2017 Forest River Spartan 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 Spartan, 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
- Electrical133.3%
- Fuel system133.3%
- Tires & wheels133.3%
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
JUNCTION ELECTRICAL BOX NOT WIRED PROPERLY- WAS DISCOVERED BY CUSTOMER WHEN CONNECTED TO TRUCK AND BLEW ALL FUSES IN TRUCK- OPEN THE JUNCTION BOX TO DISCOVER OPEN POSITIVE & NEGATIVE WIRES ARCING AND HAD ALREADY MELTED BOX. THIS HAPPEN AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE HAD TO TAKE IT FOR THE ISSUE OF THE CAMPER NOT HOLDING A CHARGE WHEN PLUGGED IN THINKING MAYBE IT WAS A CONVERTER ISSUE. DEALERSHIP LOOKED IT OVER AND SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS FIX. MY HUSBAND WHEN TO HOOK UP TO THE CAMPER WHEN THE BOX ISSUE WAS FOUND BY US- TECH WAS STANDING THERE AND STATED " I DON'T SEE HOW THIS "____" DIDN'T BURN DOWN BEFORE NOW. FUEL TANK NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED- ARRIVED TO LOCATION AFTER HAULING FUEL FOR 3 HOURS INTO AN EXTREME BURN BAN LOCATION IN NW OKLAHOMA. TRIED TO RUN GENERATOR AND FUELING STATION ONLY TO DISCOVER TOP OF FUEL HOLDING TANK WAS MISSING PARTS AND LEFT OPEN SO WE ENDED UP SPILLING FUEL THE WHOLE TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TRIP THIS CAMPER HAS TAKEN TO DISCOVER THIS ISSUE - IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
JUNCTION ELECTRICAL BOX NOT WIRED PROPERLY- WAS DISCOVERED BY CUSTOMER WHEN CONNECTED TO TRUCK AND BLEW ALL FUSES IN TRUCK- OPEN THE JUNCTION BOX TO DISCOVER OPEN POSITIVE & NEGATIVE WIRES ARCING AND HAD ALREADY MELTED BOX. THIS HAPPEN AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE HAD TO TAKE IT FOR THE ISSUE OF THE CAMPER NOT HOLDING A CHARGE WHEN PLUGGED IN THINKING MAYBE IT WAS A CONVERTER ISSUE. DEALERSHIP LOOKED IT OVER AND SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS FIX. MY HUSBAND WHEN TO HOOK UP TO THE CAMPER WHEN THE BOX ISSUE WAS FOUND BY US- TECH WAS STANDING THERE AND STATED " I DON'T SEE HOW THIS "____" DIDN'T BURN DOWN BEFORE NOW. FUEL TANK NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED- ARRIVED TO LOCATION AFTER HAULING FUEL FOR 3 HOURS INTO AN EXTREME BURN BAN LOCATION IN NW OKLAHOMA. TRIED TO RUN GENERATOR AND FUELING STATION ONLY TO DISCOVER TOP OF FUEL HOLDING TANK WAS MISSING PARTS AND LEFT OPEN SO WE ENDED UP SPILLING FUEL THE WHOLE TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TRIP THIS CAMPER HAS TAKEN TO DISCOVER THIS ISSUE - IT WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW.
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FOREST RIVER SPARTAN TOYHAULER EQUIPPED WITH SAILUN TIRES (NA), SIZE: ST235/85/R16 (NA). THE TRAILER WAS BEING HAULED BY A 2017 FORD F-350. WHILE BEING HAULED AT 55 MPH, THE TRAILER VIBRATED ABNORMALLY. THE TRAILER WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND UNABLE TO BE BALANCED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD TAKE 20 TO 30 OUNCES OF WEIGHT TO BALANCE THE TIRES AND THE VIBRATION STILL MAY NOT GO AWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 700 AND THE TRAILER FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.
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 .