2010 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

ON4/29/12 WHILE PULLING A 2010 FOREST RIVER WILD CAT 5TH WHEEL, A TIRE ON THE RV SEPARATED AND LOST ITS TREAD. THE TIRE MAKE WAS A RFD-TRAIL EXPRESS LOAD RANGE D, ST225/75R15. THE TIRE HAD LESS THAN 5,000 MILES ON IT. THE TIRE TREAD BROKE THROUGH THE TRAILER FLOOR BREAKING THE WATER LINES AND KITCHEN PIPES AND PUTTING A LARGE HOLE IN THE CAMPER FLOOR. PER INSURANCE ADJUSTER IT CAUSED $3,000 IN DAMAGE TO THE RV. *TR

IN SEPTEMBER 2011 WHILE PULLING MY NEW 2010 FOREST RIVER XLR, WE HAD A TIRE EXPLODE DOWN THE MIDDLE. WE HAD ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR 20 MINUTES AND TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. WE HAVE LESS THAN 2400 MILES ON THE TIRES. I PERSONALLY CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE AND LUG NUT ON BOTH MY 5TH WHEEL AND TRUCK BEFORE GETTING ON THE ROAD. I NOTIFIED LIONSHEAD SPECIALTY TIRE & WHEEL AND THEY REFERRED ME TO VOMA TIRE. VOMA TIRE TOLD ME TO SUBMIT PICTURES WHICH I DID AND A ESTIMATE ON THE DAMAGES. I SENT ALL THIS IN AND THE REPRESENTATIVE AT VOMA SENT A CHECK FOR THE DAMAGES TO MY 5TH WHEEL AND ONE TIRE. I ASK ABOUT THE REST OF THE TIRES AND SHE STATE THAT SHE COULD NOT WARRANT THE TIRES AND WOULD ALLOW ME $65.89/ TIRE AND + $10.00 MOUNTING FOR EACH TIRE. SHE STATED THAT I SHOULD REPLACE THE TIRES AND CUT THE DOT NUMBER OFF AND SEND THEM TO HER AND SHE WOULD ISSUE ME A CHECK. AFTER REPLACING THE TIRES, CUTTING THE DOT NUMBERS OFF AND MAILING THEM TO VOMA, THE PERSON HANDLING THE CASE WAS HOSPITALIZED AND NOW THEY REFUSE TO REIMBURSE ME. THIS COMPANY SCAMMED ME. *TR

SHACKLE PLATE BOLTS WERE TIGHT WITH LOCK NUTS BUT ALL OF THE BOLT HOLES ON THE 8 SHACKLE PLATES (2 ON EACH PLATE SO 16 HOLES) WERE WALLERED CAUSING EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, BLOWOUTS, AND TRAILER FENDERSKIRT DAMAGE. FOREST RIVER WARRANTY ADMINISTRATOR CLAIMS THE CONSUMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHECKING SHACKLE BOLTS HOWEVER SINCE THE BOLTS WERE TIGHT, DAMAGE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. FORTUNATELY THE PROBLEM WAS DETECTED BY THE CONSUMER BEFORE THE SHACKLE PLATES BROKE AND AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. FACTORY REPLACEMENT SHACKLES WERE 1/2 INCH THICK WHEREAS ORIGINAL PARTS WERE 1/4 INCH THICK. FOREST RIVER NEEDS TO USE THE THICKER SHACKLES INITIALLY RATHER THAN WAITING TO SEE IF THE TRAILER SURPASSES THEIR ONE YEAR WARRANTY. OUR UNIT WAS 14 MONTHS OLD BUT THE PROBLEM WOULD HAVE DEVELOPED SOONER IF WE HAD TRAVELED MORE MILES. HAD THE SHACKLE PLATES BROKE WHILE TRAVELING DOWN ONE OF THE MOUNTAIN PASSES IN COLORADO, WE MAY NOT BE HERE TO WARN OTHERS. *TR