FOREST RIVER Complaints

Only one day old, 3000 series Solera Lippert (serial number2021125707-RA ) awning material tore away from camper and support arms fell down. Awning was glued to light bar and did not have any other support. The power arms fell within range of hitting a person if they were there at the time. No one was injured in our case but very dangerous none the less.

Tire pressure monitoring system displays fault at random intervals while vehicle is in motion, primarily associated with the rear axle but affecting all six tires on the vehicle. Tires are not damaged and no indication of rapid deflation or other defect is present. Problem is intermittent but typically appears after approx. 20-35 miles of driving and lasts for random interval, after which problem self-corrects. The process repeats without warning. Vehicle has been inspected by multiple factory authorized service providers, chassis manufacturer blames problem on coach builder, coach builder is non-responsive despite multiple attempts to contact via phone. Vehicle has been in for service on this specific problem three times, no solution. Safety is at risk due to faulty information and lack of awareness of tire pressures on all wheels, also cannot disable system. Problem first occurred with less than 2000 miles on odometer, has been present intermittently since then. Tire sensors have been replaced, issue remains. Problem confirmed via photo evidence and acknowledged as a known issue by local Ford dealer service rep Brian on 3 July 2023. Additional details are for most recent iteration of problem.

Castle Rock ST Tire size ST 225/75R15 blew out on the way home from a camping trip. The tires are like new. No warning at all the tread just peeled away like a tin can on the highway causing lots of damage to my camper. I put the spare on and a week later I took it to the dealer so they could do an estimate on it for repairs the other tire blew out on the highway causing more damage to my camper.

The contact owns a 2022 Forest River XLR Toyhauler. Before purchasing the Toy Hauler, the contact noticed that the coupler had severe rust and was improperly welded. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V143000 (Equipment, Trailer Hitch) which she linked to the failure. The dealer agreed to make the needed repairs; however, upon delivery of the Toy Hauler, the coupler was spray painted to hide the damage and was not replaced. One day while using the microwave, the contact saw white smoke coming from the walls of the Toy Hauler and flames started coming from the walls. The contact used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. The contact called the Fire Department who confirmed that the fire was caused by the electrical wiring inside the wall. A fire report was filed. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V135000 (Electrical System, Equipment). In addition, upon the use of the awning, the left side of the awning snapped and struck contact on the head. The contact was knocked unconscious but regained consciousness moments later. Medical attention was not sought. The contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V556000 (Equipment). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified several times of the failure but offered no assistance. The RV was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

We purchased the Shasta travel trailer on 2/23/2023, & took it camping twice. When picking up trailer from the dealership after getting warranty work done on 5/16/2023, I noticed the spare had exploded. The tires had all the correct pressure, this spare had never hit the ground.

The contact owns a 2022 Forest River Forester built on a 2022 Ford E-450 chassis. When the contact arrived at her destination, she turned on the propane tank she would smell propane inside the cabin of the RV. The contact stated she smelled propane outside the RV also. The contact stated that on two occasions the carbon monoxide alarm activated after turning on the propane tank to heat the hot water tank. Additionally, the contact stated that the main access door to the RV was jammed. The contact stated that she had the door repaired three times and the door had failed three times. The door could not be opened from inside or the outside the RV. Additionally, the night vision motion sensor activated entrance step light that was aimed at the interior steps at the entrance, the light was mounted on the wall however, the light would intermittently activate while driving over a bump, causing the beam of light to shine directly at the driver. The contact stated that during night driving the light would diminish her night vision and made night driving very dangerous. The contact had taken the RV to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there were no leaks with the propane system. The failure with the door had been repaired three times and the door had failed after each repair. The contact stated that the dealer advised her to cover the step light with duct tape to block the light. The RV had been partially repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Recently, I was extending the awning on my travel trailer and it free spooled out without motor resistance. After researching this, it seems like a very common problem for the Dometic 9200 awning. (Motor part # 3316605.001) There is a design flaw in the motor where the metal drive rod is injected into a plastic gear. Over time 0-2 years this plastic piece wears out and start to spin/slip freely under load. This causes the awning to become unstable and allows it to extend at any time. This is a serious safety issue as it came out for a second time on the highway, while I was hauling it. Luckily, I saw it immediately and was able to pull over and secure it. It could have been a lot worse or caused an accident. Dometic won't talk to me, so I'm in the process of working with Forest River, as the awning was installed by them. I can buy a replacement motor, however unless the design is changed, it will just happen to others. There is a lot of similar complaints if you search for it. I have not had my trailer inspected as it is clear what is occurring. The consumer stated after a few attempts Dometic came to his house and repaired the motor and gear on the vehicle.

The fabric side wall failed to keep my daughter safe as she slept in the camper. She fell out of the camper onto the hard, cold ground while she was sound asleep. She could have been seriously injured. The Velcro on the fabric was secured to the camper frame.

Castle Rock ST 226 Tire P 205 / 75 R14 ST226 had catastrophic failure while properly inflated, far below rated load, and below rated speed. The Towing company that inspected the tire and Discount Tire that replaced the tire both stated that the tire failed due to a defect. Additionally, the immediate destruction of the tire caused significant damage to the vehicle wheel well and caused the travel trailer to veer off the road along a busy Interstate freeway.

The contact owns a 2018 Forest River Cherokee equipped with Castle Rock tires, the Tire Line was unavailable , ST205/75R15, DOT Number was unavailable. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger tire exploded. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The tires were original tires. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.