2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
6
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
1
Service Bulletin
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA
The 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA has received a total of 6 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER:120/240 VAC ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:CHARGER LOW VOLTAGE BATTERY, EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER, TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE. 1 technical service bulletin have been issued by Forest River, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Electrical System (1 complaint), Structure (1 complaint), and Structurebody (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA, potentially affecting up to 50,281 vehicles.
Recall 24V395000 — EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER:120/240 VAC ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:CHARGER LOW VOLTAGE BATTERY
| 41,353 vehicles affected
Defect: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2004-2024 Cedar Creek and 2006-2024 Puma fifth wheels trailers. The overcurrent protection from the trailer battery may have been incorrectly routed, allowing the wires to be pulled out of the junction box.
Consequence: A loose wire can cause a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will reroute the wires to the protected side of the mini-beaker, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 10, 2024. Owners may contact Puma customer service at 1-574-642-0588 or Cedar Creek customer service at 260-593-4000. Forest River's...
View full details →Recall 20V075000 — EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
| 4,464 vehicles affected
Defect: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Surveyor, NO BO, Cherokee, R. POD, Clipper, Viking, Independence, Puma and East to West trailers. The spare tire carrier U-bolts may fail allowing the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: If the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle while in motion, it can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will replace U-bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 20, 2020. Owners may contact Surveyor, NO BO, R. and POD customer service at 1-574-642-3119, Independence, Viking, and Clipper customer service at 1-269-467-4600,...
View full details →Recall 20V075000 — TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE
| 4,464 vehicles affected
Defect: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Surveyor, NO BO, Cherokee, R. POD, Clipper, Viking, Independence, Puma and East to West trailers. The spare tire carrier U-bolts may fail allowing the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: If the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle while in motion, it can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will replace U-bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 20, 2020. Owners may contact Surveyor, NO BO, R. and POD customer service at 1-574-642-3119, Independence, Viking, and Clipper customer service at 1-269-467-4600,...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA
6 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheelsrim | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2020 Forest River Puma RV. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and hauling the RV trailer, he became aware that the rear driver's side tire was flat. The RV was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the flat tire was the result of a crack in the wheelbase of the wheel assembly. The RV was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was unknown.
Castle Rock ST 235/80R16 on the drivers side rear axle tire. I had just exited the interstate when the tire violently exploded. Debris from the side of the trailer and parts of the tire scattered across the opposing lane of traffic. Fortunately, no one was coming. This failure was harmful enough but would have been catastrophic for someone had this occurred on the busy interstate. Tire examined, belts had separated under the tread, leading to the failure. Examination of the remaining three tires, all Castle Rock, revealed one had underlying belt separation and was close to exploding and another had unusual wear indicating a separation was occurring. I have read multiple accounts of these tire exploding. The was no inspection by anyone. There was no warning at all. This explosion did approximately $1000 damage to my trailer. I know this because I have ordered repair parts. The trailer tires have 10589 miles on them, (my truck keeps the mileage.). Trailer with these tires installed was purchased in December 2019. Tire pressure monitored constantly and they were covered when not in use. DOT date code: 0619.
3 wheels have had holes/cracks causing them to leak air. had a tire blow out which caused major damage to the rv
The contact owns a 2020 Forest River Palomino Puma travel trailer. The contact stated that there was brown water leaking from the roof into the ceiling light fixture and walls of the RV. The RV was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that the insulation caused the water to change to a brown color. The dealer replaced the wood on the walls of the RV; however, the failure recurred. The RV was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
The contact owns a 2020 Forest River Puma RV. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the structure underneath the trailer detached from the RV. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he continued driving to his destination. The contact took the RV to an independent mechanic and was informed that the structure underneath the RV has been replaced. The RV was repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.
Safety Rating for the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA
Forest River, Inc. has issued 1 technical service bulletin (TSBs) for the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
4251172 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
The Model Year identifier in the VIN (10th digit) that is printed on the Federal Placard is incorrect.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the FOREST RIVER PUMA
- 2015 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 1 complaint
- 2016 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 2 complaints
- 2017 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 2 complaints
- 2018 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 4 complaints
- 2019 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 6 complaints
- 2020 FOREST RIVER PUMA (current)
- 2021 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 4 complaints
- 2022 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 5 complaints
- 2023 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 0 complaints
- 2024 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 0 complaints
- 2025 FOREST RIVER PUMA — 0 complaints
Other FOREST RIVER Models
- FOREST RIVER CHEROKEE — 191 total complaints
- FOREST RIVER GEORGETOWN — 183 total complaints
- FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD — 158 total complaints
- FOREST RIVER WILDWOOD — 139 total complaints
- FOREST RIVER SALEM — 136 total complaints
- FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF — 100 total complaints
- FOREST RIVER SHASTA — 88 total complaints
- FOREST RIVER CARDINAL — 81 total complaints