- The problem
- Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Cascade and Cherokee travel trailers. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the vehicle exceeds the GVWR of the trailer hitch coupler, potentially resulting in the coupler failing and the trailer detaching.
- The risk
- A trailer that detaches from the tow vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners and dealers will replace the coupler, free of charge. The recall began February 17, 2020. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-260-499-2100 or 1-541-995-3447. Forest River's number for this recall is 64-1114.
Vehicle safety record
2018 Forest River Cherokee Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 2018 Forest River Cherokee with NHTSA, most often about the wheels & tires (8) and the electrical system (2). Those complaints describe 3 fires. It is covered by 8 recalls, the latest in November 2019 for the trailer hitches. For comparison, the 2017 has 11 and the 2019 has 9.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Cherokee year, for its age
#166 most complained-about 2018 vehicle
- Complaints
- 14
- Recalls
- 8
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2018 Forest River Cherokee problems
Share of all 14 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2018 Forest River Cherokee recalls 8
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, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cherokee ACKT39CL and ACKT39RL travel trailers. The Federal Placard may have incorrect axle rating, cargo carrying capacity, and tire/wheel combination information.
- The risk
- Due to the incorrect Federal Placard, an operator may overload the vehicle, which may decrease vehicle stability and increase the risk of crash.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will provide replacement placards that contain the accurate information, free of charge. The recall began May 28, 2019. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-260-499-2100. Forest River's number for this recall is 17A-1012.
- The problem
- Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cherokee Alpha Wolf and 2019 Cherokee Arctic Wolf recreational trailers. The awnings may have been mounted with fasteners that are insufficient in length and/or quantity, possibly resulting in the awning arm detaching from the wall.
- The risk
- If the awning arm detaches, it can increase the risk of injury or a crash.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners and dealers will inspect and replace with the correct fastener, free of charge. The recall began November 27, 2018. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-260-499-2100. Forest River's number for this recall is 75-0867.
- The problem
- Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forest River Cherokee recreational trailers, models CCKT16BF, CCKT16BHS, CCKT16FQ, CCKT16GR, CCKT16GRH, CCKT17RP and CCKT18TO. These vehicles are equipped with Norcold N306 mini refrigerators that may have a loose or missing propane gas valve test port screw, allowing propane to leak out when the refrigerator is used in 'gas' mode.
- The risk
- A propane leak increases the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners, and Norcold dealers will install and tighten the gas valve port screw, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 19, 2018. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-260-499-2100, or Norcold customer service at 1-800-543-1219. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-0687.
- The problem
- Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018 Cherokee recreational trailers. The amber side marker lights are not located as far to the front as feasible on the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicles may also be missing the intermediate side reflex reflectors located at, or near, the midpoint of the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- The risk
- If the marker lights are in the wrong location or if the reflectors are missing, it can reduce the visibility of the vehicle to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install amber side marker lights as far forward as feasible, and mount side marker reflectors, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2018. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-260-499-2100. Forest River's number for this recall is 75-0613.
- The problem
- Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forest River Cherokee travel trailers. On the affected trailers, a 14 gauge and a 12 gauge neutral wire for the 110V Air Conditioning were connected to the same lug in the 120V panel neutral bus bar.
- The risk
- If both wires were connected to same lug, the smaller wire may overheat and fail due to trying to handle a higher load, thereby increasing the risk of an electrical fire.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will relocate the subject wire to another 14 gauge terminal, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-260-499-2100. Forest River's number for this recall is 17A-0609.
- The problem
- Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Cascade and Cherokee recreational trailers. The trailer wiring may have been improperly routed, allowing the wires to be pinched between the chassis and the vehicle body.
- The risk
- Pinched wires may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the trailers, rerouting the wires, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 7, 2018. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-541-644-8072. Forest River's number for this recall is 64-0456.
- The problem
- Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2003-2018 Forest River Berkshire, Charleston, Rockport, Cedar Creek, Cherokee, Riverstone, Salem, Sandpiper, Sierra, Vengeance, Wildcat, Wildwood, XLR Boost, Cargo Mate, Continental Cargo, motorhomes, recreational trailers, toyhaulers, cargo trailers and restroom trailers and 2009-2018 Coachmen Mirada, Pursuit, Concord, Leprechaun, Freelander, Orion and Prism motorhomes, 2009-2017 Coachmen Apex and Catalina recreational trailers, and 2013-2017 Shasta Oasis and Revere recreational trailers, equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or excessive force may be needed to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
- The risk
- In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Forest River will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began on December 27, 2017. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-348-7440, or Kidde customer service toll free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-0544.
What owners say
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14 complaints about the 2018 Forest River Cherokee
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Castle Rock ST Radial ST 226 - Tire Size 205/75R14 - Load Range C - This tire had never been used and was stored with a cover over it - on the back of our camper. The tire blew - see attached pictures - when it was not in use. Concern - someone could have been hurt - and we have 4 more of these tires on our camper. Am concerned after reading all the reviews - this will happen to the other 4 tires while we are in transit.
The contact owns a 2018 Forest River Cherokee equipped with Castle Rock tires, the Tire Line was unavailable , ST205/75R15, DOT Number was unavailable. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger tire exploded. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The tires were original tires. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.
After purchasing the travel trailer near Chicago, and returning to Kentucky, I noticed that the tires were rubbing the wheel well above them, on one side. The tires had worn through the cover, and had made burn marks on the wood frame. A local dealer replaced the leaf springs on that side under warranty in the summer of , and replaced the covering material above the tires. Recently, I noticed that all four tires are rubbing above the wheel well, and have worn through the cover and insulation, exposing the floor. ...
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There is only 1" to 1-1/2" of clearance between the tires and the wheel well. The trailer weighs 5799 lbs dry, has approx. 1,900 lbs payload, and approx 7,800 GVWR. It has two 3500 lb axles, and it looks to me like they are not strong enough for the weight. The leaf springs are somewhat flattened, and one is nearly straight. I contacted Forest River, and was told to take it back to the dealer where the repair was done, for an estimate of repairs, because it was out of warranty. I'm thinking that the problem was not diagnosed and taken care of correctly on my original warranty claim, and they should still stand behind it. I contacted Forest River, but they refused to help me, only suggesting that I have a dealer examine it and make repairs as necessary. It seems that the installed axles are insufficient for the trailer, and replacement is the best alternative. Longer shackles, etc., are a possible approach, but I'm not sure it is the best one.
On June 12, 2022 my husband and I were towing our 5th wheel on 99W in Salem/KeizerOregon about 4pm when a car on our left waved us down saying that we had a wobbly tire on the passenger side of the 5th wheel. We got off onto Cherry Lane and pulled over to inspect and could not readily determine the problem. We went to our final destination for the night Keizer Elks which was a mile down the road. It appeared the core of the rim had separated from the rest of the rim. We had Les Schwab a local tire service come...
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over to our 5th wheel the next morning and the repair tech had never seen this before. Tire was replaced and put on a new rim. The original rim is not welded all the way around. Just spot welded. If this had broke when we were traveling at normal highway speed this would of been far more dangerous than a blowout. This needs be reported.
Two tire trailers blew up going down the interstate from a camping trip. First tire blew apart after leaving the camp site around 15 mins down the road. 2Nd tire blew when we were standing still replacing the other tire. This is a single axle trailer with two tires. 205-75-R14 castle rock with 65psi and less than 2,000 miles. Tires were on trailer for just over 2 years.
Glass panels attached to the cabinet doors will fall and break without warning. The camper was parked, level, and the air conditioning had been running for 2 days. The cabinet had been opened several times throughout the weekend. The glass panel was not loose but popped out unexpectedly when the cabinet door was opened and shattered on the floor spreading shards and pieces of glass throughout the camper. I had sent this topic to forest river personnel previously.
Had castle rock tire st225/75r15, this past weekend 7/17/20, while driving on i40, the first 5 mile the first tire exploded, 38 mile further down the road another tire exploded. Then when parked at the home the spare tire exploded and it was just laying in the bed of my truck. I have removed and replaced all for of the tire from my rv. I didn't keep the other two tire as proof.*Dt*jb
I was using my truck to pull the trailer along on a 70 mph highway, straight road, going about 70-71 mph with cruise control on when I heard a tire pop. When I pulled over, I saw 3 tires in total had failed. The vin was invalid *dt*tp 1 tire fell apart and I'm unable to find the failure because of the lack of tire remaining. 1 Tire had the tread pop, lost air, and exposed the steel belts. 1 Tire had the internal belts break, the tire sat lopsided, but still held air long enough for me to get safely off the road. ...
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The tire that fell apart caused damage to the underside of the trailer and ripped the trailer brake cables off. I was unable to use the trailer brakes and only able to stop using my truck's brakes. *Tr
Rv began smoking from the exterior of the hvac unit. Per video recording fire fell from the ceiling igniting the mattress. The entire rv filled with smoke within minutes, and the entire top of rv was fully engulfed in flames. It burnt the entire rv, home and cars beside. It was purchased brand new june 2018. Fire occurred july 1, 2019. Forest river was notified july 2019. We were fortunate not to be in the rv when the fire occurred.. Had we been we would have not survived. The heat index was 98 degrees that...
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day. The rv had a front and rear ac. Smoke exited the front master bedroom ac first, prior to windows and doors. Please prevent this from happening to others, and save their lives.*Dt*dt*jb*jb
Bought this unit in november 2017. By february it was hard to drive, fishtailing and swaying. Took it to the dealer, said everything (including axle) was fine. Drove to wyoming in april, swayed a lot. Moved as much weight forward as possible. Parked it for a few months. Drove again in july and nearly flipped on i90. Dropped it at an alignment shop in mt where they told us the frame was totally bent, messed up and the axle was way too small for the rig. Ended up also having a flat leaf spring and a broken support...
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member. Forest river and lippert have spent the last 8 weeks passing blame and stalling. If you look at the numbers on the sticker, the dry weight should be 9614 pounds (we weighed it, it is 11,000 nearly empty), the gross weight is 11,680, the axles are rated for a total of 10,160 and the wheels for a total of 10,000. We are told by fr that the hitch is suppose to bear 10% of the weight. If that is true and we look at the max weight minus 10% we are still looking at 10,528 pounds on the axles and wheels not rated for that much weight. Fr refuses to upgrade our axles and tires and has only authorized lippert to repair the broken member and flat leaf spring, also leaving us with a warped frame and doors that won't latch. *Dt *dt *dt carfax cannot process this request. *Jb consumer has stated unit has been repaired.*Jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 forest river cherokee. The contact stated that the trailer was hitched to a chevrolet silverado. While reversing, the contact noticed an abnormal odor and saw smoke and flames coming from the front compartment of the trailer. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no injuries sustained. The trailer was towed to an unknown dealer and the contact was informed that the failure was a safety issue; however, the dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the fire. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The vin was not available. There was no mileage. *Tt *tr
Leaking from middle of rain guard on awning causing water to drip over led lighting, and fridge/outside stove compartment.
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 forest river cherokee 325 pack 13. While attempting to park the camper, smoke was observed coming from the rear of the camper. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (coastal rv, 21373 brewers neck blvd, carrollton, va 23314) where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired yet. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact filed a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 300. *Tt updated 7/27/18*jb
This complaint involves complete tire failure on a dual axle travel trailer (camper) (forest river, cherokee 19rr, vehicle id no. [[redacted]]; length with hitch, 23 feet 11 inches, width 8 feet) unloaded vehicle weight: 4,180 lbs. Gvwr: 7,574 lbs. Manufactured date 3/30/2017. The tire involved was a rear, driver?S side axle, castle rock brand st205/75r14; dot jujt ymt 4716; max load 800kg (1760 lbs) @ 50 psi cold; tread 2 nylon + 2 steel sidewall ply 2 nylon; speed rating ?L?; Made in china mlr06. I had pulled...
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off of the road in saint clair, pa for gas and coffee and when stopped saw primarily a rim exposed. The tire had approximately 980 miles on it, having picked up the trailer new, in wolcott, iowa on may 17, 2017 and this failure occurred on may 20th, 2017. Due to very high winds experienced the first two days, we seldom reached 65 miles an hour and, even on the third day never exceeded 70 miles an hour. Total loaded weight was less than 1,000 lbs. All four (4) tires on the vehicle are identical and were said to be inflated with nitrogen and, equipped with tire pressure monitors. Each time, before driving the vehicle, I inspected each wheel pressure monitor to ensure they remained green (50 lbs of pressure indicated and initially confirmed with a reliable tire pressure gauge) and after driving for any length of time felt each of the four side walls with the back of my hand and never felt as though they were hot. I have pictures of the failed tire/wheel on the trailer and have retained the wheel (lower sections of both sidewalls remain intact, on the wheel.) I am concerned that these tires are defective and I am uncomfortable continuing to use the three that remain on the trailer. Please let me know at your earliest convenience if these tires are safe and if they have been recalled. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr
Forest River Cherokee: every year compared
All Cherokee years2018 Forest River Cherokee vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Forest River Cherokee | 14 | 8 | F | |
| 2018 Forest River Flagstaff | 5 | 5 | F | Compare |
| 2018 Forest River Georgetown | 4 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 2018 Forest River Cedar Creek | 4 | 4 | D | Compare |
| 2018 Forest River Freedom Express | 3 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2018 Forest River Arctic Wolf | 3 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2018 Forest River FR3 | 3 | 2 | B | Compare |
| 2018 Forest River Columbus | 2 | 1 | D | Compare |
| 2018 Forest River Berkshire | 1 | 11 | 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 2018 Forest River Cherokee
Does the 2018 Forest River Cherokee have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2018 Forest River Cherokee: trailer hitches (November 2019); labels (May 2019); recreational vehicle / trailer (October 2018); recreational vehicle / trailer (March 2018) and more. 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 2018 Forest River Cherokee?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the wheels & tires (8), electrical system (2), suspension (2).
How many complaints has the 2018 Forest River Cherokee had?
14 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on May 30, 2017 and the latest on October 31, 2023. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 3 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2018 Forest River Cherokee a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 9 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Forest River Cherokee 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 Cherokee years have the most complaints?
2021 (50), 2022 (23), 2018 (14). See every Forest River Cherokee year compared.
What should I do if my 2018 Forest River Cherokee 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