RoadVitals

2018 Forest River Cardinal

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Jul 9, 2021
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2018 Forest River Cardinal. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
21V523000

EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER; STRUCTURE

Jul 9, 2021
825 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: Adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy: 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.
Forest River, Inc.Manufacturer number 51-1380View on NHTSA.gov
18V081000

STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT

Jan 30, 2018
53 units potentially affected
The defect: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018 Cardinal recreational trailers, models CAF3045RLLE, CAF304SR, CAF322DS and CAF392RD. These vehicles were manufactured without an emergency exit window in the rear wall of the vehicle.
The risk: Without a secondary means of escape from the vehicle, a person may be trapped inside the vehicle during an emergency, which could increase the risk of injury.
The remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install an emergency exit window, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-206-7600. Forest River's number for this recall is 15-0626.
Forest River, Inc.Manufacturer number 15-0626View on NHTSA.gov
17V336000

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

May 24, 2017
17 units potentially affected
The defect: 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."
The 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.
The remedy: 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.
Forest River, Inc.Manufacturer number 15-05192017-0412View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Forest River Cardinal by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2024010—
2023100—
2022050—
2021160—
2020110—
2019110—
2018Viewing030—
2017730—
2016240—
20151110—
2014140—
2013220—
2012100—
2010300—
2009510—
2008100—
2006710—
2005620—
2004220—
2003130—
2002120—
2001120—
2000210—
1999210—
1998210—
1997010—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.