Forest River
reviews and complaints

We purchased out unit brand new 1-28-23

On the walk through we noticed the entry door was hard to close the shop foreman as well as our salesman acted so proud the it was a all new design a slam proof door they said so the wind won't catch it ok seems logical so we continue on with the walk through we get the camper home time to unpack and move in lots of opening and closing the door by evening I could not even open or close the door my husband had to slam it shut and force it open that Monday we call and call and call the place we got it from nobody called back we both tried to call forest river no way to talk to anyone the lack of customer service is very concerning at this time when we were still buying this unit we got called back immediately the door is not square and was beaten into place noway they didn't know this now I have to take a brand new camper I live in for work to the shop do you think either the sales company or forest river care this unit should never have made it through inspection poor poor company

1. Mold and rotted wood growing in the under belly as well as in the main bedroom. This was found to be caused by a manufacturer flaw when building. An open hole near the awning.
2. The roof and slide outs were allowed to leave the manufacturer looking like this.
3. Counter behind kitchen sink already peeling up.
4. During first trip we found cosmetic issues. Peeling cushions. Shower falling apart.

We took possession of this unit on Jan. 13th and it was delivered the same day.

The dealer did give us some information in our orientation, but there is absolutely no manuals from the manufacturer, nor are they available on their so called web site.. The first big issue was hooking up tv and internet service. The terminals outside are incorrectly labeled. Fortunately I had brought a toner and coaxial termination tools. When I finally got a tone for the living room tv was after I replaced the end of the cable which had not been properly terminated. I was also able to determine the cable for the bedroom tv after toning it. The outlets in the living room and bedroom that are labeled satellite dish are connected to each other but not to the outdoor terminal labeled satellite. Three other coaxial outlets I have not been able to determine what they do or where they might go. The over the air antenna works in the living room, but not in the bedroom.

The fit and finish is poor overall in the entire unit.
The right side recliner is not fastened to the floor.
The dump valves for the bathroom and kitchen are mislabeled.
The 12 vdc system is not connected to the battery. 12 volt equipment is only available while the unit is hooked to ac power.

The central control, which has no instruction, nor are any available that I have found so far at the manufacturer does not return to it's previous state when powered off and back on. It also receives power only when on AC power and so in the case of a power outage the propane furnace would not work and none of the exhaust fans.
Not all the fuses in the fuse panel are labeled.
Today the central control stopped communicating with the AC units. Neither Cedar Creek or the manufacturer had any troubleshooting information and cycling the power of the AC units and the controller made no difference. My wife is a severe asthmatic and this is a big issue.

There are no instructions on the operation of the slides or leveling equipment.
I sent an email to Cedar Creek a week ago and have gotten not even an auto reply from their email system.
At this point I could not recommend purchasing and Forrest River product.

Please forward this to the CEO Peter Liegl or David Youmans CEO Compliance Officer, They need to be informed about Forest River Coachmen RV Plant 220, Elkhart, IN... They have a bully situation going on there where Simon Micola Von Furstenrecht and Vicki Vanover treat employees terrible and make working there a nightmare and nothing is done about it, employees try to go to management and nothing is done about it in fact it gets worse. They feel like they are in charge and what they say goes, Simon allows Vicki to torment other employees she has free range to do whatever she wants whenever she wants and constantly uses profanity in the office and harassing others and they are afraid of retaliation if they say anything because they have seen in the past/present what happens to others if they do speak up. Someone needs to stop them it is a very stressful work day when they are in the office. They have ran so many people out the door because of their behavior. This needs to be looked into they are abusing authority.

In November 2021, I made the horrible mistake in purchasing a Forest River Cedar Creek Champagne 38EKS / 2021 build. The dangerous build practices should be reported and/or recalls getting air time, since lives are at stake. I am disabled and the front door was never squared, with three mobile RV companies stating FR needed to replace the door and jamb. During the hot/sunny daytime hours in Florida, I was literally stuck inside for hours without a way to exit until the sun went down. The door would expand and needed a shoulder thrown into it, which I am unable to do. Here's what those caring peeps from FR did for me, they actually sent a used/damaged door. I have loads of photos of how it was installed and this should be National news for all the other victims out there who have no clue. Another giant safety disgrace is that the 100+ pound awning came crashing down during my first extension, because there were ZERO backer boards installed on the slide wall awning. They used every day screws to hold this awning up. I am beyond grateful it came crashing down while parked. Now imagine being in the lane next to me, doing 60 to 70mph, death or serious injury is what comes to mind. The wiring was also under the Thule recommendation currency, so the fuse had to be pulled before and after each extension/retraction. Want to know how they cured that issue? They stopped installing the side wall awning on their 2022, 2023 and new models (see photo below from the Tampa Florida show in November 2022). I had to sell it, but not before I gave FULL DISCLOSURE to its new owner, something I did NOT get from Forest River (a Berkshire Hathaway Company). These $100+k 5th Wheel RV's should also be covered under Federal Lemon Laws, because they will continue to build as long as the Government fails to regulate them with stricter build guidelines or fine them for life safety infractions.

In April of 2022, I purchased a brand new 2022 Forest River Vengeance Rogue 29KS from Camping World in Avondale, AZ. Within a few weeks, I started having serious issues with the unit. The lack of craftsmanship from the factory for a unit that cost over $60k is shocking. It is now January of 2023, and this unit has been at the dealership for 7 out of the 9 moths I have owned it!

The list of items that have been bad/faulty are below.

- Genset electrical transfer switch went bad after 22 hours – backordered for 3 months

- Wheels on patio walls were not attached correctly resulting in multiple wheels coming off and becoming wedged in the ramp lift springs and damaging the entire ramp door. Waited 2 months for a new door, and Lippert sent the wrong one! Still waiting for new one 4 months later.

- Both batteries were bad/faulty – Had to pay $260 service fee for someone to come out and tell me they were bad. Camping World refused to replace, I had to purchase new ones myself.

- Cabinets were not nailed/glued resulting in doors coming over

- Wall trim was not nailed/glued properly

- Shower was not sealed correctly resulting in water leaks

- Exterior trim skirt was not installed correctly, resulting in delamination from the panels

- Retractable blinds were broken from day one – had to replace

- Support legs on couch/bed were not screwed in correctly, resulting in tearing leg off/striping screws

- Bed platform and supports poorly made. Plywood that supports the mattress is warped and struts to lift for storage are broken.

Spending so much money on a unit that was manufactured so piss-poor is shocking.

Camping World has all records/work orders of repairs. Contact Steven [protected]

We have been reporting problems with the camper since its arrival to us. We have done everything that was asked of us in order to correct the major problems including obtaining the inspector that the dealership insisted to get a ligament/legal report. We have paid to have the camper return to the dealership (who kept the camper for 6-7 months doing nothing but promising everything) we paid for the inspector who said it must return to the factory as the problems could only be repaired there. Reading all the complaints others have shared it only concerns us more. In that it seems that this nightmare will never end.

Date: November 9, 2022

To: Kay Doty (Forest River Inc.)

From: Todd & Tonya Elledge

Subject: Quality of Camper we received and lack of help and/or assistance

Good Day,

Let me please begin by saying that we are not a family who is big on filing complaints. We are a military minded, patriotic, God fearing, hardworking family. However, the camper (2021 Forest River Cherokee Destination 39DL Stock #CH-152770 Vin:4x4TCKR21MX152770) we purchased in June of 2021 and received the trailer in July of 2021. This was something we were basing our dreams of family adventures on. We are not a wealthy family. In fact we are stationed in Saudi Arabia at this time.

We chose your company because after conducting research you seemed like a caring and reputable company. And your campers were beautiful and big enough for our family of four (4). This is a very big purchase for us, one which we will be paying for, for some time. But we wanted to give our children, the youngest age eight (8) what we had with our families growing up. That is to be able to travel the USA and spend quality time together.

Unfortunately, the company Johnston RV in Decatur AL. is not a reliable, loyal or an honest company. We received the Camper and at once noticed that is seemed to be a used camper. I have attached a list of the issues we have had with what we thought was a new camper. But knowing the quality of your product we are certain that this is not true if in fact it was new. The Camper was sent back to them so that they could correct the problems (and there were many) and installed the paid for stackable washer/dryer which was promised before purchase. The Camper went back on Dec 6 2021 and remained with the dealer until July 7 2022. Pretty much nothing was repaired. The leak under sink they claimed to repaired had to be repaired by tech we hired (per below report) I honestly must say that when someone spends as much as we did for the camper there should not be any issues. But we understand that small things could go wrong. However, these are big. They had the camper as long as we have or longer. We made several trips (4 hours each way) to see and review the camper when they said all was complete. And found that nothing had been done. As matter of fact the camper was filthy and the carpet was worn as if someone had been living in it.

Unfortunately, when we received it back with the promise that all had been repaired, nothing had. They hardly answer the phone and almost never return our calls. The last message they sent us was to contact a repair company to come and assess the problems and let them know. We did and as well paid for this $330.00. They sent a report which was almost identical to what we noted but also added that the underpinning had been installed upside down and the water leak from the internal drainage system had leaked into the insulation and was dripping out underneath the camper. And that this was a major concern which could be health threatening and should be returned to the factory to address. The person who came out was shocked that the things pointed out to him were sent to us as a new camper. We sent this information to Johnston RV but have not received any response. No surprise…. Their Forever warranty is a joke and I am beginning to think Forest River RV’s are not the quality they are supposedly known for.

At this point, we are exhausted and the excitement of owning an adventure has turned into a nightmare. Please review this report & list and respond to us as soon as possible. We understand that you are a very busy company. But you did not obtain the reputation that you have by not addressing the problems and concerns of your customers.

We would appreciate options. As we are uncertain that we will ever feel comfortable traveling in a camper such as this. And Johnston RV is not a company that your good name should be affiliated with.

We look forward to hearing from you. And we most likely will be calling you as well once this message is sent.

Thank you and God Bless,

Todd & Tonya Elledge

(Attached -------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Kristy Farr

Date: Mon, Oct 24, 2022 at 6:34 PM

Subject: Todd Elledge

To: Laverne Brannan

Unit Evaluation

Customer had me evaluate his new unit. List of items found as follows:

1. After talking to customer he was concerned there was a furnace duct not connected to furnace. After removing access panel, found a duct "flex hose" not connected to anything. Checked furnace found no connection point but did find one flex hose feeding bedroom and other registers feeding down from furnace into ductwork in floor. That all seems normal no answer for extra flex hose.

2. Found leak under kitchen sink. Leak was coming from pea-trap. Fittings were loose and gaskets were dirty. Disconnected fittings, cleaned gaskets, re-installed and leak was fixed.

3. Found some sort of water leak under unit. After pulling down a section of underbelly there is a drip in two areas, that is coming from subfloor area, dripping off the woven fabric that covers the insulation. Could not gain access to leak, but inspected under bathroom sink and any water lines from inside unit and could not find any that may be running down and leaking into subfloor. It would be a lot of labor to completely remove underbelly, any holding tanks in the area, to gain access to the woven fabric so it could be removed to get to insulation, so it could be removed to gain access to any waterlines in the subfloor, to try to find and repair source of leak. Based on findings of where water leak is, around the insulation, the insulation will need to be replaced due to soaking up the water.

Customer paid for evaluation of these issues, and customer referred to other complaints he had, but that weren't being addressed at this time. Customer states he bought unit brand new and under warranty, and that he had unit at dealership to address these issues. Dealership had customers unit for seven months and Customer states that dealership did not address these issues. Customer said dealership extended his first one year warranty due to that situation, customer wants to know, if he is under a warranty if at least the three issues evaluated would be covered by his warranty. In evaluation of these issues they should be covered under the warranty. Videos attached for reference of leak issue.

Jay Farr, Owner/Technician

--

Laverne Brannan, CSR

GCRV Mobile RV Service & Repair

Silverhill, Alabama 36576

800.484.4299

[protected]@gcrv.net

The punch list that was noted on first walk-through below. Please note the had the trailer for almost 8 months and really corrected none of the below:

Please see below issues. Many of the items are finishing issues like glue residue on the ceiling and staples sticking up on edges of carpet.

1. When running A/C very little cold air goes to bedroom. Must leave door open to reach a cool temperature

2. When running heat only bedroom gets warm air and it does not heat living area

3. When outside Awning is extended out water gathers in the center and does not drain

4. When slides are put in and out it leaves a sticky residue on the floor that is very difficult to clean

5. The cable connecter is not working inside of trailer. COX Cable company tested the port to install internet router and did not get a signal.

6. Speakers are blown and sound horrible.

7. Trim along ceiling loose in several places

8. Key lock on door doesn’t latch to lock or close bedroom side is very difficult to lock

9. Key entry to the water is very difficult do use. Light plastic.

10. Screen door has a pinch in the frame, Extra rubber on slide door.

11. Trim walking in has staples above that is hanging apart curtains snag.

12. The pantry door does not stay closed or latch and laundry door is difficult to open and close. Almost like the frames are not lined up.

13. Trim around dining room table sticks out from molding and Small trim in corner have cut or tear.

14. The blinds by the sofa doesn’t line up to blackout shade

15. Finger prints of glue yellow and black on ceiling and walls in every room.

16. Kitchen light over the counter doesn’t work. left light. Has never came on.

17. Huge scratch on the metal on top of stove.

18. Slide out leaks under refrigerator

19. Countertop has jagged cuts under side. Can see when sitting at dining room table eating.

20. Staple in ceiling hallway.

21. Screw in middle step.

22. Tape looking trim looks very bad not smooth real rough bubbly.

23. Scuff mark stair case wall.

24. Padding trim doesn’t line up shows wall corner hangs over wall on ends.

25. Screws everywhere are angled not flush.

26. Metal shaving pieces everywhere in carpet even after vacuuming you cannot walk in bare feet

27. Sheet rock looks horrible and residue is everywhere constantly falling.

28. Bedroom step is loose.

29. Wooden shelves are split from screws on underside

30. Glue on wall next to bedroom outside door.

31. Bed frame isn’t finished inside wall outside part is sticking out with staples.

32. Can we fix the hole under mattress leading to little door it causes mattress to sag.

I am sorry about the long list but we were not able to see the trailer before we bought it. To be honest if had been able to do a walk through before delivery I don’t believe I would have accepted this unit as it almost seemed used. The finishing just looks rushed and not very well done. Not sure why the factory QA would let a trailer go out with glue residue on the ceiling or doors that don’t latch.

The trailer has been parked in the same spot since delivery in July with slides out, power and water hooked up…. and was only used a few weeks when guests were in town. The washer was not used at all because we knew it would be changed out.

I am contacting you in hopes of getting some satisfaction for the Salem FSX travel trailer we purchased from DeMontrond RVs here in Houston, TX. We paid 26k CASH for this 178BHSK trailer in April of 2022 and have only been able to use it 2 times since the slide out failed and sounds like a bear chewing rocks and moves up and down scraping/tearing the roof and the floor and breaking the base and side boards (slide out no longer works). It has spent 11 or 12 weeks in both their Conroe and Spring service centers. The only items that have been fixed are the torn queen mattress, the torn dining table cushion and the recalled gas outlet valve.

I am only writing this because nobody at either location seems to be concerned about the urgency of satisfying a customer that has paid cash for an item we can't even use. I have attached many photos of the items that were submitted on a punch list for repairs. Some of these items I fixed myself because I have repaired trailers before. I will be calling you Monday morning/day to discuss all these issues. (They blame most of the delays on your factory warranty guidelines on repairs)

The punch list:

Lower panel under queen bed was bowed out with staples showing (I fixed it)

Panel behind dining table left cushion was pulled completely off (I fixed it)

Screw holes in queen bed end tables which no other FSX camper has (They put putty in the holes instead of replacing boards)

Queen bed cover corner torn 18"from hanging up on window blinds (They finally had sewn together on the last 7 wk Spring service visit)

The floor in front of the refrigerator has a slight bowing action when stepped on.

AC would freeze up when put on high mode, could only run on low.

One of the dining table back cushions were torn about 2" lg (I fixed it)

Under belly panel missing in the front section

The dining table base board and end board have been broken/cracked from the slide out moving up and down during extension (It no longer slides out)

It has ripped a hole in the roof and the floor covering from moving up and down

One of our neighbors had purchased the same exact camper in a 2022 model (less the slide out) that was pre-owned and there wasn't any problems with their unit, that's why we went with the Forest River model.

We have had plans on camping many times (but can't) since me and the wife (retired) have inherited our 10 and 11 yr old granddaughters because our 27 yr old daughter had passed away in 2017.

Needless to say, we are not happy campers with the Forest River product.

If you would like to contact me my cell number is [protected], leave a message if not answered.

We purchased a 2022 Forest River, Flagstaff 25FKS Oct 21, 2021,

at Oct 17th the trailer was taken to dealership for the one year warranty. The service discovered staples coming through roof, service department submitted the warranty for repair and was denied. We still owe 32K on this unit and don't want to pay 10K for a new roof. Forest River refuses to help

According to Camping World of Asheville this job was turned down by Forest River as a WARRANTY job. Attached are our pictures and work order showing the problem. Our driveway is inclined and when storing the RV the weight tends to slip from side to side which we consider very dangerous. This problem should be approved for Warranty ASAP. Thank you very much for your help with this matter.

Sincerely,

Glenn and Karen Banning

Camping World of Asheville

Work Order No. 148092

Job # 2

I purchased a new RV from your Norman, OK dealer, Floyd’s RV in March of 2020.

Due to the pandemic quarantine it was agreed the RV would be delivered. It was, but the delivery person was incapable of familiarizing me with the vehicle so I had to rely upon a video tutorial.

From the second we entered the RV there were issues. A lot of minor things and two major ones, but we just bought an $80,000 vehicle so we’d expected some level of quality control before the thing went out the door. That didn’t happen and the General Manager told me, there days post delivery, that these were warranty issues and the vehicle would have to be brought in for repairs and it would have to be at my own expense. He was rude, condescending and repeated his reported typical gender discrimination, even going so far as refusing to return the money spent for an INSTALLED generator. It was $1300 for the service and a little over $600 for the unit I found in an unopened box in the storage bay. That’s called fraud and theft and I insist my $1900 is returned immediately.

I could go and on but suffice it to say I spent over $5,000 in the first year I owned the boat an job and it never went anywhere! There are major problems with the plumbing and the appliances. I’ve already paid for a $3590 repair of the tanks and it’s leaking again. I have had enough.

My repeated pleas for the dealer and your company to reply to my messages and HONOR YOUR WARRANTY have been ignored. So unfortunately this is my final attempt. In the absence of a reply I have no choice but to file suit. This was a major purchase for that has done nothing not cause expense and waste time and money. If you’re in the business of selling junk then just admit it. Otherwise please call me at [protected].

Thank you.

I could

I took delivery of this trailer in June, 2022. We proceeded on an extended road trip but had to return to the dealer to repair a jammed slide out. After heading out again, our fresh water tank dropped out onto the road. We were fortunately travelling at a low speed. The screws that secured the frame to the supporting cross members had severed and allowed the tank to fall - a potentially life threatening event at highway speeds. I later learned that there was a recall the previous year related to this very issue but the instructions to the dealer were simply to inspect the units. In my opinion, the engineering of this unit is poor and that issue was apparently not addressed. The company did repair the unit after an extended wait time for parts. The problem however should never have occurred. I have lost confidence in FR and have traded in this unit for one from another manufacturer. I have also filed incident reports with both Canadian and US regulatory authorities. FR has refused to discuss this problem with me beyond the basic customer support representatives.

2021 Forest river wolf pack 23-15 toy hauler. Purchased new July 2020 on the way back from vacation June 2022 had the left front tire tread come off and did $4200.00 dollars damage to the under carriage. I called forest river and was told I had to contact lions head tire and wheel as i did and still no resolution with them. I was offered $ 100.00 for a tire. The other three tires have lumps in the tread and is unsafe to use. Lions head will not address the other tires. When the tread came off the tire still held air. The trailer was not overloaded. the tires still have 9/32 tread and the tires new are 9/32 tread. After some research this is a known issue. I have TPMS sensors on the trailer that show air pressure and temp of tires. This was not from road hazard its a defect in the tires. I have over forty years automotive experience and had four other RV's. My opinion the tires are unsafe and under sized for this trailer. It took four months to get the RV repaired and loss of use for this year. None of my local forest river dealers would not repair my RV because I did not purchase it from them. The dealer i got it from is over a 100 miles away.

so I had several leaks in my 29 vbud. the awning has pin holes and looks like its about to tear. and the speakers didn't work. the place i took it to damaged the side the first time that i took it to them and they said they would replace it this time. but they have had it for 4 months with is 4 months of the warranty i could have been camping in it to see if anything else isn't up to par. this process is so frustrating and i need some help to speed it up. the vehicle Identification number is 4X4TSME28NA331431

Bought this travel trailer in Halifax, NB, CANADA on Jun 20, 2022.

There are numerous complaints which occurred within 2 months:

fridge noisy-so loud you can't hear the TV, front decal peeling, floor in bathroom is lifting, inside freezer and fridge is cracking, 1/2 the awning lights aren't working, awning squeaks when you put it in or out, panel under bed keeps coming of the bedframe, awning is dripping between camper and awning, staples keep popping out of the walls, slide wall came apart from frame, cabinet handles and cabinet doors are crooked, fridge door closure does not keep fridge from opening during travel, cabinet door latches don't keep doors closed during travelling, pannelling and mouldings are full of cuts and bumps, screen door and exterior do not fully close and very hard to open, goob of caulking on exterior of RV above the slide - not sure why - it looks like they are trying to conceal something, like maybe slide has an imperfection-maybe this is why slide is coming off frame, sliding doors in bedroom is hard to open and close, crack under bedroom window, panelling in bathroom and bedroom is bowing, screws are popping up under lino making bulging in lino, both window frames are crooked probably due to slide coming apart, fridge does not work on propane has solar panel when tested during camping did not even last a day on battery power, converter not connected, could not fill water tank due to kink in hose-poorly installed, and now the camper seems to be pulling from one side(maybe axel issues).

This travel trailer is only going to be 3 mths old, WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK!

This thing is a lemon I’ve had nothing but issues bought it April and about to do a California lemon law Warranty department keep jerking me around I’m tired of not being able to use the hundred thousand dollar trailer I purchased if anybody can see this that is a customer I would not buy a fourth riverWarranty department keep jerking me around I’m tired of not being able to use the hundred thousand dollar trailer I purchased if anybody can see this that is a customer I would not buy a fourth river I can’t even have the dealer fix it because it’s a six month wait to get an appointment. The trim on this thing and everything all the way down to my control board for the leveling system does not work black valve was broken right from the company ridiculous quality on this trailer

Purchased our 5th wheel in Dec. 2015. Within a year the clearcoat started peeling off the front cap. Contacted the dealer we purchased it from and was told to contact Forest River. That turned out to be a lost cause as I was told they didn't cover it under warrenty even though I had purchased a 7 year ext. warrenty thru the dealer. Dealer said it would run about $2500.00 to fix and I would just have to suck it up. Last rv from this dealer and definately the last Forest River product I'll buy. If your looking to buy a rv and it says made by Forest River, RUN away. Do a lot of research.

I ordered my camper last year and picked it up Nov 2021 at RV Nation. In the spring of 2022, I believe it was in March we noticed that the side was not closing properly. Took it to local service center, they said it needed adjustments. In May we took our first trip. 5 days. In June we were getting ready for another trip but the slide was not working properly, even notice the floor damaged. Took it back to RV Nation where it still is. They’re replacing floor, slideout, and frame.

we purchased a new 2021 Wolfpack 1 year ago and we have been waiting for parts through Camping World. the last remaining warranty part is a window and screen. we keep getting told by Camping World that the parts are on order and keep getting told that the parts will be here on a specific date yet that date keeps getting pushed back a month at a time. Does anyone care about customer service! i only wish we would have read the Forest River reviews prior to making out purchase. we would have made an alternate choice for our needs! Forest River will never have our business again!

The top gel (clear) coat is peeling off the top front of our trailer and it is still under the 5 year warranty. The business we purchased our trailer from closed down their business. We would like to proceed in getting it repainted. We have only had it for 4 years and we are being told the top coat may have been a bad batch. Thank you for all you can do to help us.