RoadVitals

2023 Forest River Hardside

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

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.
1
Latest May 2, 2025
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.
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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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2023 Forest River Hardside, most frequently naming the body & structure and electrical categories. 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure150.0%
  • Electrical150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

Body & structureElectrical
Filed May 2, 2025

Case Summary A [XXX] purchased a new Forest River camper in 2024, which suffered 20+ defects within the first year, including a critical structural failure (sagging rear, misaligned door, compromised fridge foundation). Despite a signed settlement agreement (March 2025) where Forest River promised repairs, warranty extension, and $5,000 compensation, they: 1.Failed to fix the defects - returned the camper with the same issues + new damage. 2.Voided the $5,000 check - after we protested their insufficient fix/resolution. 3.Stonewalled – dismissed our input regarding the issue and its cause, avoided resolution and escalation requests, etc. Key Facts & Evidence •Documented Defects oStructural/safety hazard: Sagging rear, growing door gaps, crumbling fridge foundation (photos show daylight through gaps). Additional safety defects: Jack failures, unsecured cabinets. oFunctional: Furnace, water heater, electrical failures. •Forest River’s Bad Faith oBotched Repairs: Admitted floor repair failed (email from Jerald Summey, Apr 29). Omitted structural resolution service forms. Retaliation: Voided $5,000 check after client demanded accountability. Dismissal of Evidence: Ignored dealer photos/measurements proving defects. Forest River’s Bad Faith & Deceptive Practices •Forest River repeatedly dismissed, manipulated, and retaliated against me to avoid accountability: oDeliberate Ignorance of Evidence oBait-and-Switch Tactics oGaslighting & Blame-Shifting oStonewalling Escalation INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11658521
Incident
Apr 29, 2025

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

511950

This is a product service bulletin from Global Link concerning counterfeit keys for entry doors being sold on certain websites. Forest River is reporting as we are sharing with the dealer body.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Forest River Hardside by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026010—
2025010—
2024010—
2023Viewing100—

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.