2017 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 2017 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
- Body & structure150.0%
- Suspension150.0%
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
When traveling along I-40 in Oklahoma we experienced poor road conditions causing our camper to violently buck, bounce and move excessively while driving. Upon arrival in Texas we noticed cracking along the exterior fiberglass of the unit. We contacted insurance to start the claim process. While talking with industry professionals and progressive insurance it was recommended to have the camper inspected structurally prior to any fiberglass repair. Upon inspection by Certified RV in Elkhart, IN we were informed that our camper has several issues with assembly which caused the walls of the camper to disconnect from the frame. Progressive insurance is involved and claims it’s a structural issue that they do not cover. Although our agent claims it’s a known problem with Forest River We’ve contacted Forest River only to be cast aside with camper age, previous owner excuses. Forest River will (how I don’t understand) confirm the unit was assembled correctly. Although will not or cannot provide any documentation to substantiate. Forest River has also refused an opportunity to inspect the camper since it is currently disassembled in Elkhart near their headquarters.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE LEAF SPRINGS ON ONE SIDE OF OUR FIFTH WHEEL FAILED DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE WEIGHT ON THAT SIDE (THERE ARE THREE SLIDE OUTS -SANDPIPER 372LOK) THE ORIGINAL LEAF SPRINGS SEEM TO BE INADEQUATE AS THEY HAVE FAILED ON THAT SIDE. WE NEEDED TO INCREASE THE WEIGHT CAPACITY FOR THE LEAF SPRINGS ON THAT SIDE. BECAUSE WE INCREASED IT ON THE ONE SIDE, WE HAD TO INCREASE IT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE AS WELL. OUR CAMPER IS NOT EVEN A YEAR OLD, AND FOREST RIVER HAS REFUSED TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. THEY HAVE INSTEAD SAID THAT IT IS DEXTERS ISSUE. DEXTER HAS STATED THAT THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE CURRENT LEAF SPRINGS THAT ARE INADEQUATE FOR THE WEIGHT. WE ARE NOW $470 OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE FOREST RIVER REFUSES TO HONOR A WARRANTY FOR A SAFETY ISSUE.
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 .