RoadVitals

2013 Heartland Big Horn

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.
8
Latest Jan 8, 2016
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.
2
Latest Jul 30, 2015
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 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2013 Heartland Big Horn, most frequently naming the tires & wheels, other / unspecified and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year.

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

  • Tires & wheels646.2%
  • Other / unspecified430.8%
  • Electrical17.7%
  • Steering17.7%
  • Suspension17.7%

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

2 campaigns 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
15V482000

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Jul 30, 2015
1,680 units potentially affected
The defect: Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC (Heartland) is recalling certain trailers of various models and model years. Click on "All Products Associated With This Recall" for a complete list. The tire certification labels applied to the vehicles may contain inaccurate tire sizing and/or inflation information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
The risk: An owner or operator could rely on the inaccurate information in inflating the tires which could cause under or over inflation which, in turn, could lead to a tire failure or crash.
The remedy: Heartland will notify owners, and dealers will send a replacement label with the correct information, free of charge. The recall began on September 29, 2015. Owners may contact Heartland customer service at 1-574-266-3988.
Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLCManufacturer number 99-01-23View on NHTSA.gov
13V181000

EQUIPMENT

May 7, 2013
890 units potentially affected
The defect: Heartland Recreational Vehicles is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Big Country, Bighorn, Elk Ridge, Elk Ridge Express, Landmark, Prowler, Sundance, Sundance XLT, and Silverado fith wheel and travel trailers manufactured February 13, 2013, through April 16, 2013. If the awning installation sequence was not completely followed, the awning motor may unknowingly become damaged.
The risk: If motor damage has occurred, it is possible that the awning can unfurl unexpectedly, either while the trailer is at rest or while in transit, increasing the risk of personal injury or a vehicle crash.
The remedy: Heartland will notify owners and Dometic staff will replace the affected motors with a design that is not subject to an out-of-sequence installation error. The recall began on May 20, 2013. A notification schedule has not yet been provided. Owners may contact Heartland Recreational Trailers at 1-888-262-5992 or Dometic at 1-888-447-0003 for more information. Owners are being instructed not to drive their vehicle until repairs can be performed. Heartland's recall campaign number is 99-01-11.
Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLCManufacturer number 99-01-11View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Tires & wheels
Filed Jan 8, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HEARTLAND BIGHORN EQUIPPED WITH POWER KING TIRES, TIRE LINE: TOWMAX, TIRE SIZE: 215/80/R16, AND DOT NUMBER: 83B5GPB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE EXPLODED WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE PROPANE FUEL LINE AND BRAKE LINE. IN ADDITION, AS A RESULT THE FLOORING ABOVE THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DAMAGED TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH A SPARE. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO REPLACE THE FOUR TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE TIRE AND VEHICLE WAS 15,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10838244
Incident
Jan 7, 2016
Mileage
15,000 mi
ElectricalOther / unspecified
Filed Oct 22, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HEARTLAND BIG HORN EQUIPPED WITH A FRIGIDAIRE, MODEL NUMBER: CFMV152CLBA MICROWAVE AND SERIAL NUMBER: KG25001782. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MICROWAVE INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE AND MICROWAVE WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V128000 (EQUIPMENT), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

NHTSA ID
10785352
Incident
Oct 19, 2015
Mileage
14,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 2, 2015

2013 HEARTLAND 3610 RE 5TH WHEEL RV. OEM TIRES. POWER KING TOW MAX ST235/80R16 STR TIRES. CHECKED TIRE PRESSURES WITH TIRE GAUGE BEFORE TRIP. ALL AT 80 PSI COLD. INSTALLED TPS SENSORS AND CHECKED MONITOR. WORKING. 6 MILES INTO TRIP AFTER PULLING OUT FROM A RED LIGHT AT AROUND 20 MPH THE REAR LEFT AXLE TIRE BLEW OUT THROWING PLASTIC TRIM PIECES ACROSS THE ROAD. TOP OF THREAD BLEW APART. REPLACED WITH SPARE TIRE. WENT ABOUT 23 MORE MILE AND RIGHT AFTER CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR, FOR PRESSURE AND TEMP. BOTH OK. THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THROWING FENDER TRIM PIECES ACROSS THE ROAD. FOUND RIGHT SIDE REAR AXLE TIRE WITH PIECES OF THE TIRE BELT STRAINS STARTING TO COME THREW THREAD PART OF THE TIRE. DIDN'T BLOW OUT YET. HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED. KEPT ALL TIRES. NOW HAVE REPLACED THE SPARE. BOTH SIDES OF CAMPER WHEEL FENDER AREAS DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID
10745667
Incident
Jul 22, 2015
Mileage
2,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteeringTires & wheels
Filed Oct 26, 2014

TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON ROUTE 78 WEST JUST OUTSIDE OF ALLENTOWN PENNSYLVANIA, THE LEFT REAR TIRE -POWER KING TOWMAX ST 235/80 R 16 LOAD RANGE (E) ON OUR HEARTLAND BIGHORN 3185 (2013) SUSTAINED A BLOWOUT CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR END OF OUR 5TH WHEEL TRAILER INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO COSMETIC DAMAGE (FENDERS ETC) REAR AXL DAMAGE, BRAKE DAMAGE, HYDRAULIC LINES, BRAKE LINES, UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE ETC. THANKFULLY ALL PASSENGERS WERE UNHARMED AND NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS INCIDENT. FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE TIRE SUGGESTS EITHER TREAD SEPARATION OR A SIDE WALL BLOWOUT THAT LEAD TO THE TREAD SEPARATION. THE TREAD DID NOT TEAR OFF OF THE TIRE ALLOWING THE SEPARATED TREAD TO CAUSE THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AS PREVIOUSLY STATED. THE TRAILER WAS NOT OVERLOADED AND HAD WEIGHT EVENLY DISTRIBUTED. TIRES WERE METICULOUSLY KEPT, AND PRESSURE WAS AT SUGGESTED 80 PSI. *TR

NHTSA ID
10650107
Incident
Oct 24, 2014
Mileage
2,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 15, 2014

PURCHASED MY HEARTLAND BIGHORN 3670RL 5TH WHEEL NEW IN JANUARY 2013. THE RV CAME STANDARD WITH POWER KING TOWMAX STR TIRES, ST235/80R16 LR "E". MY FIRST BLOWOUT OCCURRED IN MAY 2014 WITH FEWER THAN 2000 MILES ON THE TIRES. LUCKILY NO DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER. SENT THE TIRE TO THE DISTRIBUTOR WHO CLAIMED THAT IT WAS A ROAD HAZARD ISSUE AND WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE TIRE. I KNOW I HADN'T HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD TO HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THEN TWO WEEKS AGO WE WERE RETURNING FROM A TRIP TO THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY BACK TO THE HOUSTON AREA WHEN THE SECOND BLOWOUT OCCURRED. BECAUSE I WAS ON A MAJOR FREEWAY (I-10) I LIMPED ALONG TO THE NEXT EXIT WHERE I WAS ABLE TO CHANGE THE TIRE. AGAIN, NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE RV. AFTER STOPPING FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES THE NEXT BLOWOUT OCCURRED. AGAIN I HAD TO LIMP OFF THE FREEWAY COMPLETELY RUINING THE ALUMINUM RIM. LUCKILY I HAD CARRIED TWO SPARES AND WAS ABLE TO CHANGE IT AS WELL BEFORE HEADING INTO HOUSTON. I STOPPED AT THE FIRST TIRE STORE I FOUND AND REPLACED ALL THE TOWMAX TIRES WITH CARLISE TRAILER TIRES AND MADE IT HOME. THE LAST BLOWOUT COMPLETELY SEPARATED THE TREAD AND BROKE SEVERAL BRAKE WIRES AND SLIGHTLY DAMAGED THE FIBERGLASS FENDER COVER ON THE RV. NO MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE RV OTHER THAN THE ALUMINUM RIM. ALL OF THE TOWMAX TIRES ARE DOT 83B5 MANUFACTURED IN (1012) AND (1112). I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY CAREFUL TO CHECK THE AIR PRESSURE ON ALL MY TIRES BEFORE LEAVING OR RETURNING FROM THE TRIP. I MAINTAIN 80 PSI ON ALL TIRES PER THE LOAD RATING ON THE TIRE. I ALSO MAINTAIN A SPEED OF 65 MPH OR LESS WHEN PULLING THE RV. *JS

NHTSA ID
10598381
Incident
Jun 7, 2014
Mileage
2,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSuspension
Filed May 4, 2014

BOUGHT THIS CAMPER IN JANUARY OF 2013 FROM CAMPING WORLD OF CALERA ALABAMA ON WAY TO FLORIDA .WENT ON THEN BACK TO WISCONSIN. CAME TO FLORIDA AGAIN AND NOW ON WAY HOME AN HOUR IN TO TRIP THE TIRE BEGINS TO FAIL! LOOKS LIKE INNER CORDS FAILING. FORTUNATELY MY SON WAS FOLLOWING AND WARNED ME OF WHAT HE COULD SEE HAPPENING.CALLED SALES PEOPLE BUT WERE LEFT HANGING, CAN'T BELIEVE THESE TIRES DON'T LAST MORE THAN 4000 MILES AND NO ONE TAKES RESPONSIBILITY, SOMEONE COULD GET KILLED . *TR

NHTSA ID
10586457
Incident
May 1, 2014
Mileage
3,900 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Dec 22, 2013

WE PURCHASED OUR 5TH WHEEL NOV 4, 2012 - EXPERIENCED OUR FIRST TIRE BUBBLE 12/10/2013; SECOND TIRE BUBBLE 12/19/2013. WE HAD BEEN ADVISED BY SEVERAL BIGHORN OWNERS THAT THEY REPLACED THEIR "CHINA" TIRES PRIOR TO HITTING THE ROAD, BUT CASUAL INSPECTION ON MY PART INDICATED THAT THE POWER KING TIRES INSTALLED WERE SUFFICIENT FOR THE APPLICATION - I WAS INCORRECT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTS ONLINE THAT THESE TIRE MFG MISREPRESENT THEIR TIRE'S ADEQUACY. THE TIRE DEALER THAT REPLACED MY TIRES ( THEY ARE A DEALER AND INSTALL POWER KING ON SMALLER RIGS ) CONFIRM THAT THESE TIRES ARE OVERSTATING THEIR ABILITY TO CARRY THE RATED LOAD. FORTUNATELY OUR BUBBLES APPEARED ON THE EXTERIOR WALLS- WE DISCOVERED BOTH PRIOR TO DEPARTURES. APPARENTLY OTHER OWNERS HAVE NOT BEEN SO LUCKY AND HAVE SUFFERED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THEIR RIGS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10556978
Incident
Dec 19, 2013
Mileage
6,500 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 22, 2013

ON HIGHWAY RETURNING FROM CAMPING TRIP ABOUT 400 MILES ONE WAY TRIP. TIRES OVERHEATED VERY BADLY-FELT SOFT-AND SMELLED LIKE RUBBER BURNING. CHECKING DIFFERENT SOURCES ON-LINE REVEALED THAT TOMAX TIRES ON HEARTLAND RVS ARE A KNOW PROBLEM. MY GOOD FRIEND HAS A 2012 THAT THREE OF THE FOUR TIRES CAME APART ON THE ROAD AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO HIS RV. HE HAD TO BUY 4 NEW TIRES WHILE SITTING BESIDE I-95. I ASKED HEARTLAND TO CHECK MINE. THEY SENT ME TO TIRE KINGDOM (WHO SELLS THE TIRE) OF COURSE THEY SAID BECAUSE NOTHING HAD HAPPENED YET THEY COULD DO NOTHING. I AM VERY CONCERNED. IT HAS TO FAIL ON THE HIGHWAY AND PUT ME AND FAMILY IN SERIOUS DANGER BEFORE ANYTHING CAN BE DONE. AS I HAVE SAID THE FORUMS ON BOTH HEARTLAND AND OTHER RV SITES HAVE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF THIS TIRE FAILING IN A DRAMATIC FASHION. I AM SUBMITTING THIS TO GO ON RECORD THAT WHEN THESE TIRES GO IT WAS RECORDED AND A KNOWN ISSUE. I JUST GOT BACK FROM ANOTHER TRIP OF ABOUT 500 MILES AND THE TIRES AGAIN GOT VERY HOT. I WAS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO MY GROSS WEIGHT AND I NEVER WENT OVER 65 MPH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10526223
Incident
Nov 15, 2012
Mileage
200 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Heartland Big Horn by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026010—
2024010—
2023230—
2022020—
2021100—
2018100—
2017010—
2016220—
2015730—
2014430—
2013Viewing820—
2012010—
2011130—
2010310—
2009300—
2008110—
2007820—
2006310—
2005210—

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.