- 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
2005 Forest River Cardinal Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 6 complaints about the 2005 Forest River Cardinal with NHTSA, most often about the body, doors & structure (3) and the equipment & accessories (2). Those complaints describe 1 fire. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in October 2010 for the equipment. For comparison, the 2004 has 2 and the 2006 has 7.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Cardinal year, for its age
#244 most complained-about 2005 vehicle
- Complaints
- 6
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2005 Forest River Cardinal problems
Share of all 6 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2005 Forest River Cardinal recalls 2
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.
What owners say
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6 complaints about the 2005 Forest River Cardinal
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 forrest river cardinal. The contact stated that the frame had cracks on both sides of the vehicle near the wheels. The contact felt that the frame was poorly designed. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the frame was not covered under warranty and there were no recalls addressing the failure. The failure mileage was 1,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 forest river cardinal 29ts fifth wheel trailer. While the vehicle was at the repair shop for an unrelated issue, the mechanic decided to check the frame of the vehicle. A trailer was previously serviced there and a mechanic noticed that the frame was cracked. After inspection, the mechanic discovered that the frame was also cracked on the contact's vehicle and notified the manufacturer about the issue. The manufacturer agreed to repair the frame. The contact feels that the frame should not have come apart on the vehicle. The current and failure mileages were 6,000. Updated 06/24/09. *Lj updated 06/26/09*jb
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 forest river cardinal 36ts rv. While driving between 55-60 mph on normal road conditions, smoke appeared from the rear of the vehicle. Immediately, the vehicle began pulling to the left without assistance. The driver pulled the vehicle over and inspected underneath. He observed that the rear driver's side shackle failed. A minor temporary repair was performed and the vehicle was able to resume normal operation. The vehicle was taken to an auto body welder and another temporary...
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repair was performed. The vehicle is currently being repaired by an independent mechanic, who stated that the main frame exhibited a severe crack. The contact has pictures of the failure. The failure mileage was 4,000 and current mileage was 6,000.
Tire failure of two kenda klever a/p tires on my 2005 cardinal 5th wheel on july 11, and 12, 2008. First failure (left rear) occurred approximately 6 miles east of north little rock, ak on i-40 westbound at 4:30 pm cst. Severe damage to side and underside of trailer. Second failure (left front) occurred approximately 30 miles north of marshall, tx southbound u.S. 59 At about 1:00 pm cst. Severe damage to side and underside with additional damage to sewage disposal pipework. All tire were properly inflated and did...
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not show signs of failure (bulges, cracks or splits) tires were not hot to the touch when checked at rest areas and for fuel stops. These tires were manufactured in china, and were recalled in 2007. I was never notified of the recall, by either kenda (cooper tire) or forest river the manufacturer of the rv. No public notification was made to my knowledge. The tire dealer that inspected the tires after the failures stated these were tread separations caused by belt failures. The "tyre guard" warranty that I purchased at the time of purchase of the rv has stated they don't cover manufacturers defects and have denied the claim. The total damage exceeds $ 4000.00 To the rv and all the tires (failed and 3 remaining) were replaced with new 235-85-r16 goodyear wrangler hts load rated e tires at a cost of 4 @ 145.00 Each and one @ $247.00 (First failure) all the old tires (5) are available and in my possession. *Tr
2005 Forest river cardinal travel trailer. Dometic refrigerator recall notice. Consumer states that dometic will not repair their product. *Nj the consumer stated his refrigerator leaked ammonia and stopped working. Dometic informed the consumer that since the unit was inoperative and more than 3 years old they were not going to help with the repairs. *Jb
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 forest river cardinal pull behind trailer. The contact stated that the cooling unit on the refrigerator leaked after a crack formed in the cooling tube. The contact discontinued using the refrigerator. Someone informed the contact of the recall via the internet. He called dometic and has been getting the run around ever since. No repairs have been made. The recall number was unknown. The vehicle is a pull behind; therefore, no mileage or vin information was available.
Forest River Cardinal: every year compared
All Cardinal years2005 Forest River Cardinal vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Forest River Cardinal | 6 | 2 | D | |
| 2005 Forest River Flagstaff | 5 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2005 Forest River Georgetown | 5 | 3 | C | Compare |
| 2005 Forest River Cherokee | 2 | 2 | B | Compare |
| 2005 Forest River Cedar Creek | 1 | 4 | C | Compare |
| 2005 Forest River Forester | 1 | 1 | B | 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 2005 Forest River Cardinal
Does the 2005 Forest River Cardinal have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2005 Forest River Cardinal: equipment (October 2010); recreational vehicle / trailer (July 2008). 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 2005 Forest River Cardinal?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the body, doors & structure (3), equipment & accessories (2), wheels & tires (1).
How many complaints has the 2005 Forest River Cardinal had?
6 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on July 29, 2008 and the latest on August 16, 2011. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 1 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2005 Forest River Cardinal a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 32 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than 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 2005 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