2012 Forest River Flagstaff

ODI opened RQ14-004 based on 3 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) which reported a condition similar to recall 13V-554.This recall addressed insufficient clearance between the tire and trailer floor.The condition was due to a frame supplier change which resulted in reduced clearance between the top of the tire and the bottom of the wheel wellOf the three VOQs reported in the opening resume two were not included in recall 13V-554 and one was.Both of the vehicles not included used a different frame than the recalled trailers.Upon thorough examination of the condition experienced by the owners it was found that neither unit exhibited insufficient tire clearance between the bottom of the floor and top of the tire.Forest River's initial Information Request Response (IRR) submission did not adequately address all the questions asked by ODI.Following a meetingwith Forest River personnel on March 20, 2015 an IRR was submitted on May 22, 2015, which satisfied ODI.This submission is included in the public repository.When asked how Forest River identified the recall population they used a production change to determine the start and end dates.On February 3, 2012 Forest River introduced a new frame.The engineering drawings used to launch this new frame failed to identify the frame rail height.Furthermore, Forest River failed to verify that the new frame rail height was the same as the one it replaced.This created a half inch reduction in clearance.This issue was not identified and remedied untilFebruary 4, 2013 which is the end of the recall population. A thorough review of the complaint and warranty informationreceived during this investigation was preformed.After removing claims that could be associated with recall 13V-554 a defect trend was not identified on the remaining population.The only crash which also included an injurycould not be positively associated with the alleged defect. This investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following complaint identification numbers: 10598458, 10598344, 10538519.

THE FRAME HAS DEVELOPED A CRACK (6-8 INCHES LONG) BETWEEN THE FRONT AXLE AND THE DOOR OF THE TRAILER. THIS HAS LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE SLIDE OUT AND TO THE FLOOR NEAR THE CRACK. AFTER FINDING THE CRACK I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE TOWABILITY OF THIS UNIT. THIS WAS DISCOVERED AFTER A FAIRLY LONG TRIP, HOWEVER THE SLIDEOUT FAILURE AND FLOOR DAMAGE WAS OBVIUOS DURINT THE LAST DAYS OF THE TRIP.

NHTSA ID

10896352

Incident

May 8, 2016

Mileage

43,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF RV EQUIPPED WITH AMERICAN PACIFIC GLADIATOR (NA) TIRES, SIZE: 225/75/R15 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.

NHTSA ID

10885113

Incident

Jun 6, 2016

Mileage

10,000 mi

TWO TIRES BLEW OUT APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES APART. FIRST TIRE DAMAGED WIRING AND BODY OF 5TH WHEEL. TIRES WERE CLASS C. SAMS AND GOODYEAR STATED THESE TIRES WERE UNDER RATED FOR THE WEIGHT OF THIS VEHICLE. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH E RATED TRAILER TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534403

Incident

Jul 23, 2013

Mileage

3,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF RV, EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR MARATHON TIRES, SIZE ST235/80/R16. WHILE EXAMINING THE TIRE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SIDE WALL HAD EXPLODED. THE TIRE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TIRES WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10459547

Incident

May 15, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER FLAGSTAFF. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THE RV BEGAN TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHILE ATTACHED TO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE RV WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THE CONTACT INFLATE THE TIRES TO 15 PSI MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED INFLATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DOES NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE BUT HELPS REDUCE THE MOVEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. UPDATED 12/06/11*LJ

NHTSA ID

10434063

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

Mileage

500 mi

WE PURCHASED THE RV IN MIDDLEBURY, INDIANA AND STARTED HOME WITH IT ON AUG 12, 2011. WE STOPPED FOR THE NIGHT IN ILLINOIS. THE MORNING OF THE 13TH WE DROVE APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TANDOM TIRE BLEW LEAVING JUST PART OF THE SIDEWALL ATTACHED TO THE WHEEL. AFTER WE MADE IT HOME AND CHECKED THE LOAD LIMIT OF THE TIRES WE DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE RATED C WITH A LOAD LIMIT OF 2150 LBS. PER THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE TRAILER CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY DECAL ON THE TRAILER, THE DRY WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER IS 7696 AND THE CARGO WEIGHT SHOULD NOT EXCEED 1388 POUNDS. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY PERSONAL ITEMS LOADED INTO THE TRAILER WHEN THE TIRE BLEW. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE TIRES ARE NOT RATED TO CARRY OVER 9000 POUNDS. IT IS GETTING CLOSE TO THE MAX EMPTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10423788

Incident

Aug 13, 2011

Mileage

350 mi