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2021 Forest River Cardinal Recalls, Complaints & Specs

6 safety recalls list the 2021 Forest River Cardinal, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

6
safety recalls
1
owner complaint to NHTSA

6 safety recalls for the 2021 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. Electrical (equipment)

    NHTSA 24V272000 Reported 4,480 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Forest River Cardinal, Wildcat, 2018-2019 Cedar Creek, 2021 Columbus, 2023 Continental Cargo, 2021-2024 Dynamax DX3, Dynamax Dynaquest XL, Dynamax Isata, Forest River IBEX, 2022-2024 Dynamax Europa, Forest River NOBO, 2022-2023 Forest River Sandstorm, Shockwave, Stealth,…

    Remedy: Dealers will disconnect and cut the circuit powering the LED backlights and terminate the wiring, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed by May 14, 2024. Owners may contact Suburban customer service at…

  2. Tread/belt (tires)

    NHTSA 22V004000 Reported 1,164 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Prime Time Sanibel, Crusader, Forest River Cardinal, and Continental Cargo fifth wheel trailers, equipped with certain Sailun tires, size ST235/80R16/G. Due to a manufacturing issue, the tires may experience a belt separation.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tire DOT codes, and replace the tires as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2022. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-825-4995.…

  3. Accessory generator (equipment)

    NHTSA 21V988000 Reported 111 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Cardinal fifth wheel recreational vehicles. The generator compartment may not be sealed properly, allowing carbon monoxide to enter the vehicle.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the generator compartment for proper sealant and apply sealant if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 5, 2022. Owners may contact Forest River customer service…

  4. Recreational vehicle/trailer (equipment) and temporary/emergency spare tire (tires)

    NHTSA 21V145000 Reported 309 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2021 Cardinal and Wildcat Fifth Wheels trailers. The spare tire carrier may be installed incorrectly, allowing it to detach from the vehicle.

    Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will secure the spare tire carrier, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River Customer Service at 1-574-296-7700. Forest River's…

  5. Equipment

    NHTSA 21V141000 Reported 21 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2021 Cardinal CAF345RLX, CAF366DVLE, CAF390FBX and 2021 Wildcat WCF336RLS, WCF368MB vehicles. The furnace flue may become misaligned due to insufficient furnace hold screws that allow movement during travel.

    Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will secure the furnace and align the flue, free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-296-7700. Forest…

  6. Furnace (equipment)

    NHTSA 20V655000 Reported 69 vehicles potentially affected Forest River, Inc.

    Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2021 Cardinal fifth wheel trailers. The fresh air intake sleeve for the furnace is too short and does not have proper connection of the furnace to the exterior, allowing furnace exhaust to enter the trailer.

    Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct intake sleeve to allow for proper connection on the furnace, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2020. Owners may contact Forest River…

1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2021 Forest River Cardinal have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 1 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Frame and Structural Integrity - Forest River Cardinal 366DLVE Doors and slide-outs open during transport. Cracks near the corners of upper deck slide openings. Separation of interior or exterior pane”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 13, 2025 · 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 2021 Forest River Cardinal

How do I know if my 2021 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. 6 campaigns currently list the 2021 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 20V655000).

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.