2006 Heartland Big Horn 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 2006 Heartland Big Horn, 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 & structure133.3%
- Other / unspecified133.3%
- Suspension133.3%
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN 3055RL 5TH WHEEL. WHEN THE UNIT IS CONNECTED TO MY TOW VEHICLE, POPPING NOISES CAN BE HEARD AND THE PIN BOX MOVES UP INDICATING A FRAME DEFECT. WHEN DISCONNECTED, THE PIN BOX MOVES BACK DOWN. THIS HAS NOT YET CAUSED ANY DAMAGE PROPERTY DAMAGE OR INJURY, HOWEVER I FEAR IT MIGHT IN THE FUTURE. *TR
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 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER, MODEL 3655. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE WHEEL CRACKED AND BLEW OUT THE AMERICANA TIRES. THE WHEELS PERFORM POORLY ON ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE WHEELS WERE UNSAFE BECAUSE THEY COULD BLOW OUT AT ANY TIME. A NEAR CRASH OCCURRED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE MILEAGES WERE NOT APPLICABLE.
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
I OWN A 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN 5TH WHEEL 3400RL WITH TANDEM AXLES. (TWO AXLES, 4 TIRES) VIN: [XXX] IT HAS AN ESTIMATED 20,000 MILES ON IT. UPDATED 04/25/11 *BF THE UNIT JUST TURNED 5 YEARS OLD. I AM THE SECOND OWNER. BOUGHT USED IN 2008, PULLED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. UPON ARRIVING HOME LAST TRIP, (400 MILES ROUND TRIP), I FOUND MY LEAF SPRING SHACKLE LINKS, WHICH HOLD THE LEAF SPRING AND IN TURN HOLD THE AXLE IN PLACE HAD RIPPED LOOSE ON BOTH SIDES OF MY SUSPENSION. IN ESSENCE, THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE AXLE IN PLACE WAS THE REAR LEAF SPRING BOLTS. THE FRONT PART OF THE LEAF SPRING WHICH WAS NOW LOOSE JUST SO HAPPENED TO REST AGAINST THE TRAILER FRAME PREVENTING A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, (WRECK!) I CALLED THE RV MANUFACTURER, (HEARTLAND RV), AND THE SUSPENSION MANUFACTURER, (AL-KO KOBER), AND DISCUSSED THIS WITH BOTH. THEY PUT ME OFF BY STATING THEY ONLY GIVE A 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE UNIT. I HAVE DRIVEN AUTOMOBILES WITH LEAF SPRINGS FOR 200,000 MILES ACROSS EVERY KIND OF ROAD WITH NO REAR LEAF SPRING SUSPENSION INCIDENT. AM I TO EXPECT AXLE, LEAF SPRING FRACTURES EVERY 4-5 YEARS? THE LEAF SPRING BUSHINGS ARE DAMAGED OR ENTIRELY GONE. THE BOLTS ARE WORN BAD AS WELL. I WOULD THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 5 YEARS AND CERTAINLY MORE THAN THE ESTIMATED 20,000 MILES. COMMON SENSE STATES THAT THE AXLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RATED AT LEAST 7, 000 LB RATING. YOU CAN SEE THE DANGER OF PULLING THIS DOWN THE ROAD AND HAVING AN AXLE FALL OUT. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS TO EVER HAPPEN! I CAN SEND PICTURES! JUST BECAUSE THERE WERE NO INJURIES, DOESN'T MEAN THIS SHOULD NOT BE ADDRESSED!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR UPDATED 11/15/11 UPDATED 1/18/2012 *LN
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 .