2021 Forest River R-Pod Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2021 Forest River R-Pod, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure125.0%
- Brakes125.0%
- Tires & wheels125.0%
- Visibility125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE PURCHASED A 2021 R-POD 171 IN MARCH 2021. THE FRONT WINDOW RANDOMLY SHATTERED ON I-10 AS THE TRAILER WAS BEING TOWED AT 55 MPH. THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROAD, OR FOUND WHEN CLEANING UP THE GLASS IN THE CAMPER. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH. I HAVE COME TO LEARN THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH R-POD FRONT WINDOWS, AND FOREST RIVER WILL NOT FIX THE ISSUE. FOREST RIVER WAS USING SINGLE PANE WINDOWS. THOSE BROKE. THEY SWITCHED TO THICKER GLASS (WHICH IS WHAT I AM TOLD WHAT WE HAD) THAT SUPPOSEDLY DON'T BREAK. NOW THEY DO DOUBLE PANE WINDOWS. THESE ARE $361 AND $200 SHIPPING. ESTIMATED 1 HOUR LABOR INSTALL. THE FRONT WALL IS BEGINNING TO WARP SO I WORRY IT WAS MORE THAN JUST THE WINDOW THAT WAS AT FAULT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
RV TRAILER NO BRAKES BRAND NEW TRAILER, WE DROVE SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE DEALERSHIP THEN WE BROUGHT THE TRAILER RIGHT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THE SAME DAY. WE LEFT THE TRAILER A THE DEALERSHIP FOR ONE WEEK, THEY SAID THEY REPAIRED IT AND WE CAN COME PICK UP OUR NEW TRAILER. USED THE TRAILER THREE TIMES SINCE THE BRAKES WERE SAID TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED, AND APPEARED TO BE WORKING AFTER THE REPAIR, BUT BRAKING WAS UNEVEN ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE BRAKE SEEMED TO BE WORKING, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS NOT. WE HAVE RETURNED THE TRAILER AGAIN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSPECT, AND REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, WERE STILL WAITING FOR REPAIRS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE DEALERSHIP IT'S BEEN SIX WEEKS, DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY ARE WAITING ON PARTS FROM FOREST RIVER.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
This is on a Travel Trailer (TT) with less than 5500 miles on these tires. ST225/75R 15. I was towing my TT down the highway all of a sudden the tire on the drivers side blew. It was like an explosion. It tore the metal fender and caused damage to the underside of the TT. Once the spare was put on I continued driving until all of a sudden the passenger side tire blew. Sounded exactly the same like an explosion causing more damage to the TT inside and out. Mine and my wifes safety was put at risk when these tires that are on a single axel blew and could have flipped the trailer or truck. I reported the incident to the dealer and brought them the tires upon return from the trip we were on. They agreed something didn't seem right. I am going to start an insurance claim this week after I file the report with you and the company. There wasn't a warning with the tires and we actually had two different people check them before the trip and both said the tires looked good.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The front window shattered. It was not involved in an accident. We do not believe it was hit by a rock. We had only driven a short distance from our last stop when we entered the trailer and noticed it. We were able to have it crash wrapped so we were able to drive the trailer home. We reported it to Forest River who says it is not a design or components issue although a number of other R-Pod trailer owners have reported the same issue. We have not had it inspected but are awaiting the arrival of a replacement so it is available for inspection.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .