2013 Heartland BIGHORN: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
2,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 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 5 of 6 complaints (83.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 33.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Tires | 5 |
| Wheels | 3 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Suspension | 1 |
Tires: 5; Wheels: 3; Steering: 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 | 6 |
| 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: 6; 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 (6). 0 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 |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
2013: 2; 2014: 3; 2015: 1
Pattern summary
Tires leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. 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 10526223 · 2013-07-22 (July 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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10526223 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10556978 · 2013-12-22 (December 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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10556978 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10586457 · 2014-05-04 (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
Owner-reported narrative. 3,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10586457 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10598381 · 2014-06-15 (June 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…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10598381 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10650107 · 2014-10-26 (October 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 TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10650107 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10745667 · 2015-08-02 (August 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…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10745667 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.
13V181000 · Equipment
Reported: 2013-05-07 (May 7, 2013)
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.
Consequence: 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.
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗