RoadVitals

2019 Forest River Surveyor

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
4
Latest Aug 31, 2023
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Mar 8, 2019
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2019 Forest River Surveyor, most frequently naming the other / unspecified, suspension and tires & wheels categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 3 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Other / unspecified350.0%
  • Suspension233.3%
  • Tires & wheels116.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
19V191000

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Mar 8, 2019
53 units potentially affected
The defect: Forest River, Inc (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Forest River Surveyor recreational trailers, models SVT201RBLE, SVT201RBLE-47 and SVT201RBS-47. The Federal Placard indicates that the vehicles have 3,500 lb. capacity axles, whereas the vehicles actually have 2,500 lb. capacity axles.
The risk: The incorrect label may cause the trailer to be overloaded, possibly resulting in a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Forest River has notified owners and provided replacement placards that contain the accurate axle weight capacity information, free of charge. The recall began on March 18, 2019. Owners may contact Forest River's customer service at 1-574-642-3119. Forest River's numbers for this recall are 37-0979 and 47-0979.
Forest River, Inc.Manufacturer number 37-0979; 47-0979View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Aug 31, 2023

I have had to replace my tires with less than 5K on them because the leaf spring on the right rear of my RV trailer has flattened out and caused my tires to rub the underside of the camper causing smoke. This appears to be a common problem with my RV trailer (2019 Forest River Surveyor), and the company has told me this is a critical component and will not give me any information about part replacement. I have been advised by my warranty company not to try to pull this until it fixed due to the hazard it would cause if the spring broke. Meanwhile I have 20K Camper that I can't even put on the highway. I think they should recall these junk springs and replace them

NHTSA ID
11541914
Incident
Aug 25, 2023
Tires & wheels
Filed May 7, 2023

I bought my camper new in 2019 at Keystone RV, Pennsylvania, and last year on 8/7/2022 I had one of my tires blow up on the way home from a camping trip. Even though I have never seen a tire look like the one that blew, at that time I simply went ahead and had the tire replaced at the dealer I bought the camper at. All other tires looked still O.K. at the time the road side assistance person put the spare on and when the new tire was installed later. Since this was already at the end of the season I winterized and stored the camper. However, this year as I wanted to de-winterize my camper I noticed that the remaining 4 original tires (including the spare) have severely deteriorated to the point where I can see the metal braiding. If any of the tires would have looked like this I definitely would have noticed it at the time I stored the camper.

NHTSA ID
11520824
Incident
Aug 7, 2022
Other / unspecified
Filed Sep 22, 2022

The line to the propane tank disconnected from the brass fitting causing a free release of propane into the enclosed shop where I store the camper.

NHTSA ID
11485830
Incident
Sep 21, 2022
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed Jun 23, 2022

Brake drum assembly and wheel fell off my RV on a smooth highway because Lippert did not install a locking cotter pin. Lippert denied the warranty claim, stating it was a bearing failure. Further, the shower drain and outdoor kitchen drains were broken and Forest River has a recall on them. The tires on the 2019 we dated 012018 and all blew out in 2021. The tires are 6-lug but the spare was a 5-lug. Having blowouts and a losing a wheel at 60mph could have seriously injured or killed someone. How is that this level of crap quality is allowed?!? Lippert denied the warranty claim stating that it was bearing failure. How does a bearing failure cause a wheel and brake drum assemble to fall off? There is not bluing on the shaft so I don't see how they can claim a bearing failure. This repair cost me over $2,000

NHTSA ID
11470744
Incident
Jun 12, 2022

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

511086

EQUIPMENT

The P-Trap swivel fitting may crack during normal use, potentially allowing water to leak, which may lead to premature degradation of any non-water resistant components.

511008

STRUCTURE; VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

A limited number of outer dome skylights (V1422CLOD/V1422BROD/V1422WHOD) have displayed cracks soon after installation. Cracks may originate at the flange of the skylight and extend outward. This issue has been known to occur within 2 weeks of installation.

470961

EQUIPMENT

The silicone sealant used to seal the vehicle may not adhere to all surfaces as intended. This may allow water to leak into the vehicle.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Forest River Surveyor by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027010—
2024000—
2023000—
2022020—
2021110—
2020440—
2019Viewing410—
2018450—
2017230—
2016060—
2015210—
2014110—
2013120—
2012120—
2011020—
2010010—
2006010—
2005010—
2004210—
2003020—
2002010—
2001010—
2000010—
1999010—
1998010—
1997010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.