2012 Forest River ROCKWOOD: complaints, problems and recalls

INCURRED 2 TIRE BLOWOUTS. THIS IS A TWO AXLE FIFTH WHEEL. I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR ON A RETURN TRIP HOME. THIS RV IS ONLY 23 MONTHS OLD FROM DATE OF MANUFACTURE (FEB 2012) SO THE TIRES SHOULD BE FAIRLY NEW. ONE BLOWOUT WAS TO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SO I REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE. AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY TEN MORE MILES I INCURRED ANOTHER BLOW OUT ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. I PROCEEDED TO REPLACE ALL FIVE TIRES INCLUDING THE SPARE TO AVOID ANOTHER MISHAP. DURING THE REPLACING OF ALL TIRES IT WAS POINTED OUT BY …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10563675 at NHTSA ↗

IN ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA WHEN WE STOPPED FOR FUEL IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT GREASE WAS LEAKING FROM ALL FOUR HUBS OF THE TWO AXLES ON OUR 5TH WHEEL. AFTER STAYING IN ARDMORE FOR TWO DAYS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE REPAIRS WE NEEDED WE HAD TO DRIVE TO A SERVICE FACILITY IN DENTON, TX WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE BRAKES WERE BURNED OFF OF ALL FOUR WHEELS AND THIS HAD CAUSED THE AXLES TO OVERHEAT AND FORCED ALL THE GREASE OUT OF THE HUBS AND IT HAD BURNED OFF ALL THE BRAKE WIRING AS WELL. AFTER PARTS WERE OBTAINED FROM…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10871037 at NHTSA ↗

ON A RETURN TRIP HOME FROM INCIDENT #1 WE BLEW A TIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT ON OUR FIFTH WHEEL AND WE WERE STRANDED ON VERY BUSY INTERSTATE 25. A NM DEPARTMENT TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEE STOPPED AND HELPED CHANGE TO THE SPARE TIRE. HE DIRECTED US TO THE CLOSEST RV REPAIR DEALERSHIP. THEY DID NOT DEAL IN TIRES SO THEY SENT US TO ANOTHER SERVICE. WE THEN WENT TO A TIRE DEALER FOR A TIRE REPLACEMENT. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE SENT TO FOREST RIVER OF THE BLOWN TIRE WHILE WE WERE IN NEW MEXICO. …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10871052 at NHTSA ↗

WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY WHEN A MOTORIST BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT HE SAW THE GREASE CAP BLOW OFF AND THERE WAS SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL OF THE 5TH WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HUB BEARING OVERHEATED AND LOST ALL THE GREASE IN THE BEARING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE SPINDLE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. REPLACEMENT OF AXLE WAS NEEDED. THIS AXLE WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND WOULD HAVE TO BE MANUFACTURED BY THE COMPANY IN INDIANA THAT MADE THE ORIGINAL AXLE. THE PART HAD TO BE SHIPPED FR…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10871054 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH MS IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT SOMETHING WAS RUBBING ON THE TIRE ON OUR FIFTH WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION WE COULD SEE A BOLT AND A PIECE OF METAL, WHICH WERE ATTACHED TO THE SLIDE UNIT, RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE. WE PROCEEDED TO A RV CENTER IN HAMMOND, LA TO HAVE FURTHER INSPECTION ON THIS ISSUE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BOLT WOULD HAVE TO BE SHORTENED AND THE RAM FACE WOULD HAVE TO BE CUT BACK TO ALLOW FOR FREE ROTATION AND REDUCE THE RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. THEY CUT THE BOLT AND RETHREADED IT TO WHERE IT W…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10871060 at NHTSA ↗

ON DECEMBER 31 WE WERE RETURNING FROM A TRIP AND WERE APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES FROM OUR HOME WE WERE FLAGGED DOWN BY A MOTORIST AT AN INTERSECTION HE INDICATED THAT SMOKE AND OIL WERE BLOWING OUT OF OUR DRIVER SIDE REAR AXLE ON OUR 5TH WHEEL. WE FOUND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER AND SAW THE WHEEL HUB CAP WAS MISSING AND GREASE WAS COMING OUT OF THE WHEEL HUB CREATING A LOT OF SMOKE AND HEAT. YOU COULD SMELL THE GREASE BURNING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE RV. DUE TO THE TIME OF DAY, APPROXIMATELY 5:00 P.M. ON NEW YEAR'S EVE WE COULD NOT FIND A SERVICE…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10871076 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING ON I-75 NORTH OF KNOXVILLE, TN I EXPERIENCED A TIRE FAILURE ON THE RIGHT REAR AXLE WHICH HAD 1 PREVIOUS BLOWOUT BOTH ON THE INSIDE/BACK OF THE TIRE ( A TOTAL OF 3 BLOWOUTS ON THE REAR HUB AND 1 BLOWOUT ON THE FRONT HUB OF THE CURB/RIGHT SIDE OF THE 5TH WHEEL. TELE CONVERSATIONS WITH FOREST RIVER NETTED NO HELP OR DESIRE TO FURTHER INQUIRE AS TO THE CAUSE OF 4 TIRE FAILURES ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE 5TH WHEEL WHICH HAS LESS THAN 4K MILES. THE FIRST 2 BLOWOUTS OCCURRED ON A TRIP TO ST. AUGUSTINE WHILE TRAVELING ON I-95. IN ALL BLOW…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10871637 at NHTSA ↗

LIPPERT CHASSIS FAILURE - THE CHASSIS OF OUR TRAVEL TRAILER BUCKLED WHILE TOWING IT FROM CA TO AZ. THE FAILURE BECAME SO CATASTROPHIC THAT THE FRONT END OF THE TRAILER ACTUALLY TOUCHED THE HIGHWAY SURFACE WHILE IN TOW. MY WIFE AND 2 KIDS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED HAD I NOT CAREFULLY TOOK US OFF THE HIGHWAY WHEN I DID. LIPPERT COMPONENTS INC OF INDIANA MANUFACTURES THE CHASSIS FOR FORREST RIVER, INC. IN THE CASE OF MY TRAILER, IT APPEARS THAT THEY USED A 1/8 INCH THICK C-CHANNEL TUBING IN THE AREA THAT BUCKLED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY RV EXPER…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11019253 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-11-07 (November 7, 2013)

Forest River is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Rockwood, Windjammer, Vlite and Flagstaff travel trailers manufactured February 3, 2012, through February 4, 2013. When an affected trailer hits a large bump or pot hole, the trailer tire may contact the bottom of the floor.

Consequence: As a result, the tire may become damaged and possibly blow out which may cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will add a lift kit between the frame and the axle mounting brackets, free of charge. Owners may contact Forest River at 1-574-825-7178.