RoadVitals

2015 Northwood Arctic Fox

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.
3
Latest Aug 9, 2018
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.
0
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 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 Northwood Arctic Fox, most frequently naming the body & structure, brakes and interior & seats categories.

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

  • Body & structure125.0%
  • Brakes125.0%
  • Interior & seats125.0%
  • Suspension125.0%

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

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

Filed Aug 9, 2018

THIS IS AN ARTIC FOX 990 SLIDE-IN TRUCK CAMPER MANUFACTURED BY NORTHWOOD MANUFACTURING, WHICH IS MOUNTED IN A PICK-UP TRUCK WHICH CONTAINS 2 30# (~7.2 GALLON) LPG/PROPANE CYLINDERS CONTAINED IN AN ENCLOSURE. EACH CYLINDER IS SECURED WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE BY A BAND. EACH BAND IS ATTACHED TO THE INSIDE OF THE ENCLOSURE WITH 3 SCREWS THAT ARE ALSO COATED WITH AN ADHESIVE/CAULK (I BELIEVE HOT-MELT GLUE). THE HEAD OF THE CENTER SCREW PRESSES DIRECTLY AGAINST THE BACK SIDE OF THE CYLINDER. OVER TIME, THE MOTION OF THE CAMPER ON THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE HEAD OF THESE CENTER SCREWS TO BEGIN TO WEAR THROUGH THE WALLS OF THE CYLINDERS. A REPUTABLE, LOCAL PROPANE GAS SUPPLIER CONFIRMED THAT NEITHER CYLINDER IS SAFE TO REFILL. BASED ON THE CONDITION OF THE SCREWS RELATIVE TO THE CYLINDERS, I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I HAD A PUNCTURED PROPANE CYLINDER. I IMAGE THE EFFECT OF A PUNCTURED 30# (~7GALS) PROPANE CYLINDER MOUNTED IN A TRUCK CAMPER TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WOULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS. I DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM WHILE MY CAMPER WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY, BUT CLEARLY THE DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDERS IS THE RESULT OF MOTION WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER STATED I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY DOCUMENTATION REGARDING THE CONDITION OF THE CYLINDERS THAT I LEFT WITH THEM. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS TO REMOVE THEM FROM MY PROPERTY/POSSESSION. THEY DID TELL ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT REFILL EITHER OF THESE CYLINDERS DUE TO THE DAMAGE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY STILL HAVE THESE CYLINDERS IN THEIR POSSESSION IF I NEED TO REACQUIRE THEM ONCE THEY ARE EMPTY. YOU ARE WELCOME TO CONTACT THEM AND SHARE MY INFORMATION IF THAT IS HELPFUL TO YOU. UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T GET THE NAME OF THE GENTLEMAN THAT HELPED ME, BUT IT IS A SMALL/LOCAL SHOP THAT WOULD REMEMBER ME WITH MY TRUCK, CAMPER AND DAMAGED PROPANE CYLINDERS. THE PICTURES I'VE UPLOADED INCLUDE A PICTURE OF THE MOUNTING AREA AND BANDS OF ONE OF THE CYLINDERS, FOLLOWED BY 2 CLOSE-UPS OF THE CENTER SCREW AND THEN 2 PICTURES OF THE CYLINDER FROM THE SAME LOCATION SHOWING THE DAM

NHTSA ID
11118815
Incident
Aug 6, 2018
Mileage
10,000 mi
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Sep 13, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NORTHWOOD ARCTIC FOX CAMPER TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LOCK DEADBOLT FAILED TO OPEN. THE CONTACT CALLED A & M SERVICE (1594 US HWY 1, KITTRELL, NC 27544, PHONE NUMBER: (252) 433-8096) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE LOCKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH AN AP PRODUCTS TRAVEL TRAILER LOCKWOOD KEYS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V510000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT APPLICABLE. ...UPDATED 11/15/17 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THEY CONTACTED THE LOCK MANUFACTURER WHO SENT A REPLACEMENT CYLINDERS FOR THE LOCK. UPDATED 11/28/2017*JS

NHTSA ID
11023011
Incident
Sep 12, 2017
BrakesSuspension
Filed Apr 13, 2015

PRIOR TO A PLANNED TRIP, A TEST OF THE BRAKES OF THE TOWED 5TH WHEEL RV TRAILER (PULL TEST) WAS PERFORMED AND BRAKES FOUND TO BE NOT FUNCTIONING. INSPECTION OF THE 4 HUBS AND BREAK DRUMS ON BOTH AXLES SHOWED THAT GREASE FROM THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAD FLOWED PAST THE WHEEL BEARING SEALS AND CONTAMINATED THE BRAKE DRUMS, BRAKE MAGNETS, AND BRAKE SHOES. MANUFACTURER OF THE RV SAYS THE AXLES ARE PURCHASED FROM AL-KO USA A.K.A. AL-KO AXIS, INC. AS A COMPLETE UNIT AND CLAIMS NORTHWOOD MANUFACTURING IS NOT RESPONSIBLE. AL-KO USA WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2014 BY DEXTER AXLE. THE AXLES IN THIS APPLICATION ARE 7,000 LB. RATED 12" X 2" DRUMS WITH ELECTRIC BRAKES. THE AL-KO DESIGN FEATURES A "ULTRULUBE" SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS GREASE TO BE PUMPED IN THROUGH A GREASE FITTING ON THE END OF THE SPINDLE. IT HAS BECOME WIDELY KNOWN IN THE RV USER COMMUNITY THAT THIS SYSTEM CAN EASILY ALLOW OVERFILLING THE HUB/SPINDLE CAVITY. THIS CAN OVERCOME THE GREASE SEAL AND ALLOW GREASE TO ENTER THE BREAK DRUM. THE GREASE IS THEN SLUNG ACROSS THE FACE OF THE BRAKE DRUM WHICH LUBRICATES THE BRAKE MAGNET AND BRAKE SHOES, EFFECTIVELY COMPROMISING ALL BRAKING FORCE UNTIL THE HUB AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY IS REBUILT. THERE IS NO WARNING TO THE DRIVER OF THIS FAILURE AND COULD RESULT IN A 16,000 GVW TRAILER WITHOUT ANY BRAKES. IN THIS CASE IT IS LIKELY THIS OVER-FILLING HAPPENED AT THE AL-KO ASSEMBLY FACTORY IN LA GRANDE, OR WHICH SUPPLIES AXLES FOR NORTHWOOD MANUFACTURING, ALSO OPERATING IN LA GRANDE, OR. NORTHWOOD CLAIMS THEY DO NOT SERVICE THE AXLES, JUST INSTALL THEM AS PROVIDED BY AL-KO USA. IN THIS CASE THERE WAS NO AXLE SERVICE PERFORMED SINCE MANUFACTURE OF THE TRAILER, WHICH AL-KO SPECIFIES AT 12,000MI / 12 MONTHS. NORTHWOOD MANUFACTURERS ARCTIC FOX, NASH, SNOW RIVER, DESERT FOX AND FOX MOUNTAIN TRAVEL TRAILERS / 5TH WHEEL TRAILERS WITH SIMILAR AXLES FROM AL-KO. SINCE ABOUT 2012 MODEL YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10705465
Incident
Apr 10, 2015
Mileage
5,000 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Northwood Arctic Fox by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2021100—
2019110—
2015Viewing300—
2012100—
2004200—
2001010—

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.