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2017 Forest River Cardinal Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 2017 Forest River Cardinal, and owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
7
owner complaints to NHTSA

3 safety recalls for the 2017 Forest River Cardinal

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Recreational vehicle/trailer (equipment) and structure

    NHTSA 21V523000 Reported 825 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Coachmen Cross Country, 2015 Coachmen Encore, 2016-2020 Coachmen Mirada, 2018-2021 Coachmen Sportscoach, 2019-2021 Forest River Berkshire, 2011-2016 Forest River Blue Ridge, 2014-2019 Forest River Cardinal, 2014-2020 Forest River Cedar Creek, 2014-2021 Forest River…

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the windows, and replace the vent if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-825-8600. Forest…

  2. Labels (equipment)

    NHTSA 17V336000 Reported 17 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cardinal recreational trailers, model CAF3250RL. The Federal Placard on these vehicles overstates the Gross Axle Weight Rating capacity (GAWR) by 840lbs. for each axle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

    Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will provide a new Federal Placard with the correct GAWR and a new CCC label, free of charge. The recall began on June 6, 2017. Owners may contact Forest River customer…

  3. Labels (equipment) and tires

    NHTSA 16V258000 Reported 38 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Cardinal recreational vehicles, models CAF3455RL, CAF3825FL and CAF3850RL, manufactured from November 20, 2015, through April 1, 2016. These vehicles may be equipped with a Federal Placard that indicates an incorrect tire and rim combination. The placard states…

    Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and provide a new corrected Federal Placard, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on, or about, June 23, 2016. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at…

7 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2017 Forest River Cardinal have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 3,925 miles. Complaints peaked in 2019 with 2 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The contact owns a 2017 Forest River Cardinal. The contact stated that while her husband was hauling the fifth wheel at approximately 60-65 MPH, the two front emergency exit windows detached. While dr”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 19, 2025 · Equipment

“The slide out system cause the frame to separate from the wall of the travel trailer. This allowed water to get into the wall which rotted the support. When traveling, the slide out would separate on”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 19, 2021 · Unknown or other

Compare Forest River Cardinal model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Forest River Cardinal model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1997 Forest River Cardinal10
1998 Forest River Cardinal12
1999 Forest River Cardinal12
2000 Forest River Cardinal12
2001 Forest River Cardinal21
2002 Forest River Cardinal21
2003 Forest River Cardinal31
2004 Forest River Cardinal22
2005 Forest River Cardinal26
2006 Forest River Cardinal17
2008 Forest River Cardinal01
2009 Forest River Cardinal15
2010 Forest River Cardinal03
2012 Forest River Cardinal01
2013 Forest River Cardinal22
2014 Forest River Cardinal41
2015 Forest River Cardinal111
2016 Forest River Cardinal42
2017 Forest River Cardinal37
2018 Forest River Cardinal30
2019 Forest River Cardinal11
2020 Forest River Cardinal11
2021 Forest River Cardinal61
2022 Forest River Cardinal50
2023 Forest River Cardinal01
2024 Forest River Cardinal10

Checking a specific 2017 Forest River Cardinal

How do I know if my 2017 Forest River Cardinal has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2017 Forest River Cardinal; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Forest River dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 16V258000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Forest River models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.