NHTSA Complaint #11341729 — 2020 FOREST RIVER SURVEYOR

THIS WAS THE FIRST ROAD TRIP WITH OUR NEW 2020 FOREST RIVER LEGACY TRAILER, 19RBLE. WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT, APPROXIMATELY 68 MPH. CLEAR DAY, WITH APPROX. 35-40 MPH WINDS. NO TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF US. WHILE DRIVING, THE SLIDE PROTRUDED ABOUT A FOOT FROM THE TRAILER WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE FRONT WINDOW OF THE TRAILER HAD BLOWN OUT AND THE PRESSURE FROM THE WIND INTO THE TRAILER FORCED THE SLIDE TO PUSH OUT, MAKING FOR A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO ROAD DEBRIS OR FOREIGN OBJECTS THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE WINDOW TO SHATTER. WE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REALIZE WHY THE SLIDE HAD PUSHED OUT WHILE DRIVING. WE FORCED THE SLIDE BACK IN, AND ATTEMPTED TO GO DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN. SLIDE PUSHED OUT AGAIN. WE REALIZED THE PRESSURE OF THE WIND FROM THE BROKEN WINDOW WAS FORCING THE SLIDE TO PUSH OUT. WE STOPPED, OPENED THE WINDOWS IN THE TRAILER TO ALLOW THE AIR TO FLOW THROUGH THE TRAILER WHICH THEN PREVENTED THE SLIDE FROM PUSHING OUT UNTIL WE COULD STOP SOMEWHERE SAFELY AND SECURE A COVER FOR THE FRONT WINDOW. THE 2020 TRAILER IS THE FIRST YEAR TO HAVE THE FRONT WINDOW. THE WINDOW SHOULD NOT HAVE SHATTERED. IN ADDITION, THE SLIDE CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PUSH OUT FROM THE FORCE OF THE WIND. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE NO ONE WAS HURT. THE SLIDE IS COMPLETELY DAMAGED. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO FOREST RIVER, BUT THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN US AN EXPLANATION OR AGREED TO REPAIR ALL THE DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER. THIS IS A DESIGN OR INSTALLATION DEFECT BY THE MANUFACTURER BOTH FOR THE WINDOW AND THE SLIDE. THE WINDOW SHOULD NOT SHATTER LIKE IT DID AND THERE SHOULD BE SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES THE SLIDE SHOULD EXTEND WHILE DRIVING! FRONT WINDOWS IN TRAILERS SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH SOME SORT OF ATTACHABLE COVER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING.*DT*JB*DT*JB