2012 Forest River Xlr 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 2012 Forest River Xlr, 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 & structure240.0%
- Other / unspecified120.0%
- Suspension120.0%
- Tires & wheels120.0%
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER THUNDERBOLT 35X12 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A THREE INCH CRACK IN THE EYE BEAM, WHICH SUPPORTS AND MOUNTS THE SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT IT WAS A STRESS FRACTURE, NOT CAUSED BY ANY TYPE OF WELDING OR HEAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/18/15*LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER XLR BEING HAULED BY A 2013 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES ON THE TRAILER WERE RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELLS, CAUSING THE TIRES TO PREMATURELY BE WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE REAR AXLES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE TIRE POUNDS FROM 3,500 TO 4,500 POUNDS AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT THE 6 INCH I BEAM AND IT CAUSED SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE FRAME ON THE TRAILER. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE COMPANY THAT MADE THE FRAMING. THE COMPANY INDICATED THAT THE I BEAM SHOULD BE 8 INCHES AS THE NEWLY DESIGNED MODELS TO REMEDY THE FAILURE AND NOT 6 INCHES. THE CONTACT HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES ON THE TRAILER. THE CONTACT ALSO TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE FRAMING COMPANY FAILED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO HAUL THE TRAILER MORE THAN 150 TO 200 MILES. THE TRAILER WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER XLR BEING HAULED BY A 2013 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 HD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES ON THE TRAILER WERE RUBBING THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELLS, CAUSING THE TIRES TO PREMATURELY BE WORN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE REAR AXLES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE TIRE POUNDS FROM 3,500 TO 4,500 POUNDS AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION WAS NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT THE 6 INCH I BEAM AND IT CAUSED SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE FRAME ON THE TRAILER. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE COMPANY THAT MADE THE FRAMING. THE COMPANY INDICATED THAT THE I BEAM SHOULD BE 8 INCHES AS THE NEWLY DESIGNED MODELS TO REMEDY THE FAILURE AND NOT 6 INCHES. THE CONTACT HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES ON THE TRAILER. THE CONTACT ALSO TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE FRAMING COMPANY FAILED TO REMEDY THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO HAUL THE TRAILER MORE THAN 150 TO 200 MILES. THE TRAILER WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FOREST RIVER THUNDERBOLT 35X12 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A THREE INCH CRACK IN THE EYE BEAM, WHICH SUPPORTS AND MOUNTS THE SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT IT WAS A STRESS FRACTURE, NOT CAUSED BY ANY TYPE OF WELDING OR HEAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/18/15*LJ
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 2012 FOREST RIVER XLR EQUIPPED WITH A LIPPERT CHASSIS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT A FAILURE WAS PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED WITH THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC REQUIRED A CHANGE OF AXLE SIZE FROM 3,500 TO 4,000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHASSIS BECAME FRACTURED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. ..UPDATED 09/29/30 *BF UPDATED 10/23/2017*CN
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 .