2021 Grand Design Reflection Owner Complaints

This is a Fifth wheel RV a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS. The Steel "I" Beam frame is developing cracks in the I Beam in the area of the spring hangers for the axles. This is yet to actually case an accident but may very well lead to one if the cracking worsens and the frame fails. Frame failure at highway speed is an obvious concern. This is something I believe is caused by defective parts made by LCI (Lippert) Corp. and used by Grand Design. This frame failure is not uncommon and based on my continuing research is happening on hundreds if not thousands of these RV's. Raising awareness and requiring Grand Design to recall and repair / replace these defective frames is the ultimate goal. Please zoom in on the pictures to see one of the cracks in the frame.

NHTSA ID

11677222

Incident

Jul 30, 2025

The upper right front side of the fifth wheel trailer is separating from the trailer frame in the pin box area. The structure of the trailer seems to not be properly connected to the frame or there is flex in the frame that is causing the structure to detach. Recently after having it inspected by a dealer, bolts and welds in the structure were broken and stripped resulting in the frame not being properly attached to the structure. The unit was taken to a dealer and repairs were made at the owner's expense. Broken and stripped out bolts were replaced/repaired and broken welds were also fixed. Grand Design has released a Technical Service Bulletin that covers fifth wheel models Solitude and Momentum that have this same issues but that Technical Service Bulletin does not cover Reflection models. The same issue that is plaguing the Solitude and Momentum models is affecting the Reflection model, but is not included to be repaired under the Technical Service Bulletin.

NHTSA ID

11668749

Incident

May 12, 2025

1. DETACHED REAR WALL The interior screws on the back wall tore a horizontal hole (approx 1/2 inch), and interior cabinetry joints are pulling apart. I looked outside to see if there were any signs that were indicative of rear wall separation. The Reflection 150 has an underbelly covering, so mostly the structure/frame is not readily viewable. However, investigating outside I found the black skirt wrinkled/buckled on the rear/drivers side. Upon googling, this is apparent indication of rear wall brackets broken/rear wall detached. 2. iFAME CRACKS ABOVE AXLES While investigating, I found severe iFrame cracks on both drivers side and passenger side. I contacted Grand Design who referred me to Lippert, who suggested we use a Lippert agent. 2 Florida local agents declined to get involved, so i returned to the dealer where i purchased the RV - 500 miles away in Georgia, after an email & phone consult. After 5 weeks, they said they would rather not do the job, and after 2 weeks prompting, Lippert agreed to schedule a 'courtesy inspection' - a month out. The dealer that inspected the RV stated that they thought the floor is subsiding & they think it is related to frame issues, but could not be sure without a more thorough inspection (but would need to remove under belly). 3. BROKEN LEAF SPRING In April 2023 we replaced all the leaf springs when we had one fail on the road.

NHTSA ID

11656365

Incident

Feb 14, 2025

I purchased a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 28BH fifth wheel in December 2024. Within the first year, I faced multiple warranty issues, including a $5,000 slide-out repair I had to cover out of pocket. Last summer, Grand Design’s CEO, Don Clark, stated in an email that the frame warranty had been extended to five years. However, my RV soon developed serious structural issues. The pin box and surrounding areas creaked and popped when hitching and unhitching. Stress cracks formed on the fiberglass front cap and above the main slide-out. The upper deck floor became spongy and creaky. The shower made excessive noise when walking near it. Cabinet doors in the bedroom opened while driving, and lag screws in the upper deck stripped out of the wall. Concerned for my safety, I took my RV to Busted Knuckle RV & Trailer Repair, a certified repair center, and filed a warranty claim with Grand Design. Their inspection revealed severe damage, including missing and stripped lag screws, a broken pin box, failing sill plates, broken floor supports, and multiple cracked or missing welds. The repair shop filed a claim, expecting coverage under the five-year frame warranty. To my disappointment, Grand Design denied the claim, stating the issues were “within spec.” They only covered six hours of labor for the inspection and refused repairs. Grand Design issued TSB 24-001 for Solitude and Momentum models but won’t acknowledge the same defects in Reflection models. With my RV unsafe to tow, I had no choice but to pay $5,400 out of pocket for partial repairs. Completing the remaining work is estimated at over $17,000. Despite their claimed five-year frame warranty, Grand Design refuses to cover these failures. Others face similar denials, making this a pattern of neglect. I am extremely disappointed in Grand Design’s failure to honor its commitments. I urge them to take responsibility, stand behind their product, and do the right thing.

NHTSA ID

11649593

Incident

Dec 15, 2024

While towing this 5th wheel camper we observed vertical motion between the truck and camper body. We had a mobile service technician expose the front frame and inspect, he found 3 frame cracks. We have an appointment with Grand Design on June 9, 2025 for their inspection & repair.

NHTSA ID

11645040

Incident

Sep 25, 2024

2021 Grand Design Reflection 268bh Slide out opens about 1" - 2" during transport Rear wall separating from back main frame (1"-2") Wall pulling away from roof at the front of RV Outriggers bent in the back of RV (2)

NHTSA ID

11643766

Incident

May 1, 2023

Excessive front nose cap/upper deck movement during travel (bouncing), suspect welds holding the riser wall and upper deck may be broken. Bottom flange of I-beam buckled over two foot span. Both diver and passenger side walls have pulled away from structural support. Floor dropped on both sides (bowing). Living room floor has slope to the back left since I purchased it new. Kingpin or pin box is not centered and shifted to where philon trim hung up on pin box. Passenger side wall appears to have shifted forward during transport. Bedroom doors no longer align with the jam/catch. Decal on passenger wall where the wall meets the front cap are distorted suggesting frame flex. Grand Design Service Response Team welded an 8 foot bead along the upper I-beam to "adjust" camber however when SRT performed measurements to diagnose he found the passenger side camber to be within spec yet he performed the camber adjustment to this side anyway by welding an 8 foot bead as well. Extended floor joists are bent down. In light of all these issues we feel towing this rig would be a danger to my family's lives as well as any other life on the road around us. Currently the pin box alone has excessive movement.

NHTSA ID

11641092

Incident

Feb 6, 2025

We are experiencing a serious frame issue on our 2021 GD Reflection 367BHS 5th wheel. We normally do not unhitch when overnight boondocking. Last evening we noticed that the floor in front of the bedroom closet seemed to rise up slightly. Didn't think much of it until we noticed at the next campground that the hallway wall by the bedroom door moved up about an inch and the bedroom door was jammed and would not open. Once we unhitched and put the weight on the landing gear the hallway wall moved back into position as did the bedroom floor and the bedroom door was again free to open. After hitching back up, taking the weight off the landing gear, and investigating further, we noticed that the entire frame had separated in the compartment where the propane is on the passenger side of the RV. On a recommendation I was told to check the bolts behind the bedroom dresser that secure the sides to the frame and they were snapped off. Frame flex is a know issue by the manufacture for the past year or so.

NHTSA ID

11638373

Incident

Jan 23, 2025

We have signs of excessive frame flex in a Grand Design Reflection RV. We have allowed them 2x to inspect and they have botched both inspections. We keep being told there is no TSB or frame flex in reflections, which is not accurate as there are owners who have had cracked welds and major frame failure in reflections units. Grand Design needs to step up and support all customers not just momentum and solitudes because they are under investigation. I urge the NHTSA to expand their investigation to all Grand Design Models. Here is the list of signs of upper desk frame flex we have in our unit: 1. Lag bolts were backing out in bedroom (these have been replaced during the 2 botched inspections) 2. Graphics slightly bunching near trim 3. Screws backing out that hold on philon trim (we have been having to keep tightening them). 4. Philon trim had shifted significantly since it was just replaced (after 1 hr drive home from shop where my husband confirmed there were not gaps). 5. We also do have some noise hitching and unhitching like a creaking. We had 1st inspection in early 2024. It was botched. GD dealer did not follow procedures. We had 2nd late 2024. This too was botched. We have requested a GD SRT be sent to do a proper inspection and repair with us being able to observe the inspection. This request still unresolved going on a month. We have had our main door fixed multiple times because it does not close properly (could result in door opening while in motion). This could be due to frame flexing. We had a major issue on a trip in Nov 2023 in which both of our axles “bent” and we almost blew our 2 tires. This could have been catastrophic and we believe this may be due to under designed components or frame flexing. We also have frame cracks (at least one on each side of the ibeam main frame) that have been confirmed and are scheduled for repair 1/22/25. 1. Frame - yes 2. See above 3. See above 4. See above 5. Not specifically other than noted above

NHTSA ID

11633944

Incident

Nov 1, 2023

The Driver side rear outer wheel bearing seized and the wheel including drum came off the axle while driving about 30mph. The wheel rolled down the road but fortunately did not hit any other vehicles. The RV was towed to RV dealership. Dealership could not determine root cause of failure. The RV had approximately 10,000 miles on the trailer before incident. The bearings has been inspected and repacked prior to trip by certified RV tech. Before trip started RV was weighed at CAT certified truck scale and combined rear axle weight was 9200 lbs. Each axle is rated at 5200 lbs. Owner of RV contacted Dexter Axle, the manufacturer of the axle. As a second owner, warranty was no longer valid. Dexter representative did state that the replacement 5200lb axle outer bearing has been changed to a larger bearing. The representative stated that the reason for change was not due to reported failures but consolidation. The owner had both axles replaced with 6000lb axles and has driven 1250 miles since incident.

NHTSA ID

11633318

Incident

Jun 24, 2024

The metal frame supporting my RV body has started to crack. If a complete frame failure occurred while traveling on the highway it could/would cause a catastrophic loss of control and could/would result in major loss of life. This is a common problem with the Grand Design RV line and they have recently extended the warranty because of this issue. It is a well known and documented problem and a national recall should be put in effect. I would not have known about this possibly dangerous issue had I not read about it online and then inspected my RV;s frame exterior frame. I am also concerned that there may be additional frame cracks covered by body panels and I firmly believe Grand Design needs to inspect my RV for additional cracks that I am not able to do myself! I also should not have to be responsible for bearing the cost of repairing a defective frame that is happening to lots of RV owners and appears to be a manufacturing defect. This cost of repair should be the burden of the RV company.

NHTSA ID

11631767

Incident

Aug 1, 2024

I habe a 2021 Grand Design Reflection 303 RLS. The frame is cracked on both side just above the center spring shackles, I have also noticed frame flex between the pin box of the hitch and the rv body. I noticed the cracks when setting up the rv for the weekend and the frame flex driving down the road. I do not have any pictures of the cracks, but did attach a document to reference the frame crack and procedure to repair. The rv is at the dealership now being evaluated.

NHTSA ID

11626711

Incident

Oct 25, 2024

In 2021, we began noticing wall movement in the interior of the RV, fasteners, paneling and interior walls getting loose and moving. After more trips we noticed scratches in the flooring and wood chips laying on the interior floor when we would push the main slide out. We also began noticing the large slide didn’t seem to be closing tight to the outside wall on one end. After more inspection we noticed large roller marks appearing on the underside of the main slide. We scheduled our unit into the dealership for review. The Dealership identified bent frame rails, twisted spring hangers, frames cracks, bent outriggers on the frame supporting the outside walls. The dealership contacted the manufacturer and the manufacturer sent one of their service repair technicians (SRT) to my dealership for an inspection. Because we have heard and seen issues with broken springs, spring hangers and the risk they create from losing springs, wheels and axles etc. the dealership advised that using the RV was not an option until the manufacturer approved it for use. As a result, several trips were cancelled for potential safety reasons. The SRT and the dealership believed that the unit had to go back to the factory for inspection and proper repairs. The unit has gone back to the manufacturer and the frame manufacturer where major frame work has been completed. Now we have a reworked, modified, weak frame and based on the report I’ve seen from the frame manufacturer I’m concerned that they didn’t go far enough and only worked on adding support to 4 of the 6 spring hangers and the related frame areas. It appears that the work done to fix the frame has raised the overall height of the unit 2 -3 inches and added weight to the unit which affects the weight sticker on my RV. I have asked but still haven’t received an engineering specification that dictated the work done to the frame to help build confidence and make this a safe and reliable RV.

NHTSA ID

11625771

Incident

Mar 1, 2023

Cracks in the frame of RV above the spring-shackle hangers. Did have them repaired, but it should not have happined

NHTSA ID

11624115

Incident

Jun 1, 2024

one brake shoe pad came completely off the mount plate, so no effective braking on that wheel

NHTSA ID

11481658

Incident

Apr 25, 2022

The contact owns a 2021 Grand Design Reflection RV. The contact stated that the structural slide seized and was inoperable. The RV was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty camber. The mechanics and the manufacturer's technicians performed numerous repairs by welding the frame; however, the failure recurred. The RV was then taken to the manufacturer's factory where the technicians added structural steel to strengthen the frame and replaced the front and rear axles; however, after the repair, the front cap was leaking water and there was black mold inside of the RV. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,600.

NHTSA ID

11474864

Incident

Apr 20, 2021

Mileage

1,600 mi

While parked in an RV park I discovered that the right rear spring hanger on my fifth wheel RV had fractured and separated immediately adjacent to a weld line. I am unaware of any incident that can explain this damage, although I did hear a clunk while auto leveling the vehicle at our campsite. (Auto leveling is computer controlled and is a routine operation.) Inspection of the intact left rear spring hanger reveals what appears to be a small crack that may be the beginning of a similar problem on that side. An undetected failed spring hanger when traveling at highway speeds can obviously be a cause of severe property damage and death. Research of this problem in user groups and forums revealed that it is well known to vehicle owners. Anecdotes of broken hangers abound, as do user-invented fixes. Interestingly, Lippert (aka LCI, who is the manufacturer of the vehicle frame) reportedly has a repair for the problem that it has retrofitted to some vehicles and is apparently using in some newly manufactured vehicle frames. The fix is to add a 'V-brace' that is welded to the spring hangers and increases their strength. Example: https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operation/suspension-amp-brakes/52915-spring-hanger-advice There are no recalls for my trailer suspension that I can find, so despite apparent knowledge of the issue the manufacturers of both the frame and the vehicle have failed to warn me or others of it. I am now working with both Grand Design and Lippert to solve this problem on my vehicle. I will press for confirmation that the 'V-brace' is a viable repair that won't violate my warranty and will press to have it implemented on my fifth wheel RV.

NHTSA ID

11451734

Incident

Feb 10, 2022

Improper routing of 110v wiring on RV Gas/Electric Refrigerator circuit wiring leads to wire contacting the refrigerator "chimney" (boiler flue) which over time burns through the wire insulation cover and results in "live wire" to metal contact and can lead to FIRE! Grand Design RV is aware of this issue! One customer had a fire as a result of this poor installation practice and posted the info on Facebook, stating Grand Design, a Fire Inspector for the Insurance Company and an agent for Norcold Refrigerator determined the cause of the fire as improperly routed wiring. Grand Design has not alerted owners of this potential critical safety issue with a Safety Bulletin, VIN Recall or any other means to alert owners of the hazard. After reading it, we inspected our unit and found the same issue. Grand Design failed to authorize an Emergency Inspection and Repair for 3 business days (4.5days total) despite me notifying them of the fire in another unit. I also informed them that on Grand Design Owners Technical Forum, several other owners are finding the same issue. We hired (at our expense) a Mobile RV Service Technician to inspect and repair our wiring. He found the wire in question to be completely burnt through to the individual wires. It was a matter of time before we would have a fire as well. He made the necessary repairs on 15 June 2021 and we filed a Warranty Claim with Grand Design. We had no circuit breakers trip or any other indication that there was an electrical wiring issue. The refrigerator worked normally and was drawing the correct amperage and all outlets worked normally. Grand Design's poor routing and installation of the wires is creating a significant safety hazard and their failure to notify customers in any way of the potential hazard is very disturbing. Coupled with their lack of urgency in addressing the issue when I called in can possibly lead to unsuspecting owners having fires that could lead to serious injury and death.

NHTSA ID

11421248

Incident

Jun 10, 2021

We have taken two trips with trailer and (Tow vehicle - 2021 Ram 2500). First trip in April 2021 of about 150 miles round trip no problems were encountered. Second trip in May 2021 with a round trip of 380 miles we had repeated instances of "Check Trailer Brake Wiring" and "trailer disconnected" appear on dash. These warnings would disappear after a few moments. When safe to do so after first instance (and the warning was off) I pulled off the road and checked connection and trailer brakes by engaging the emergency trailer brake switch and trying to pull away. It appeared that the trailer brakes held. This cycle continued for trip to and from RV park. This month, I made an appointment at the RV Dealer, hooked up the trailer, checked operation of turn signals and brake lights and checked that the trailer brakes would engage. They did. When pulling out of storage lot, the warnings appeared, I tried to engage the trailer brake emergency brake while the warning was still on the dash and found No trailer brakes. I proceeded to drive to the RV dealer and the warning disappeared and brakes seemed to function. While I believe the truck brakes will stop the trailer at slow speeds, I am worried about the situation at highway speeds. Trailer is at the dealer waiting in a repair queue. I had telephoned the Grand Design RV customer service line and was told they weren't aware of a problem. However, a friend with the same year and model trailer but a different tow vehicle has encountered the same brake warning issue.

NHTSA ID

11419813

Incident

May 27, 2021

The electric brakes on our brand new 2021 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS periodically go out. We get a warning through the brake controller that the trailer is disconnected or to "check trailer brake wiring." The warning will go away and the electric brakes will work again, only to have the problem return with the complete loss of trailer brakes. This problem occurred on our very first outing with the new 5th wheel trailer. We have contacted Grand Design customer service through telephone and email, but have received no response. We have scheduled a service appointment to have this issue investigated, but the service department at General RV in Huntley, IL has pushed out our appointment several weeks as they are quite busy. Having no brakes on a 5th wheel trailer that weighs close to 12,000 lbs. loaded is obviously quite concerning to us.

NHTSA ID

11419770

Incident

May 27, 2021

2021 GRAND DESIGN REFLECTION 29RS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH VEHICLES MANUAL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE OWNER'S MANUAL NEEDS TO BE REVISED IN REFERENCE TO CHANGING THE VEHICLE'S TIRES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE INFORMATION DID NOT REFLECT WHAT ACTIONS IT ACTUALLY WOULD TAKE TO CHANGE A TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. *JS

NHTSA ID

11361817

Incident

Oct 6, 2020