2011 Forest River Sandpiper 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 2011 Forest River Sandpiper, 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
- Electrical150.0%
- Exterior lighting150.0%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WHERE MAIN LIGHTING AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING QUIT WORKING. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING AND ANALYSIS, I WAS ABLE TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE. BEHIND THE POWER INVERTER AND CABINETRY I DISCOVERED WHERE ALL THE CAMPER WIRING CAME TOGETHER. I DISCOVERED SEVERAL BUNDLES OF 12V COMMON/GROUND WIRING BUNCHED TOGETHER. I THREE AREAS I FOUND UP TO 7 WIRES CONNECTED TOGETHER WITH A BLUE WIRE NUT AND WRAPPED IN ELECTRICAL TAPE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE "BUNDLE" OF WIRES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIGHTS THAT DIDN'T WORK. AFTER REMOVING THE ELECTRICAL TAPE, I FOUND THE WIRING HAD BEEN POORLY OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED AND CREATED AN AREA OF HIGH RESISTANCE, RESULTING IN A MELTDOWN OF THE WIRE NUT AND ALL ASSOCIATED WIRES. THIS CAUSES A GREAT CONCERN BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER AREAS WERE LARGE NUMBERS ARE WIRES ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER AND THEREFORE CREATING A CONTINUED FIRE RISK. ATTACHED IS A PHOTO OF THE DAMAGED AREA THAT WAS REMOVED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FOREST RIVER SANDPIPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE MELTING THE COVER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. THE FAILURE WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE LIGHTS WITH LED LIGHTS AND THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE CONTACT REQUESTED TO INCLUDE THAT THE FIXTURE ON THE BULB WAS RV DASH ILLUMINAIRE RV-1L22 (30516) WHICH WAS MADE IN TAIWAN AND LAMP TYPE WAS 12V 921. A FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
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 .