2012 Forest River Rockwood

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.

LIPPERT CHASSIS FAILURE - THE CHASSIS OF OUR TRAVEL TRAILER BUCKLED WHILE TOWING IT FROM CA TO AZ. THE FAILURE BECAME SO CATASTROPHIC THAT THE FRONT END OF THE TRAILER ACTUALLY TOUCHED THE HIGHWAY SURFACE WHILE IN TOW. MY WIFE AND 2 KIDS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED HAD I NOT CAREFULLY TOOK US OFF THE HIGHWAY WHEN I DID. LIPPERT COMPONENTS INC OF INDIANA MANUFACTURES THE CHASSIS FOR FORREST RIVER, INC. IN THE CASE OF MY TRAILER, IT APPEARS THAT THEY USED A 1/8 INCH THICK C-CHANNEL TUBING IN THE AREA THAT BUCKLED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY RV EXPERTS WHO BELIEVE THIS IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER. I HAVE CONTACTED AND TRIED TO GET LIPPERT, (LCI) TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY. I EVEN SENT THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY PERSONALLY A 3 PAGE LETTER ASKING FOR THEIR SUPPORT, TO WHICH I DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. IN A LETTER SENT TO THEM FROM MY ATTORNEY, THEY ADVISED ME THAT THEY DO NOT OFFER A WARRANTY TO THE END PURCHASER OF THE VEHICLE. THIS TO ME SEEMS UNACCEPTABLE. IN RESEARCHING LIPPERT'S HISTORY OF CHASSIS FAILURES ONLINE, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. THEIR ARE NUMEROUS BLOGS, POSTINGS AND EVEN YOU TUBE VIDEOS SHARING SIMILAR ISSUES. MY CONCERN IS THAT A 30 FOOT OR LONGER VEHICLE TRAVELING DOWN A US HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH SHOULD NOT JUST BEND IN HALF FOR NO REASON. MY VEHICLE WAS IN PRISTINE CONDITION, LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD. NOT ONLY COULD THIS HAVE CREATED A DEVASTATING ACCIDENT, IT RUINED OUR FAMILY VACATION AND LEFT A SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL BURDEN. GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR SERIOUS CHASSIS ISSUES FROM LCI, I BELIEVE IT'S TIME SOMEONE ADDRESSES THIS BEFORE INNOCENT PEOPLE DIE. ADDITIONALLY, LIPPERT APPEARS TO BE THE PRIMARY MANUFACTURER OF CHASSIS' FOR THE ENTIRE RV INDUSTRY. I AM TOLD THEY MAKE UP TO 1600 CHASSIS PER DAY. GIVEN THEIR DOMINANCE IN THE INDUSTRY, TOO MANY PEOPLES LIVINGS ARE RIDING ON THEIR PRODUCTS.

NHTSA ID

11019253

Incident

Mar 17, 2017

Mileage

8,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON I-75 NORTH OF KNOXVILLE, TN I EXPERIENCED A TIRE FAILURE ON THE RIGHT REAR AXLE WHICH HAD 1 PREVIOUS BLOWOUT BOTH ON THE INSIDE/BACK OF THE TIRE ( A TOTAL OF 3 BLOWOUTS ON THE REAR HUB AND 1 BLOWOUT ON THE FRONT HUB OF THE CURB/RIGHT SIDE OF THE 5TH WHEEL. TELE CONVERSATIONS WITH FOREST RIVER NETTED NO HELP OR DESIRE TO FURTHER INQUIRE AS TO THE CAUSE OF 4 TIRE FAILURES ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE 5TH WHEEL WHICH HAS LESS THAN 4K MILES. THE FIRST 2 BLOWOUTS OCCURRED ON A TRIP TO ST. AUGUSTINE WHILE TRAVELING ON I-95. IN ALL BLOWOUT CASES THE SPEED WAS BETWEEN 60-65 MPH.

NHTSA ID

10871637

Incident

May 16, 2016

Mileage

3,600 mi

ON DECEMBER 31 WE WERE RETURNING FROM A TRIP AND WERE APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES FROM OUR HOME WE WERE FLAGGED DOWN BY A MOTORIST AT AN INTERSECTION HE INDICATED THAT SMOKE AND OIL WERE BLOWING OUT OF OUR DRIVER SIDE REAR AXLE ON OUR 5TH WHEEL. WE FOUND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND SAW THE WHEEL HUB CAP WAS MISSING AND GREASE WAS COMING OUT OF THE WHEEL HUB CREATING A LOT OF SMOKE AND HEAT. YOU COULD SMELL THE GREASE BURNING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE RV. DUE TO THE TIME OF DAY, APPROXIMATELY 5:00 P.M. ON NEW YEAR'S EVE WE COULD NOT FIND A SERVICE CENTER OPEN. WE PROCEEDED AT A VERY SLOW PACE, APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, STOPPING PERIODICALLY TO CHECK WHEEL, UNTIL WE REACHED OUR HOME. THIS IS OUR FIFTH AND FINAL MECHANICAL FAILURE FOR THIS RV UNIT. IT IS A LEMON AND WE ARE ASKING FOR A FULL REFUND FOR THIS ROCKWOOD FROM FOREST RIVER. WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO EVER TAKE THIS RV AGAIN. IT IS UNSAFE AND WE WILL NOT PUT OUR LIVES IN JEOPARDY. WE ARE ONLY ASKING FOR FOREST RIVER TO TAKE THIS RV IN RETURN AND SETTLE WITH THE BANK. WE'VE ALWAYS HAD ROUTINE SERVICE COMPLETED. WE FIND THAT WE CAN'T ENDURE THE UNCERTAINTY OF TRAVEL AND GREAT PERIL IF SOMETHING ELSE SHOULD GO MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THIS 5TH WHEEL. FOREST RIVER HAD THIS UNIT TOWED TO LIBERTY RV TO DO REPAIRS "AGAIN". THIS IS NOT A TRUSTWORTHY UNIT EVEN WITH "THEIR REPAIRS". THEY HAD SAID, ON THE PRIOR INCIDENT, THAT THEY REPAIRED THESE AXLES BUT THEY FAILED US AGAIN. THIS UNIT IS NOT SAFE ON THE ROAD FOR US OR FOR OTHER MOTORIST. WE HAVE INDICATED TO FOREST RIVER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THAT WE DO NOT FEEL SAFE TOWING THIS VEHICLE AFTER LOSING THE BRAKES AND THE AXLES TWICE! INCIDENT #5 OF 5. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS

NHTSA ID

10871076

Incident

Dec 31, 2015

Mileage

5,500 mi

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH MS IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT SOMETHING WAS RUBBING ON THE TIRE ON OUR FIFTH WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION WE COULD SEE A BOLT AND A PIECE OF METAL, WHICH WERE ATTACHED TO THE SLIDE UNIT, RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE. WE PROCEEDED TO A RV CENTER IN HAMMOND, LA TO HAVE FURTHER INSPECTION ON THIS ISSUE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BOLT WOULD HAVE TO BE SHORTENED AND THE RAM FACE WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT BACK TO ALLOW FOR FREE ROTATION AND REDUCE THE RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. THEY CUT THE BOLT AND RETHREADED IT TO WHERE IT WAS SHORTENED ENOUGH NOT TO COMPROMISE THE TIRE. THEY ALSO CUT BACK THE RAM FACE END TO ELIMINATE THE CHANCE OF IT RUBBING THE TIRE ANY FURTHER. WHILE THEY WERE REPAIRING THE TIRE ISSUE THEY ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD BEEN RUBBED THROUGH AND HAD EXPOSED THE BARE WIRES. THE EXPOSED WIRING HAD TO BE CUT OUT AND REPLACED. THE NEW WIRING AND HARNESS WERE REATTACHED IN A MORE SECURE FASHION. AGAIN, WE ENDURED STRESS, DELAY, EXPENSE AND APPREHENSION WITH THIS 5TH WHEEL. WE ARE ALWAYS WAITING FOR THE NEXT SHOE TO DROP! WHAT NEXT? INCIDENT #4 OF 5 WE WILL BE POSTING. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS

NHTSA ID

10871060

Incident

Nov 12, 2014

Mileage

2,700 mi

WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY WHEN A MOTORIST BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT HE SAW THE GREASE CAP BLOW OFF AND THERE WAS SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL OF THE 5TH WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HUB BEARING OVERHEATED AND LOST ALL THE GREASE IN THE BEARING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE SPINDLE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. REPLACEMENT OF AXLE WAS NEEDED. THIS AXLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE MANUFACTURED BY THE COMPANY IN INDIANA THAT MADE THE ORIGINAL AXLE. THE PART HAD TO BE SHIPPED FROM INDIANA TO THE REPAIR CENTER IN KENTUCKY WHERE THE 5TH WHEEL WAS WAITING TO BE REPAIRED. SAFETY IS THE KEY ISSUE FOR OUR FAMILY AND FOR THAT OF OTHER MOTORIST. WE DID NOT DRIVE THE 5TH WHEEL ANY FURTHER NOR DID WE HAVE ASSURANCE IN THE REMAINING, ORIGINAL AXLES, MANUFACTURED BY AL-KO, THAT WERE STILL ON THE VEHICLE. HAVING THE SAME MANUFACTURER (AL-KO) REPLACE THE BROKEN AXLE DID NOT MAKE US FEEL SAFE. ON APRIL 2 WE WERE SENT A RETURN FORM TO HAVE THE 5TH WHEEL UNIT PICKED UP IN KENTUCKY AND TAKEN TO THE FOREST RIVER FACILITY IN INDIANA FOR REPAIR. THE PART WAS BEING SHIPPED FROM AL-KO TO THE QUALITY AUTO CARE, IN KENTUCKY, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO INSTALL THE AXLE SO THE 5TH WHEEL COULD BE MOVED TO IN. THE UNIT WAS THEN MOVED TO INDIANA TO HAVE FINAL REPAIRS AS NEEDED. REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED IN INDIANA AND WE WERE NOTIFIED ON APRIL 29, 2014 THAT THE UNIT WAS BEING DELIVERED TO US IN KANSAS.WE HAVE BEEN INCONVENIENCED AND PUT AT GREAT RISK TOWING THIS UNIT. WE ARE SKEPTICAL THAT A NEW AXLE WAS INSTALLED OR REPAIRED BY FOREST RIVER SINCE WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL AXLE FAILURE IN 2015. THIS IS INCIDENT #3 OF 5 WE WILL BE POSTING. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS

NHTSA ID

10871054

Incident

Mar 24, 2014

Mileage

2,000 mi

ON A RETURN TRIP HOME FROM INCIDENT #1 WE BLEW A TIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT ON OUR FIFTH WHEEL AND WE WERE STRANDED ON VERY BUSY INTERSTATE 25. A NM DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEE STOPPED AND HELPED CHANGE TO THE SPARE TIRE. HE DIRECTED US TO THE CLOSEST RV REPAIR DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOT DEAL IN TIRES SO THEY SENT US TO ANOTHER SERVICE. WE THEN WENT TO A TIRE DEALER FOR A TIRE REPLACEMENT. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE SENT TO FOREST RIVER OF THE BLOWN TIRE WHILE WE WERE IN NEW MEXICO. THE TIRE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THE TIRES HAD BEEN COMPROMISED FROM OVERHEATING OF AXLES AND BRAKES IN PRIOR INCIDENT #1. ALSO, WE WERE ADVISED THAT ORIGINAL 6 PLY TIRES WERE INSUFFICIENT PLY FOR THIS FIFTH WHEEL UNIT. HE REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WITH A 10 PLY TIRE BECAUSE HE REFUSED TO PUT ANOTHER 6 PLY ON DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES. HE RECOMMENDED ALL TIRES BE REPLACED WITH 10 PLY WHEN WE RETURN HOME. WE TOOK THIS ADVICE AND UPON RETURNING HOME HAD THE THREE ADDITIONAL 6 PLY TIRES REPLACED WITH 10 PLY TIRES. EACH TIRE COST $119.00 ($476.00). FOREST RIVER PROVIDED A CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT OF $320.00 TOWARDS REPLACEMENT OF TIRES. HOWEVER WE FEEL OUR SAFETY WAS AGAIN COMPROMISED AND, NEED WE SAY, OUR CONFIDENCE IN THIS 5TH WHEEL WAS CONTINUING TO ERODE. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE SENT OF THE BLOWN TIRE TO FOREST RIVER WHILE WE WERE IN NEW MEXICO. SERIAL#: RL1844723 UNIT MODEL#:8289WS THIS IS INCIDENT #2 OF 5 THAT WE WILL BE POSTING.

NHTSA ID

10871052

Incident

Apr 2, 2013

Mileage

1,400 mi

IN ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA WHEN WE STOPPED FOR FUEL IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT GREASE WAS LEAKING FROM ALL FOUR HUBS OF THE TWO AXLES ON OUR 5TH WHEEL. AFTER STAYING IN ARDMORE FOR TWO DAYS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE REPAIRS WE NEEDED WE HAD TO DRIVE TO A SERVICE FACILITY IN DENTON, TX WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE BRAKES WERE BURNED OFF OF ALL FOUR WHEELS AND THIS HAD CAUSED THE AXLES TO OVERHEAT AND FORCED ALL THE GREASE OUT OF THE HUBS AND IT HAD BURNED OFF ALL THE BRAKE WIRING AS WELL. AFTER PARTS WERE OBTAINED FROM DALLAS, TX THE BRAKES SHOES WERE ALL REPLACED, NEW BRAKE WIRING INSTALLED AND AXELS REPACKED. WE REALIZED AT THIS TIME WE HAD DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE AN ADDITIONAL 66 MILES WITH NO BRAKES. THIS WAS VERY DISCONCERTING TO SAY THE LEAST. IN AUGUST, 2013 WE DELIVERED THE DAMAGED PARTS TO THE FOREST RIVER FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE WHEN WE ATTENDED THE FROG RALLY IN IN. ROCKWOOD UNIT MODEL#: 8289WS PURCHASED 3/13/12 DATE OF MANUFACTURE: 12.14.2011 THIS IS INCIDENT #1 OF 5 ON THIS VEHICLE. WE WILL BE POSTING ALL 5 INCIDENTS.

NHTSA ID

10871037

Incident

Mar 16, 2013

Mileage

1,000 mi

INCURRED 2 TIRE BLOWOUTS. THIS IS A TWO AXLE FIFTH WHEEL. I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR ON A RETURN TRIP HOME. THIS RV IS ONLY 23 MONTHS OLD FROM DATE OF MANUFACTURE (FEB 2012) SO THE TIRES SHOULD BE FAIRLY NEW. ONE BLOWOUT WAS TO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SO I REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY TEN MORE MILES I INCURRED ANOTHER BLOW OUT ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. I PROCEEDED TO REPLACE ALL FIVE TIRES INCLUDING THE SPARE TO AVOID ANOTHER MISHAP. DURING THE REPLACING OF ALL TIRES IT WAS POINTED OUT BY THE TECHNICIANS REPLACING THE TIRES THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE ALSO HAD A LUMP THAT WOULD HAVE IN ALL PROBABILITY ALSO BLOWN OUT. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE ROAD THAT I WAS ON SO I HAD HIT SOME ROUGH SPOTS BUT I DO NOT THINK WAS THE MAIN CAUSE FOR THE BLOWOUTS. COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE TIRES OR SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE RV AXLES/SUSPENSION AT INSTALLATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563675

Incident

Jan 30, 2014