- The problem
- Forest river is recalling certain recreational vehicles equipped with dimplex electraflame, symphony, or optiflame branded electric fireplaces, stoves, and fireplace inserts. The plug in remote control receiver for the fireplace can overheat.
- The risk
- AN OVERHEATED RECEIVER COULD CAUSE A FIRE.
- The fix
- Forest river is working with dimplex and dimplex will provide owners a free replacement plug-in remote control kit. The safety recall began on january 28, 2011. Owners may contact dimplex north america customer service at 1-888-346-7539.
Vehicle safety record
2003 Forest River Cardinal Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2003 Forest River Cardinal with NHTSA, most often about the equipment & accessories (1). It is covered by 3 recalls, the latest in October 2010 for the equipment. For comparison, the 2002 has 1 and the 2004 has 2.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Cardinal year, for its age
#427 most complained-about 2003 vehicle
- Complaints
- 1
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2003 Forest River Cardinal problems
Share of all 1 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2003 Forest River Cardinal recalls 3
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Forest river is recalling certain my 2003-2006 motor homes, fifth wheel and travel trailers equipped with a two-door refrigerator manufactured by the dometic corporation. The refrigerator may have a defect in the boiler tube. Pressurized coolant solution could be released into an area where an ignition source (gas flame) is present.
- The risk
- If this solution is exposed to an ignition source under certain specific circumstances, it can result in a vehicle fire.
- The fix
- Forest river is working with dometic to repair these refrigerators (please see 08e032). Dometic will repair these refrigerators by installing a secondary burn housing, a thermal fuse, and a melt fuse free of charge. Dometic has retained stericycle inc. To manage this campaign. Stericycle will assist the owner in locating dealerships or service centers and will provide assistance with scheduling of appointments. Owners may contact dometic/stericycle at 1-888-446-5157 or forest river at 1-574-389-4600.
- The problem
- Certain recreational vehicles equipped with a two-door refrigerator, manufactured by the dometic corporation, may have a defect in the boiler tube. Pressurized coolant solution could be released into an area where an ignition source (gas flame) is present.
- The risk
- Release of coolant under certain conditions could ignite and result in a fire.
- The fix
- Forest river will be working with dometic in order to repair these refrigerators (please see 06e076). Dometic will repair these refrigerators by installing a secondary burn housing, a thermal fuse, and a melt fuse free of charge. Dometic has retained stericycle inc. To manage this campaign. Stericycle will assist you in locating dealerships or service centers and will provide assistance with scheduling of appointments. Owners may contact dometic/stericycle at 1-888-446-5157 or forest river at 1-574-389-4600,
What owners say
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1 complaints about the 2003 Forest River Cardinal
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 (na) forest river cardinal. The vehicle has a dometic refrigerator, model rm2862. The contact stated that he is unable to get any information from dometic concerning nhtsa campaign id number 07v085000 (equipment: recreational vehicle). The purchase date, part number, and location in the vehicle were unknown. There had been no failure to date.
Forest River Cardinal: every year compared
All Cardinal years2003 Forest River Cardinal vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Forest River Cardinal | 1 | 3 | C | |
| 2003 Forest River Flagstaff 425D | 6 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2003 Forest River Georgetown | 5 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 2003 Forest River Cedar Creek | 1 | 4 | C | Compare |
| 2003 Forest River Cherokee | 1 | 3 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2003 Forest River Cardinal
Does the 2003 Forest River Cardinal have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2003 Forest River Cardinal: equipment (October 2010); recreational vehicle / trailer (July 2008); recreational vehicle / trailer (March 2007). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Forest River Cardinal?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the equipment & accessories (1).
How many complaints has the 2003 Forest River Cardinal had?
1 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on July 21, 2008 and the latest on July 21, 2008. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2003 Forest River Cardinal a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 44 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Forest River Cardinal year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Forest River Cardinal years have the most complaints?
2015 (11), 2006 (7), 2017 (7). See every Forest River Cardinal year compared.
What should I do if my 2003 Forest River Cardinal has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data