NHTSA Complaint #11395405 — 2019 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD

OUR FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD SIGNATURE 8335BSS TRAVEL TRAILER HAS A SPARE TIRE MOUNTED UNDERNEATH THE TRAILER. IT IS ATTACHED BY AN ASSEMBLY WITH A CABLE BY WHICH THE SPARE CAN BE LOWERED WHEN NEEDED. WE RETURNED HOME FROM MAINE (A 2-DAY, 750 MILE TRIP EACH WAY) ON 10/15/19 AND FOUND THE SPARE TIRE DANGLING BY THIS CABLE AND NO MORE THAN 6" FROM THE SURFACE OF OUR PARKING PAD! SINCE THE TRAILER WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, WE RE-TIGHTENED THE CABLE AND TOOK THE TRAILER BACK TO CHESACO RV, JOPPA, MD, ON 10/23/19. AMONG OTHER WARRANTY ISSUES, WE ASKED THEM TO CHECK THIS SPARE MOUNT, SINCE IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC IF THE WHEEL HAD HIT THE ROAD AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAD BROKEN LOOSE FROM THE CABLE. THE DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER WOULD HAVE BEEN THE LEAST OF OUR WORRIES, SINCE SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHEN WE PICKED UP THE TRAILER AFTER SERVICE, WE WERE ASSURED THAT THE DEALER COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THE MOUNT, AND THAT FOREST RIVER STATED THEY HAD EXPERIENCED NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS SET-UP. I HAVE SINCE ADDED A VISUAL CHECK OF THE MOUNT AT EACH GAS STOP, AND HAVE ADDED NYLON STRAPPING AS A BACKUP TO THE MOUNT. AS A MEMBER OF THE FOREST RIVER FORUM, I HAVE SINCE READ AT LEAST ONE OTHER ACCOUNT OF THIS HAPPENING TO ANOTHER FOREST RIVER PRODUCT. IN THAT CASE, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE, THE WHEEL AND TIRE WERE DESTROYED-BUT AT LEAST NO ONE WAS HURT. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL RECENTLY; AND ALTHOUGH FOREST RIVER COVERED THE DAMAGE UNDER WARRANTY, THEY WILL NOT CONSIDER PROVIDING ANOTHER MOUNTING DEVICE FOR THAT SPARE TIRE. SO AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, FOREST RIVER CONTINUES TO UTILIZE AN UNSAFE PRODUCT ON CERTAIN OF ITS TRAVEL TRAILERS, REFUSES TO PROVIDE A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE BOUGHT TRAILERS WITH THIS SPARE MOUNT, AND IN MY OPINION IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE INJURY OR DEATH OCCURS WHEN THIS SPARE MOUNT FAILS.*DT CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED.*JB