NHTSA Complaint #10538519 — 2013 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF

ON 6/19/13 WE LEFT FROM BURLINGTON, WI - CLINTON, NY WITH OUR TRAILER. ON OUR DRIVE BACK TO WI, WE HAD STOPPED AT A TRUCK STOP IN INDIANA AROUND 10:30 PM ON 6/28 TO GET FUEL & SNACKS FROM THE TRAILER. ONCE WE ARRIVED HOME WE REALIZED THAT THE OUTSIDE LATCH DOOR THAT COVERED THE OUTDOOR REFRIGERATOR HAD BEEN RIPPED OFF, THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR ITSELF HAD BEEN RIPPED OFF, & BOTH SETS OF STEPS WERE BENT BY THE DOORS COMING OFF & HOLES & DENTS DOWN THE BOTTOM/LOWER SIDE OF THE CAMPER. THE TIRES ON THE CAMPER HAD WORN THROUGH THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE CAMPER & THERE WAS LESS THAN 1? OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TIRES & TRAILER BOTTOM. WE CONTACTED SCENIC RV & WERE TOLD TO BRING THE TRAILER BACK. THE MANGER CONTACTED US MON. MORNING & STATED THAT THERE WAS CLEARLY A PROBLEM WITH THE AXLE & THE CLEARANCE ON THE TRAILER. WE BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE BOUNCING OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAILER & WITH ALL OF THE VIBRATION, IT CAUSED THE LATCH DOOR TO BOUNCE OUT OF THE LOCK CATCH ( ?DEEP) & FLY OFF. WE CONTACTED FOREST RIVER & THEY TOLD US THAT THERE WERE NO MANUFACTURING ISSUES & THE AXLES WERE CORRECT FOR THAT TRAILER. AFTER A LOT OF CORRESPONDENCE TO THE DEALERSHIP, FOREST RIVER & DEXTER AXLE WE FOUND OUT THAT THE AXLES SPEC?D FOR THE TRAILER WERE NOT THE AXLES THAT WERE INSTALLED ON OUR TRAILER. WE TALKED WITH A WOMAN IN THE WARRANTY DEPT. & AFTER I READ HER THE SERIAL NUMBERS FROM THE AXLES, SHE STATED THAT THOSE WERE NOT THE AXLES SPEC?D FOR OUR TRAILER. I HAVE ALSO FOUND MORE FOREST RIVER TRAILER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE AXLES REPLACED WHILE OTHERS HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE DEALERSHIPS INSTALL & DEXTER LIFT KIT UNDER THE TRAILER TO RAISE IT UP. THERE ARE MULTIPLE STORIES ON THE FOREST RIVER FORUM THAT DETAIL THIS ISSUE. WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE WERE TRAVELING LATE AT NIGHT WHEN THOSE DOORS FLEW OFF; SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. *JB