2013 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.

WE PURCHASED NEW A 2013 ROCKWOOD TRAVEL TRAILER (MODEL 8329SS), THE TRAILER IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT NOTICED THAT THE 4 TIRES WERE RUBBING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRAILER, MOST LIKELY WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. WE DID NOTICE AFTER WE TOOK DELIVERY THAT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TIRES AND THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAILER WAS VERY CLOSE, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS DESIGNED WITH THIS CLEARANCE. NOW TIME HAS GONE BY AND WE WENT TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES (TRAILER ONLY HAS MAYBE 7,000 MILES ON IT) AND NOTICED THAT THE TIRES HAVE BEEN RUBBING. AFTER DOING A WEB SEARCH FOUND A RECALL FROM FOREST RIVER REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE (CAMPAIGN #13V554000). WE CALLED SEVERAL PEOPLE AT FOREST RIVER, GAVE OUR SERIAL NUMBER AND WERE TOLD OUR UNIT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, WAS ADVISED TO SEND PICTURES WHICH WE DID, AFTER SEVERAL EMAILS AND PHONE MESSAGES WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM FOREST RIVER REGARDING THE ISSUE. THE TRAILER SHOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE A CLEARANCE OF 3.5", OUR TRAILER HAS ONLY CLEARANCE OF 5/8" TO 1 5/8". SO THIS RUBBING FROM THE TOP OF THE TIRES TO THE BOTTOM OF THE RV IS HAPPENING WHEN THE TRAVEL TRAILER IS BEING TOWED, MOST LIKELY WHEN GOING OVER ROAD BUMPS AND BACKING UP INTO CAMP SITES. WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS UNIT IT WAS A NEW MODEL BY ROCKWOOD (FOREST RIVER), AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PRODUCED. WE PURCHASED ON 10/01/2012 FROM WEEKEND RV SALES IN CLINTON TENNESSEE, THE UNIT WAS BUILT ON 9/21/2012. DURING MY FIRST CONVERSATION WITH FOREST RIVER REGARDING IF OUR TRAILER WAS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SEND A LIFT KIT FOR US TO HAVE INSTALLED, THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE LIFT KIT BUT NOT THE INSTALLATION BECAUSE OUR UNIT WAS NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL, WE NEVER RECEIVED A LIFT KIT AND AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS WITH FOREST RIVER NO ONE RECALLS STATING THEY WOULD SEND A LIFT KIT.

NHTSA ID

10937596

Incident

Nov 28, 2016

Mileage

7,000 mi

THE TRAILER WAS FURNISHED WITH TRAIL EXPRESS POWER TOWING ST225/75R15 TIRES FROM THE FACTORY. WITH ONLY ABOUT 2000 MILES ON THE TIRES, ONE STARTED TO HAVE A SLOW LEAK WHILE IT WAS PARKED AT MY HOME. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TIRE DEALER AND HE FOUND THAT THE SIDEWALL WAS LEAKING ABOUT A HALF AN INCH FROM THE RIM. I HAVE OPTED TO REPLACE THESE PRACTICALLY NEW TIRES WITH ONES MADE BY MAXXIS. I WOULD NOT WANT TO RISK A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHILE TOWING THIS LARGE TRAILER. FOREST RIVER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR THESE HAZARDOUS TIRES. ALSO, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE BANNED FROM SELLING THEIR PRODUCTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

NHTSA ID

10865524

Incident

May 13, 2016

Mileage

2,000 mi

CPSC:H1550028A. FOREST RIVER RV. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BUNK BEDS IN THE RV HAVE A FALL SAFETY ISSUE. *LN THE RV DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH GUARD RAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10730065

Incident

Oct 15, 2013

2013 ROCKWOOD FREEDOM. CONSUMER WRITES IN THE REGARDS TO BRAKES LOCKED DURING TOWING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE TRAILER BRAKES. THE BRAKES WERE SO HOT THAT GREASE WAS OOZING FROM THE BEARINGS. THE CONSUMER ALSO FOUND THE BRAKE LANYARD WAS DISENGAGED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE BACKING PLATE, HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPACKED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE BRAKE LANYARD DISENGAGED WHICH CAUSED THE TRAILER BRAKES TO LOCK UP, WAS DUE TO A PIECE OF ROAD DEBRIS HITTING THE CABLE.

NHTSA ID

10680192

Incident

Mar 2, 2015

CPSC: I1450340A. 2013 ROCKWOOD TRAVEL TRAILER. CONSUMER STATED THE TRAILER STARTED TO SWAY AND CAUSED THE TRUCK TO ROLL OVER ON ITS ROOF. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED HE NOTICED THE TRAILER STARTING TO SWAY, WHEN HE WENT AROUND A CORNER OR CHANGED LANES. THE WIND THEN CAUGHT THE TRAILER, HE HIT THE TRAILER BRAKES, TO SLOW THE SWAYING DOWN. HE THEN LET GO OF THE TRAILER BRAKES AND THE TRAILER JERKED. WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE PICTURES, HE NOTICED THE FRESH WATER TANK WAS EXPOSED AT THE REAR BUMPER OF THE TRAILER. WHEN HE WENT TO RETRIEVE HIS BELONGINGS, HE CHECKED THE TANK FOR BAFFLES, AND DISCOVERED NONE HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE TANK. THE CONSUMER REALIZED THE WATER MOVING AROUND IN THE TANK, PLAYED A MAJOR FACTOR IN LOOSING CONTROL OF THE TRAILER. THE TRAILER HITCH BROKE WHEN IT ROLLED, CAUSING THE SWAY BARS TO COME OFF THE HITCH.

NHTSA ID

10609392

Incident

May 16, 2014

WE FILLED THE FRESH WATER TANK FOR A CAMPING TRIP. WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MAKING LANE CHANGES OR CORNERING THE TRAILER WOULD START TO SWAY, I WOULD HIT THE TRAILER BRAKES TO GET IT BACK UNDER CONTROL. THE TRAILER STARTED TO SWAY AGAIN AND I LOST CONTROL, THIS TIME ROLLING THE TRUCK AND TRAILER. I NOTICED THE FRESH WATER TANK WAS LOCATED AT THE REAR BUMBER. I FEEL THE WATER SWATCHING AROUND IN THE UN BAFFELED TANK CAUSED THE TRAILER TO SWAY OUT OF CONTROL. TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS WE HAD TOWED THE TRAILER IN HIGH CROSS WINDS WITH NO PROBLEMS, BUT THERE WAS NO FRESH WATER ON BOARD AT THAT TIME. I TOW THE TRAILER WITH A 2006 FORD F 150 SUPER CAB 4X4 6FT BED AND USE A E-2 STABILIZER HITCH. I HAD USE THIS SET UP ON THE 25 FT R-VISION FOR 3 YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS. WE LOST OUR DOG FROM INJURIES FROM THE CRASH. UPDATED 12/1/2014 *JS

NHTSA ID

10592218

Incident

May 16, 2014

Mileage

100 mi

Helpful document to remove and replace a flush floor slideroom box/floor.