- The problem
- Forest River Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Georgetown, Sunseeker, Forester, Cross Country, Pathfinder, Cardinal, Blue Ridge, Cedar Creek, and Brookstone recreational vehicles manufactured March 11, 2013, through April 26, 2013 and equipped with certain Frigidaire Convection Microwave models CFMV152CLB and CFMV154CLS. The microwave may start on it's own and begin heating when unattended.
- The risk
- If the microwave starts on its own and there are contents inside, a fire could result.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will repair the membrane/keypad component, free of charge. The recall began in February 2015. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-353-7383.
Vehicle safety record
2013 Forest River Cardinal Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 2013 Forest River Cardinal with NHTSA, most often about the body, doors & structure (1) and the electrical system (1). It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in July 2014 for the recreational vehicle / trailer. For comparison, the 2012 has 1 and the 2014 has 1.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Cardinal year, for its age
#327 most complained-about 2013 vehicle
- Complaints
- 2
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2013 Forest River Cardinal problems
Share of all 2 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2013 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 model year 2013-2014 Forest River models Blue Ridge, Cardinal, Cherokee, Columbus, EVO, Georgetown, Flagstaff, Forester, Lexington, Puma, Rockwood, Sabre, Salem, Sandpiper, Sandstorm, Sierra, Stealth, Sunseeker, Wildcat, Wildwood, Work and Play and XLR; Coachmen models Brookstone, Catalina, Chaparral, Concord, Encounter, Freedom Express, Freelander, Leprechaun, Mirada, Pursuit, and Sportcoach; Prime Time models Avenger, Crusader, Lacrosse, Saniber, and Tracer; Palomino model Maverick Truck Camper; Cargo Mate model Eliminator and Shasta models Revere, Phoenix recreational vehicles manufactured from February 13, 2013, through April 18, 2013. Due to a design change in the power awning motor assembly, the motor assembly screws may unknowingly shear.
- The risk
- If the motor assembly screws shear, it is possible that the awning can unfurl unexpectedly, either while the vehicle is at rest or while in transit, increasing the risk of personal injury or a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners and Dometic staff will replace the affected motors with motors of a different design. The safety recall began on July 29, 2013. Owners may contact Forest River at 1-574-389-4600 or Dometic at 1-888-447-0003 for more information. Owners are being instructed not to drive their vehicle until repairs can be performed.
What owners say
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2 complaints about the 2013 Forest River Cardinal
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 forest river cardinal. The contact stated that the seals on the top and side of the camper detached due to water. The contact mentioned that water was entering the camper and damaged the interior. The camper was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the seals needed to be replaced. The camper was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin and failure mileage were not provided. Updated 05/05/17*lj the consumer stated the manufacturer offered to pay for the cost of the parts only. Updated 09/22/2017*js
Prior to leaving for a trip I plugged our cardinal 3550rl in to an ac outlet to run the fridge. The morning of our departure I found that the 2 rear slide rooms had deployed overnight on their own and would not retract. The slide room pump had run all night and burned the pump out so badly that we could not manually retract the rooms or the landing gear. The transmission fluid was scorched and could have caught fire during the night according to our tech. This could have been catastrophic given the rigs location ....
Read the full complaint
I would have lost 2 trucks a boat and 2 pets along with the trailer.Upon further investigation it was found that 2 wire spades in the interior control panel had vibrated off and were very loose fitting causing a short. Imagine this happening while you are on the road and the rooms deploy in traffic! There were no inline fuses, breakers or other fail-safes to prevent this from happening. In our opinion this was caused by sloppy workmanship and poor engineering design. I have contacted the manufacturer but was stonewalled and never got a call back that was requested from a manager. Contact - forest river, elkhart in 573-533-5934 ## vin failed ## 2012 forest river cardinal 3550 rl ##
Forest River Cardinal: every year compared
All Cardinal years2013 Forest River Cardinal vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Forest River Cardinal | 2 | 2 | C | |
| 2013 Forest River Flagstaff | 6 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2013 Forest River Blue Ridge | 3 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2013 Forest River Cherokee | 2 | 3 | C | Compare |
| 2013 Forest River Coachmen | 2 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2013 Forest River Express | 1 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2013 Forest River Evo | 1 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2013 Forest River Aviator Wright Flyer | 1 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2013 Forest River Cross Country | 1 | 2 | F | 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 2013 Forest River Cardinal
Does the 2013 Forest River Cardinal have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2013 Forest River Cardinal: recreational vehicle / trailer (July 2014); equipment (May 2013). 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 2013 Forest River Cardinal?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the body, doors & structure (1), electrical system (1).
How many complaints has the 2013 Forest River Cardinal had?
2 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on July 25, 2015 and the latest on March 1, 2017. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2013 Forest River Cardinal a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 52 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 2013 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