FOREST RIVER Complaints

2019 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL LUXURY MODEL 3825FLX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEVERAL DEFECTS ON VEHICLE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS WIRED INCORRECTLY CAUSING VARIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LIGHTING FAILURES, UNABLE TO HOOK UP A TELEVISION, TABLET DOES NOT POWER ON. OTHER FAILURES INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITIED TO STRUCTURAL ISSUES CONCERNING THE AWNING, SLIDEOUTS, SEWERS AND DRAINS NOT OPENING. THERE ARE HOLES INTHE ROOF CAUSING WATER TO DRAIN INTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME WITH A MANUAL. *JS

WHILE PULLING OUR CAMPER DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE FRONT OF THE CAMPER SNAPPED (2ND DECK OF A FIFTH WHEEL CAMPER). WE WERE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY 89 EAST OF THE GRAND CANYON WHERE THE ROADWAY HAS MULTIPLE DIPS IN THE ROAD. WE HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE CAMPER. WHEN WE STOPPED FOR FUEL IN PAGE AZ, WE DISCOVERED MANY DENTS AND SPLITS IN THE FRONT OF THE SIDEWALKS OF THE CAMPER. I TOOK PHOTOS TO SEND TO XLR WARRANTY DEPARTMENT WHERE I WAS REFERRED TO LIPPERT, THE MFG OF THE CAMPER FRAME. WHEN I PULLED DOWN THE FRONT TRIM PIECE TO SEE WHAT BROKE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME JUST WAS ASSEMBLED WITH WELDS THAT LOOK LIKE AN 8TH GRADER DID IN METAL SHOP. THE TOP 5 BRACE SUPPORTS ALL HAVE BROKEN WELDS, AS WELL AS A BROKEN WELD AND CRACKED MAIN 2ND DECK FRAME MEMBER ABOVE THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAMPER. THE ENGINEERING, OR LACK THEREOF, OF THE WELDS AND THE FRAME MEMBERS USED WOULD HARDLY HOLD A MOUNTAIN BICYCLE FRAME TOGETHER, LET ALONE TRYING TO USE SUCH POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP ON A 21,000LB 5TH WHEEL CAMPER. IF WE WOULD HAVE TRAVELED MUCH FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD, THE ENTIRE FRONT END COULD HAVE BROKE OFF, LEAVING A 10 TON PROJECTILE ROLLING INTO WHO KNOWS WHAT.*DT *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FOREST RIVER CHEROKEE RV. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE SPRING TO THE AXLE WAS FRACTURED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CAMPING WORLD OF ROBERTSDALE (21282 AL-59, ROBERTSDALE, AL 36567, (888) 697-3168), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 75 BELOW LEXINGTON KY, I EXPERIENCED TWO BLOWOUTS ON EACH SIDE OF MY CAMPER 3 MONTHS APART. I HAVE HAD THE CAMPER FOR THREE YEARS AND THE TIRES ARE ONLY 3 1/2 YEARS OLD WITH GOOD TREAD ON THEM. I CONTACTED THE COMPANY AND RECEIVED NO RESULTS.

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH KS. FROM CO WITH OUR NEW TRAILER, WE HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT. MY HUSBAND ALWAYS CHECKS THE TIRES ANYTIME WE STOP TO FUEL, OR AT REST STOPS. HE NEVER TAKES ANY CHANCES. SINCE THIS HAPPENED, WE HAVE FOUND OUT THAT ALL THE TIRES ON THE CAMPER ARE FROM CHINA. WE ARE NOW AFRAID TO GO ON A TRIP B/C WE WONDER IF THE OTHER TIRES WILL DO THE SAME THING. THIS IS A NEW TRAILER AND SHOULDN'T HAVE TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES. HAVE YOU HAD COMPLAINTS ON THIS BEFORE AND WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST WE CAN DO. THIS TIME LUCKILY WE GOT STOPPED AND HAD A SPARE. THE TREAD HAD WRAPPED AROUND THE FRAME OF THE TRAILER AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIX.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF SHAMROCK MOTOR HOME. WHILE THE MOTOR HOME WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE 450 POUND WATER TANK FELL WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT OF BUSINESS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, BUT NO ONE ANSWERED THE PHONE. THE CONTACT LEFT VOICE MESSAGES AND TWO EMAILS, BUT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,000. *AS CONSUMER STATED IT IS 21 FT LONG THE MODEL NUMBER IS 21 SS. I'M ATTACHING THE PICTURES OF THE TANK. I DON'T HAVE PICTURES OF THE CROSS MEMBERS WITH ME. I MOVE MY TRAILER BACK INTO STORAGE I CAN TAKE PICTURES BEFORE IT IS REPAIRED. I WAS UNABLE TO GET ANY REPAIR SHOP OR DEALER FOR FOREST RIVER TO RETURN MY CALLS. THE REPAIRS WILL BE DONE BY 8 GENTLEMAN WHO IS A FABRICATOR AND HE HAS NOT GIVEN ME A PRICE YET. I WILL PAY WHATEVER IS NECESSARY OBVIOUSLY. *JB

PURCHASED NEW 5TH WHEEL TRAILER IN DECEMBER OF 2017 WITH GOODYEAR MARATHON ST235/80R16, LOAD RANGE E TIRES INSTALLED. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON A SOMEWHAT CURVY AND HILLY STATE HIGHWAY WITH 4800 MILES ON RV, THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE TIRE DAMAGING THE RV IN THE PROCESS. I PULLED TO SHOULDER AND FAILED TIRE HAD A SIGNIFICANT LEAK, BUT DID NOT BLOW OUT SO I REPLACED IT WITH THE SPARE. I HAVE TPMS INSTALLED ON ALL 4 WHEELS WHICH REPORTS TIRE PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE. ALL 4 TIRES WERE NOMINAL JUST PRIOR TO FAILURE. ALL TIRES HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED AT THE REQUIRED COLD PRESSURE OF 80 PSI PRIOR TO EVERY TRIP. THE RV IS STORED INDOORS WITHOUT ANY SUN EXPOSURE.

THE AXLE FELL OFF THE VEHICLE WHEN BACKING UP IN MY DRIVEWAY GOING 1 MPH. ON EXAMINATION, THE 'L-SHAPED' METAL BRACKET WELDED TO THE FRAME ABOVE HAD BROKEN BELOW THE WELD AND ABOVE 2 BOLTS FASTENING THE BRACKET TO THE RISER OF THE TRAILER. THE WELDER WHO REPAIRED THE BROKEN PIECE OF METAL TOLD ME THAT THE BRACKET HAD A CUT BETWEEN THE 2 BOLTS AND THAT THIS HAD WEAKENED THE METAL BRACKET TO THE POINT THAT IT FAILED. I FEAR THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM DURING MANUFACTURING WHEN THEY TEMPORARILY RAN SHORT OF THE STANDARD PIECE OF METAL AND GRABBED WHATEVER WAS AT HAND. IF SO, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY BECAUSE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS COULD CAUSE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT! IN THE PHOTOS *DT THE TRAILER HAS AN L-SHAPED 'ANGLE BRACKET' WELDED TO THE FRAME, FROM THIS 2 BOLTS GO INTO A BOX-LIKE 'RISER' FROM THE SIDE THAT IS INTENDED TO RAISE THE TRAILER SEVERAL INCHES. THE RISER IS THAN ATTACHED TO THE AXLE THRU THE BOTTOM OF THE BOXY RISER. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BREAKAGE OF THE "ANGLE BRACKET" IS BETWEEN THE WELD AND THE BOLTS, IN THE METAL ITSELF. ALL OF THE BOLTS ARE INTACT. *JB *BF CARFAX CANNOT PROCESS THIS REQUEST. *JB *AS 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2015 A NEW 5TH WHEEL CAMPER FROM A NYSTATE DEALERSHIP AND UPON DELIVERY FOUND A BUCKLE ON WHAT WOULD BE THE PASSENGER SIDE . AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEALERSHIP WE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER IN INDIANA.WE RETURNED THE UNIT TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR REPAIR AND AFTER OVER THEM HAVING IT FOR OVER A MONTH ,WE PICKED IT UP . WHEN WE PICKED IT UP THERE WAS A PATCH ON THE CAMPER AND THEY HAD REPAIRED THE FRONT INSIDE WALL. THEY ASSURED THERE WAS NO STRUCTURAL PROBLEM. THE UNIT WAS ONLY USED 4 TIMES PRIOR TO THIS FOR SHORT TRIPS. FAST FORWARD TO 2018, WE RETIRED TO NC WHERE WE HAD A NEW HOUSE PUT UP., THERE WAS NO TIME FOR TRAVEL SO OUR 5TH WHEEL WAS PARKED IN OUR YARD.WHEN WE WENT OUT IN NOV OF 2018 TO WINTERIZE THE UNIT THE FRONT SLIDE WOULD NOT OPEN, UPON THE INVESTIGATION WE FOUND THE FRONT OF THE CAMPER ON BOTH SIDES WAS CRACKED OPEN WE CONTACTED FOREST RIVER AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD PAY FOR AN INSPECTION. WE WERE GIVEN A LIST OF DEALERS AND TOOK IT TO THE CLOSEST ONE. WHO COULD FIT US IN GUICKLY FROM THEIR LIST. THEIR INSPECTION SAYS THERE IS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING. THE FRAME WELDS ARE FRACTURED AND THEY SAID WE WERE FORTUNATE TO GET IT TO THEM IN ONE PIECE. THE INSPECTOR SAYS IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE FACTORY FOR REPAIR. WE CAN NOT TAKE IT HOME BECAUSE OF A SAFETY ISSUE THE FACTORY TOLD THE DEALER THEY WANT US TO TAKE IT FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION. THE UNIT CAN'T BE TOWED. THE PROBLEM BEGAN WHEN WE PURCHASED IT AND CONTINUES. WE ARE PAYING MONEY EVERY MONTH ON AN UNSAFE UNUSABLE CAMPER. WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF E-PRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BIKE RACK PINS WERE CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BIKE RACK WAS UNUSABLE AND SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE RACK WOULD DETACH FROM THE TRAILER. THE TRAILER WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REQUESTED THE CONTACT TO SEND PICTURES OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO RESOLUTION OF THE FAILURE AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF COMMUNICATION. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THERE WAS NO MILEAGE.