Model year record

2017 Forest River Cardinal recalls & problems

The 2017 Forest River Cardinal has 3 safety recalls and 7 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is tires (3 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints7filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

EquipmentJul 9, 2021

Recreational vehicle/trailer

Recall 21V523000825 vehicles

Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Coachmen Cross Country, 2015 Coachmen Encore, 2016-2020 Coachmen Mirada, 2018-2021 Coachmen Sportscoach, 2019-2021 Forest River Berkshire, 2011-2016 Forest River Blue Ridge, 2014-2019 Forest River Cardinal, 2014-2020 Forest River Cedar Creek, 2014-2021 Forest River Georgetown, 2019 Forest River Legacy, and 2017-2018 Forest River Riverstone recreational vehicles equipped with Hehr 6400 Series windows. The adhesive that bonds the vented portion of the window may fail.
Risk: Adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the windows, and replace the vent if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-825-8600. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-1380.

Components: Equipment › Recreational vehicle/trailer; Structure

EquipmentMay 24, 2017

Other › Labels

Recall 17V33600017 vehicles

Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cardinal recreational trailers, model CAF3250RL. The Federal Placard on these vehicles overstates the Gross Axle Weight Rating capacity (GAWR) by 840lbs. for each axle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
Risk: The incorrect GAWR makes the Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) label incorrect and may result in the vehicle being overloaded, affecting the vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will provide a new Federal Placard with the correct GAWR and a new CCC label, free of charge. The recall began on June 6, 2017. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-206-7600. Forest River's number for this recall is 15-05192017-0412.

EquipmentApr 29, 2016

Other › Labels

Recall 16V25800038 vehicles

Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Cardinal recreational vehicles, models CAF3455RL, CAF3825FL and CAF3850RL, manufactured from November 20, 2015, through April 1, 2016. These vehicles may be equipped with a Federal Placard that indicates an incorrect tire and rim combination. The placard states the tire and rim combination is ST235/80R16 LRE Tires with 80 PSI and a rim designation of 16X6.00JJ, when the actual combination on the vehicle is LT235/85T16 LRG Tires with 110 PSI and a rim designation of 16X6.00HD. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: If the operator inflates the tires to the PSI indicated on the label, the tires will be operated while being under-inflated causing pre-mature wear and a possible tire blow out, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and provide a new corrected Federal Placard, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on, or about, June 23, 2016. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-206-7600. Forest River's number for this recall is 15-04172016-0179.

Components: Equipment › Other › Labels; Tires

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Typical mileage*
Tires	3	3,900 mi
Unknown or other	2	—
Wheels	2	—
StructureBody	2	—
Suspension	1	—
Equipment	1	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Equipment
The contact owns a 2017 Forest River Cardinal. The contact stated that while her husband was hauling the fifth wheel at approximately 60-65 MPH, the two front emergency exit windows detached. While driving at undisclosed speeds, the rear window detached from the RV. The contact stated that the sleeping quarter window was loose. The contact's husband used tape to secure the window. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V523000 (Equipment, Structure). The RV was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the windows. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no recall coverage on the RV for the…
Feb 15, 2025
Unknown or other
The slide out system cause the frame to separate from the wall of the travel trailer. This allowed water to get into the wall which rotted the support. When traveling, the slide out would separate on its own. Fortunately, I was made aware by a friend and was able to take the RV to the dealership for inspection and repair. I have a another friend that has a Forest River Wildwood that had the same issue which was also corrected before an accident occurred. From what I was told, the wall and screws for the system are were the issue and larger ones were put in place.
Oct 15, 2021
Suspension
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SINCE OWNING THE TRAILER, HE HAS HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES A TOTAL OF 11 TIMES DUE TO TIRE BLOWOUTS. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE TRAILER. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND UPON INSPECTION OF THE TRAILER HE NOTICED A BLOWOUT OF THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. UPON REPLACING THE TIRE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED SIGNIFICANT UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHACKLES INSTALLED ON THE TRAILER HAD UNDERPERFORMED AND HAD LINKED THE DEFECTIVE SHACKLES TO THE RECURRING TIRE FAILURES. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO THE MANUFACTURER HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE…
Jul 17, 2019 · 4,000 miles
Structure › Body
WE HAVE A 2017 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL. WE HAVE ONLY TAKEN OUR TRAILER OUT FIVE TIMES FOR APPROXIMATELY 3900 MILES. THE LAST TRIP TO ARIZONA ON INTERSTATE 40 TOWARD FLAGSTAFF. THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 80 DEGREES WITH LIGHT RAIN. THE PSI WAS 80 LBS IN THIS TIRE WHEN IT BLEW OUT ON JULY 12TH, 2019. THE SECOND TIRE BLOW OUT ON INTERSTATE 40 NEAR YUCCA REST STOP AROUND 20 MILES FROM NEEDLES, CALIFORNIA. PSI WAS 80 LBS WHEN THIS SECOND TIRE BLEW OUT. THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 102 DEGREES. THIS HAPPEN IN JULY 17TH, 2019 THE THIRD TIRE TO BLOW OUT HAPPEN ALSO ON INTERSTATE 40 ABOUT, 40 MILES TO BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA. PSI WAS 80 LBS WHEN THIS THIRD TIRE BLEW OUT. THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 112…
Jul 17, 2019 · 3,900 miles
Tires
PURCHASED NEW 5TH WHEEL TRAILER IN DECEMBER OF 2017 WITH GOODYEAR MARATHON ST235/80R16, LOAD RANGE E TIRES INSTALLED. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON A SOMEWHAT CURVY AND HILLY STATE HIGHWAY WITH 4800 MILES ON RV, THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE TIRE DAMAGING THE RV IN THE PROCESS. I PULLED TO SHOULDER AND FAILED TIRE HAD A SIGNIFICANT LEAK, BUT DID NOT BLOW OUT SO I REPLACED IT WITH THE SPARE. I HAVE TPMS INSTALLED ON ALL 4 WHEELS WHICH REPORTS TIRE PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE. ALL 4 TIRES WERE NOMINAL JUST PRIOR TO FAILURE. ALL TIRES HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED AT THE REQUIRED COLD PRESSURE OF 80 PSI PRIOR TO EVERY TRIP. THE RV IS STORED INDOORS WITHOUT ANY SUN EXPOSURE.
Jun 8, 2019 · 4,800 miles
Wheels
WE HAVE A 2017 CARDINAL 5TH WHEEL, AND IN JUNE 2018 WE GOT BACK FROM CAMPING AND WHILE IN TRAILER EMPTYING OUR THINGS OUT WE HEARD A LOUD BAND. IT ENDED UP BEING THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT GOOD YEAR MARATHON ST TIRE THAT BLEW DUE TO A LARGE BULGE ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE TIRE. WE CALLED GOODYEAR AND THEY SAID TO FIND A GOODYEAR PLACE TO HAVE THEM REPLACE AND THE DEALER COULD DEAL WITH THEM. WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR OUR REFUND. NOW SEPT 8TH 2018 DRIVING HOME TO CA FROM UT WE PULLED INTO JEAN NV TO GET FUEL AND I NOTICED A BULGE ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. WE PUT THE SPARE ON AND CONTINUED ON THE ROAD. WE PULLED OVER ON THE 58 FRWY IN BARSTOW AND CHECKED TIRES AND ALL WAS WELL.…
Sep 8, 2018 · 3,000 miles
Unknown or other
AFTER PURCHASING I REALIZED THAT THE FEDERAL DATA PLACARD ON THE RV LISTS THE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATINGS AS 6818 LBS. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THE TWO AXLES ON THIS RV ARE 6,000 LB AXLES. BECAUSE THE PLACARD HAS LISTED THE TWO AXLES AT A TOTAL OF 1636 LBS TOO MUCH, THEY HAVE, IN TURN LISTED THE GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING AT 15,888, WHICH IS 1636 TOO HEAVY A RATING. THE PLACARD SHOULD LIST THE AXLES AS 6,000 GAWR. THE TONGUE WEIGHT OF THE RV IS 2252 LBS. SO, IF THEY WOULD HAVE LISTED THE AXLES AT THE CORRECT 12,000 LBS AND ADDED THAT WEIGHT TO THE TONGUE WEIGHT THE GVWR WOULD HAVE BEEN 14,252. I HAVE SEEN OTHER FOREST RIVER CARDINAL RV'S AT THE LAZY DAYS, TAMPA DEALERSHIP WITH THE SAME…
May 7, 2017

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.