2009 Forest River CARDINAL: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
5 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
4,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 5 complaints (60.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Tires | 3 |
| Equipment | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 |
Tires: 3; Equipment: 1; Suspension: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2012: 1
Pattern summary
Tires leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10284602 · 2009-09-19 (September 19, 2009)
2009 FOREST RIVER CEDAR CREEK G2 FIFTH WHEEL RV WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE SHACKLES AND U BOLTS SECURING THE TRAILER SUSPENSION CAME OFF, AS PER THE MANUFACTURER THEY WERE NOT PROPERLY SECURED BY LOCKING BOLTS, AND THE AXLES WERE MISSING THE GUIDE PINS FOR THE LEAF SPRINGS . THE TRAILER HAD LESS THAN 700 MILES ON IT AT HE TIME. AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED, AND THE FOREST RIVER COMPANY IS TRYING TO SILENCE THE OWNER OF THE TRAILER BY TELLING HIM NOT TO REPORT IT TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT RATHER THEY WILL REBUILD THE RV! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10284602 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10289174 · 2009-10-20 (October 20, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL TRAILER(NA). THE VEHICLE HAS KENDA KARRIER LOWSTAR TIRES, ST255/80/16(NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS; THE TRAILER BEGAN TO SWAY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IN THE EMERGENCY LANE, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND INSPECT THE TRAILER. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER TIRES EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE TIRE SEPARATION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH CAUTION. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEA…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289174 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10360764 · 2010-10-16 (October 16, 2010)
GOODYEAR TIRE LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD BLEW OUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER AND LOSS OF THE TIRE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10360764 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10368172 · 2010-11-29 (November 29, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL RV EQUIPPED WITH A DOMETIC AWNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE AWNING OPENED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE DEALER TORE THE AWNING FABRIC WHILE THE RV REMAINED IN THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AWNING MOTOR FAILED CAUSING THE ARMS TO RELEASE SINCE THEY WERE NOT LOCKED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MOTOR AND ADDED A LOCK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE AWNING SERIAL AND PART NUMBERS WERE UNAVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10368172 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10467964 · 2012-07-27 (July 27, 2012)
ON APRIL 6, 2012 I WAS ON MY WAY TO A CAMP GROUND WHEN ONE OF THE TIRES ON MY CAMPER BLOW OUT. THE ONLY DAMAGE WAS TO THE TIRE. ON JULY 18, 2012 I AGAIN WAS ON MY WAY TO A CAMP GROUND AND THE SECOND TIRE CAME A PART. THIS TIME THE TIRE DAMAGED THE CAMPER. THE FOLLOWING IS TIRE INFORMATION: HERITAGE TRAIL TRAC AP LT235/85R16E DOT OJ OR4JOV 5207 PRESSURE 80 LBS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10467964 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
09V148000 · Equipment:Other:Labels
Reported: 2009-05-01 (May 1, 2009)
FOREST RIVER IS RECALLING 176 MY 2009 CARDINAL FIFTH WHEEL TRAILERS. THESE TRAILERS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS." DUE TO FAULTY SCALES IN THE PRODUCTION FACILITY, THE LABEL FOR THE CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY VALUES IS INCORRECT.
Consequence: FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER VEHICLE LOADING SPECIFICATIONS OR MISPRINT LABEL COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: FOREST RIVER WILL BE MAILING CORRECTED LABELS TO RETAIL PURCHASERS, AND/OR TO DEALERS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 15, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FOREST RIVER AT 1-574-206-7600.
NHTSA campaign record ↗