Owners have filed 14 complaints
about the 2020 Forest River Flagstaff with NHTSA between 2021 and 2024.
The largest single group is the tires.
Across this model's run it ranks 1 of 4 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 61
Against the median year of the Forest River Flagstaff. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
21.4% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
How 2020 compares with every other Forest River Flagstaff
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2020 Forest River Flagstaff
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Tires
535.7%
Other & Unspecified
428.6%
Median failure at 5,000 miles
Transmission & Drivetrain
214.3%
Equipment & Accessories
17.1%
Body & Structure
17.1%
Brakes
17.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Apr 2021peak 4Oct 2024
Recalls on the 2020 Forest River Flagstaff
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 2020285106 units in Canada
Structure
Issue: On certain travel trailers or motorhomes equipped with frameless windows, the glass may not be properly attached to the metal hinges. As a result, the glass could separate from the hinge and fall from the trailer. Safety Risk: A window that detaches from the trailer could create a road hazard for others and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Forest river will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your travel trailer or motorhome to a dealer to inspect the adhesive bonding on the window glass. Dealers will replace the glass, if necessary.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Fort Collins, CO1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The fabric side wall failed to keep my daughter safe as she slept in the camper. She fell out of the camper onto the hard, cold ground while she was sound asleep. She could have been seriously injured. The Velcro on the fabric was secured to the camper frame.
NHTSA complaint #11528037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Collins, CO1 injured
STRUCTURE
The fabric side wall failed to keep my daughter safe as she slept in the camper. She fell out of the camper onto the hard, cold ground while she was sound asleep. She could have been seriously injured. The Velcro on the fabric was secured to the camper frame.
NHTSA complaint #11528037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Collins, CO1 injured
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
The fabric side wall failed to keep my daughter safe as she slept in the camper. She fell out of the camper onto the hard, cold ground while she was sound asleep. She could have been seriously injured. The Velcro on the fabric was secured to the camper frame.
NHTSA complaint #11528037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
San Jose, CA
POWER TRAIN
When forced to drive over a canvas tent bag, Due to traffic and road conditions. The tent bag wrapped around the drive shaft, ripped out the brake lines and the emergency brake lines damaged the master cylinder and damage the emergency brake mechanism in the cab of the RV. There should be protection under the vehicle so that does not happen! The loss of both types of brake systems could be catastrophic.
NHTSA complaint #11621165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
San Jose, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
When forced to drive over a canvas tent bag, Due to traffic and road conditions. The tent bag wrapped around the drive shaft, ripped out the brake lines and the emergency brake lines damaged the master cylinder and damage the emergency brake mechanism in the cab of the RV. There should be protection under the vehicle so that does not happen! The loss of both types of brake systems could be catastrophic.
NHTSA complaint #11621165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Broomfield, CO
POWER TRAIN
3500# axles added to a trailer with a gross weight of 3920#. Tires are severely worn on the inside from an undersized axel. Possible tire blow out if not corrected.
NHTSA complaint #11584515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Greentown, IN
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The structure supporting the fresh water tank is insufficient to carry the weight when full of water. The 36 inch long support bars sag ~2 inches when the tank is full, and the tank itself sags another 1.5 inches between the bars. There have been numerous accounts of these tanks detaching and falling out while travelling on the highway, posing a risk to other drivers.
NHTSA complaint #11582862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Collins, CO1 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The fabric side wall failed to keep my daughter safe as she slept in the camper. She fell out of the camper onto the hard, cold ground while she was sound asleep. She could have been seriously injured. The Velcro on the fabric was secured to the camper frame.
NHTSA complaint #11528037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Collins, CO1 injured
STRUCTURE
The fabric side wall failed to keep my daughter safe as she slept in the camper. She fell out of the camper onto the hard, cold ground while she was sound asleep. She could have been seriously injured. The Velcro on the fabric was secured to the camper frame.
NHTSA complaint #11528037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Collins, CO1 injured
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
The fabric side wall failed to keep my daughter safe as she slept in the camper. She fell out of the camper onto the hard, cold ground while she was sound asleep. She could have been seriously injured. The Velcro on the fabric was secured to the camper frame.
NHTSA complaint #11528037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Raleigh, NC
TIRES
Subject Castle Rock Radial ST 205/75/R14 tire was running 10 degrees F. hotter (around 110 F) than the three sibling tires after about 30 minutes of travel. This had been the case for an earlier trip of approximately 275 interstate miles. All of these tires are original equipment and similarly used and maintained. The tire eventually exploded (see uploaded pics). Subsequent inspection shows a bubble had formed between layers of the tread portion of the tire. The failed tire is available for inspection. Tire pressure before traveling in the morning was 65 p.s.i. (this is consistently maintained when in use). The load/speed ratings of these tires are D105/101L or 2039 lbs/75 m.p.h. Our running speed is typically 65 m.p.h. or less. The trailer weighs approximately 5600 pounds as loaded. Likely due to a combination of this safety margin in both weight and speed along with a weight distributing hitch with a stabilizer bar, we did not lose control of the vehicle when the tire failed. We were able to pull onto the emergency apron of the interstate immediately and replace the failed tire with a spare tire (not the original spare). The original matching spare with zero miles of use on the road suffered a similar fate (bubble/tire layer separation) in 2022 (NHTSA Reference No. 11490675). The failed tire was taken to a nearby tire center where it was inspected and replaced with a new tire. Subsequent to this trip, the remaining three (3) OEM Castle Rock tires have been replaced due to their high failure rate (40% to date for us).
NHTSA complaint #11526187 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seeley Lake, MT
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The RV came with a heated mattress which I would often used to pre-heat the mattress before going to bed. On 11/23/2022, I turned the mattress heater on level 4 & went out of the camper. After about an hour, the smoke alarm went off & I came into the camper to find a very strong toxic odor. I found the smell was coming from the mattress & immediately turned off the heater. Upon further investigation, I saw a burn hole in the bedding & discovered the mattress smoldering. I feel fortunate that I was not sleeping with the mattress heater on when this occurred & fear the various alternative situations this may have caused. I have notified the RV dealer, as well as the RV, mattress & heating control manufacturers. They have responded but have not notified me as to a resolution or further investigation. The mattress, bedding & the heater control unit are available for inspection. I have made no contact with the fire or police department or my insurance company as I discovered the smoldering mattress before it actually caught fire.
NHTSA complaint #11499571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Raleigh, NC
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
The contact owns a 2020 Forest River Flagstaff. The contact stated that when he had inspected the RV spare tire prior to a trip, he noticed that the spare had a blister on the tread. The contact stated that the blister extends from the inner side of the tread to the outer and is approximately five inches wide. The Tire DOT number: JUJTYMT 2819. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was not diagnosed the tire had been replaced. The vehicle had been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 0, the tire had never been used and was original equipment.
NHTSA complaint #11490675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Belleville, IL
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request -Tire. -I will keep the tire until 11/1/22. I will also have the undamaged spare available of the same make and model if needed. This will accompany a separate report with nearly identical language for the other trailer tire that failed about 60 miles later. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -Tire failed on the interstate at Highway speed at 70MPH with a load pop sound, on an 86-degree, sunny, and dry day. The tire immediately delaminated all center tread between cap ply and center fabric belts. This sent debris, including wheel well components of the trailer, across multiple lanes of traffic. Thanks to high visibility and light traffic conditions surrounding vehicles slowed to avoid debris, tow vehicle, and trailer. An educated driver and a weight-distributing hitch recovered the trailer from the fishing condition in the adjacent lane. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? -No. However, many trailer owners have complained on various forums dubbing this tire a "china bomb" Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? -Since the original travel trailer purchase from the dealer in 2020. All tires including the spare did not hold air as well as a typical car tire. We would typically we would need to add air 10-20 PSI before embarking on a trip, and needed about 40 psi at the start of the camping season. No active monitoring systems are present on the trailer. No leak locations were found on tread using the soap and water method, and no handling issues existed prior to failure. Tires inflated to Manufacture recommended pressure 65PSI before all departures.
NHTSA complaint #11476608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Belleville, IL
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request -Tire. -I will keep the tire until 11/1/22. I will also have the undamaged spare available of the same make and model if needed. This will accompany a separate report with nearly identical language for the other trailer tire that failed about 60 miles earlier. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -Tire failed on the interstate at Highway speed at 70MPH with a load pop sound, on an 86-degree, sunny, and dry day. The tire immediately delaminated all center tread between cap ply and center fabric belts. This sent debris, including wheel well components of the trailer, across multiple lanes of traffic. Thanks to high visibility and light traffic conditions surrounding vehicles slowed to avoid debris, tow vehicle, and trailer. An educated driver and a weight-distributing hitch recovered the trailer from the fishing condition in the adjacent lane. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? -No. However, many trailer owners have complained on various forums dubbing this tire a "china bomb" Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? -Since the original travel trailer purchase from the dealer in 2020. All tires including the spare did not hold air as well as a typical car tire. We would typically we would need to add air 10-20 PSI before embarking on a trip, and needed about 40 psi at the start of the camping season. No active monitoring systems are present on the trailer. No leak locations were found on tread using the soap and water method, and no handling issues existed prior to failure. Tires inflated to Manufacture recommended pressure 65PSI before all departures.
NHTSA complaint #11476609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palm Harbor, FL
TIRES
ST225/75R15 - had blowout on front driver side of RV that has dual axles. After putting spare tire on, I had gone less than 30 minutes down I-75 and had a second blowout on rear passenger tire as I pulled into a Camping World to get new spare. After 3rd tire was determined to be bad, ended up replacing all tires with Goodyear Endurance tires. Fortunately they had 4 in stock. I initially bought the RV brand new in July 2019 and tires only had about 3,000 miles on them. I am part of several Facebook RV groups and heard of this happening all the times re: “China bomb” tires. Never felt it would happen to me. I feel that with these castle rock tires having such a bad history, then RV manufacturers should be putting better tires on. And/or RV dealers should replace upon arrival to their sales lot.
NHTSA complaint #11441639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 5,000 milesNewark, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TIRES ARE PREMATURELY CRACKING AND POSE A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THEY MAY FAIL AND BLOWOUT AT HIGH SPEED. CONDITIONS EXIST ON ALL FOUR TIRES. ALL TIRES SHOW SIDEWALL CRACKS AND SEPARATION CRACKS WHERE TREAD MEETS THE SIDEWALL.
NHTSA complaint #11413033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.