NORTH ON I-29 OUT OF KANSAS CITY TO GO TO OMAHA FOR THE WEEKEND AND ABOUT THE IOWA STATE LINE I SAW AN RV SWAYING BACK AND FORTH AS OUR TRAILER PARTS EXPLODED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. AS I STOPPED I SAW THE LEFT SIDE FORWARD TIRE HAD EXPLODED AND WITH IT TAKEN OUT THE TRAILER FLOOR RESULTING IN WHAT WAS LATER $11,000 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. CARLISLE TIRE HAS DONE NOTHING SAYING THE TIRES WERE TO OLD. THE TIRES WERE UNDER 4 YEARS AND WERE ALWAYS PROPERLY INFLATED AND HAD LESS THAN 3000 MILES ON THEM. THIS AND THE HORRIBLE CLAIM PROCESS OF STATE FARM INSURANCE RUINED OUR TRIP AND HAS TAKEN OVER 3 MONTHS TO SETTLE AND AS OF THIS DATE STILL NO CHECK. IN FURTHER INVESTIGATION ALL THREE REMAINING TIRES APPEAR TO HAVE THE TREAD SEPARATING. YOU COULD SLIDE A BUTTER KNIFE BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. VERY SIMILAR TO THE FIRESTONES ON THE FORD PRODUCTS. HOPE TO GET SOME RESULTS AND I WOULD AVOID AT ALL COST CARLISLE TIRE PRODUCTS. THE TRAILER IS A TOTAL LOSS AND WE HAVE NOW LOST OUR EQUITY IN IT. THESE TIRES HAVE RUINED OUR FAMILYS SUMMER AND FALL CAMPING AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS CONTINUED TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *JB

DT: ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2005 WAS TRYING TO CLOSE THE WATER RELEASE FOR GRAY WATER, BAY WATER, AND THE FRESH WATER. WENT TO SHUT THE GRAY WATER RELEASE BECAUSE IT WAS DRIPPING, AND WHEN CHECKING IT THE CONSUMER GOT ELECTROCUTED. THERE WAS A SHORT SOMEWHERE IN THIS TRAILER. THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE IT PLUGGED UP BECAUSE WAS AFRAID OF THE TRAILER. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY WANTED THE CONSUMER TO BRING THE TRAILER BACK, BUT THEY WILL NOT GIVE THE MONEY BACK. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY QUOTED THE DEALER ASKING THE CONSUMER TO BRING TRAILER BACK. THEY WILL NOT GIVE HER MONEY BACK. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT HAVE THE TRAILER TOWED . *AK

DT: CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE PADS COMPLETELY LOOSENED FROM THE BACKING PADS ON THE REAR OF 2002 MOTOR HOME, MANUFACTURER SUNSEEKER. THE CHASSIS WAS A 2001 SIZE E-450. THIS OCCURRED ON 8-24-2005. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING ON FAIRLY DECENT ROADS. HE WAS GOING AT 55-60 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE CONTACT WAS DOING HIS OWN REPAIR WORK. HE REPORTED HAVING NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES PRIOR TO THIS. *AK *JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SANDPIPER T235 MANUFACTURED BY HORSE RIVER. THE CONTACT STATES THAT SHE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRAILER SUCH AS TRAILER HITCH/THE QUEEN SIZE BED/ZIPPER IN THE BACK, STABLE CHECK LEVERS/THE WATER HEATER, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE HOT WATER/THE HEATER/THE MICROWAVE WITH BURN MARKS AND DOES NOT CLOSE/STEREO/ELECTRICAL CORD HANGING BY A THREAD/BATTERY THAT WENT DEAD, AND SHE TOUCHED THE METAL UNDER THE TRAILER AND GOT SHOCKED/SOCKETS HAD BURN MARKS, AND OTHER PROBLEMS. SHE WAS CONSIDERING DOING A BUY BACK WITH THIS TRAILER BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT WILLING TO HELP HER. THE WARRANTY WILL EXPIRE OUT IN OCTOBER, AND SHE FEELS REPAIRS WILL NOT BE DONE BEFORE THEN. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS ELECTROCUTED AND HAS BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE THE RV WAS PURCHASED. UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB

DT: 2005 FOREST RIVER FLAG STAFF 831BHSS. THE WIRING CAUGHT ON FIRE, CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL BRAKES TO LOCK. THE TRAILER AND THE VEHICLE 2004 GMC, YUKON FLIPPED OVER. THE BRAKE WIRES WERE EXPOSED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PROTECTIVE COVERING ON THEM. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 60 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES DAMAGED. THERE WAS A REPORT TO THE POLICE AND WITNESS TO THIS INCIDENT. INSURANCE AGENCY SAID THAT IT WAS DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. *AK THE ELECRICAL WIRING FOR THE BRAKE SYSTEM RUBBED ON THE METAL CROSSBAR, CUT THROUGH THE WIRING AND SHORTING OUT THE BRAKING SYSTEM WHICH THEN LOCKED UP. AS A RESULT THE TRAILER SWAYED OUT OF CONTROL. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 5TH WHEEL TRAILERS CARLISLE TIRES BLEW OUT. TIRE SIZE 20575/15 C- RATED 6 PLY. THE CONSUMER HAD TWO INCIDENTS WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES. THE FIRST TIRE HAD A BLISTER AND WAS SEPARATING. THE TIRE ONLY HAD 1,000 MILES ON IT. THE CONSUMER SENT THE TIRE BACK TO CARLISLE, AND THEY SENT A REPLACEMENT TIRE. THE SECOND TIME SEPARATED AND BLEW APART WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. WHEN THE TIRE SEPARATED IT DAMAGED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER. THE CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND, AND SAW RUBBER COMING APART, THEN HAD TO PULL OVER. THE TRAILER DID NOT HAVE A JACK WITH IT. THE CONSUMER WAS DISABLED AND HAD TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE CHANGE THE TIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS IN CONTACT WITH CARLISLE. THEY WANTED PICTURES OF THE TRAILER AND WERE GOING TO PICK UP THE TIRE VIA UPS. THE CONSUMER SAID THE TIRES WERE UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY WERE NOT RATED CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER OF THE TRAILER, AND FELT THAT THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE HAD SOMEONE SERVICE THE TRAILER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WAS VERY UNSATISFIED WITH THE DEALERSHIP OF THE TRAILER. THE DEALER WAS BEST RV IN MANTECA, CALIFORNIA. HAS REPLACED THE TIRES ON THE TRAILER WITH 10 PLY. HAD PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER BECAUSE OF THE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE LOCATION WAS THE RIGHT REAR TIRE ON BOTH OCCASIONS. *AK

BLEW TWO CARLISLE TIRES (ST225/75R15) WITHIN 100 MILES!! 2002 FOREST RIVER SIERRA 5TH WHEEL. TIRES/PRESSURES/TRAILER LOAD CHECKED BEFORE DEPARTURE. TIRES NOT +OR- INFLATED, & TRAILER WAS LOADED LIGHT FOR TRIP: INDIANA TO DAYTONA, FLORIDA. 50 MILES INTO TRIP, RIGHT SIDE REAR TRAILER TIRE BLEW APART. OUR SPEED WAS 53 MPH @ 6 AM, NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. DAMAGE TO TRAILER. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP SAFELY AND CALL AAA FOR ASSISTANCE. INSTALLED SPARE TIRE, DROVE TO A BIG O TIRE STORE, 25 MILES AWAY, PURCHASED A DURO TIRE TO REPLACE THE SPARE THAT WE JUST PUT ON THE TRAILER. BIG O TIRES SAID FIRST BLOW OUT CAUSED THE RIM TO BE BENT; THIS NEW TIRE WAS BEING MOUNTED ON A RIM THAT WAS NO GOOD. REPLACED WHEN WE GET HOME; USE FOR EMERGENCY SPARE ONLY. WE WERE BACK ON THE ROAD AT 8:45 AM, FIGURING THE WORST WAS NOW BEHIND US. BUT 60 MILES FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, 10 AM, LEFT FRONT TRAILER TIRE BLEW OUT, AND THIS TIME IT HAPPENED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. OUR SPEED WAS JUST 62 MPH. WE USED THE TIRE WE JUST PURCHASED (ON THE DAMAGED RIM), AND PANICKED ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT. DAYTONA WAS STILL A LONG WAY OFF... AND WE'D ALREADY LOST 2 TIRES. I CALLED OUR RV DEALER & TOLD THEM THAT TWO TIRES FAILING FOR NO APPARENT REASON IS NO COINCIDENCE: (ONE TIRE HAD <3000 MILES; THE OTHER HAD <100 MILES!) HE SAID SAVE THE BAD TIRES. NOW WE ARE TOO SHAKEN TO CONTINUE DRIVING ON CARLISLE BRAND TIRES. WE STOPPED AT ANOTHER BIG O TIRE STORE, AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE OTHER TWO TIRES WITH NON-CARLISLE TIRES! WE STILL HAD ONE CARLISLE TIRE ON, SO THE ENTIRE TRIP TO FLORIDA AND BACK WAS SPENT LOOKING AT THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS, WATCHING FOR TIRE TROUBLE, WHICH MEANT WE COULDN'T DRIVE IN DARK: BASICALLY WAITING FOR THE LAST CARLISLE TIRE BLOW. DRIVE TOOK TWICE AS LONG, SINCE WE COULD ONLY DRIVE DURING DAY, STORING 4 BAD TIRES THE ENTIRE TRIP. IF YOU HAVE HAD SIMILAR FATE WITH THESE TIRES, CONTACT US. NHTSA WON'T DO US ANY GOOD. LIANE BRUMMETT, INDIANA 812-825-8699.*AK