Owners have filed 13 complaints
about the 2016 Forest River Rockwood with NHTSA between 2015 and 2020.
The largest single group is the electrical system.
Across this model's run it ranks 4 of 8 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 — 45
Against the median year of the Forest River Rockwood. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 40
7.7% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
100% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2016 compares with every other Forest River Rockwood
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2016 Forest River Rockwood
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Body & Structure
323.1%
Median failure at 1,200 miles
Electrical System
323.1%
0 crashes, 1 fires · median 1,200 mi
Other & Unspecified
215.4%
Median failure at 30,000 miles
Suspension
215.4%
Median failure at 3,250 miles
Wheels
17.7%
Median failure at 500 miles
Tires
17.7%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
17.7%
Median failure at 1,200 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
327.3%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
763.6%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
19.1%
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.
Oct 2015peak 3Jun 2020
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 4,000 milesCenterville, VAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD EQUIPPED WITH A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, SERIAL NUMBER: 52100384, MODEL NUMBER: DMR702. WHILE THE CAMPER WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY A NEIGHBOR THAT THE CAMPER WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE VENT BEHIND THE REFRIGERATOR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CAMPER WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AT AMERICAN TRUCK & TRAILER (LOCATED AT 11949 LIVINGSTON RD, MANASSAS, VA 20109, (703) 257-1710) FOR AN UNKNOWN FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.
NHTSA complaint #11254717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 500 milesNescopeck, PA
WHEELS
HAD 2 BLOWOUTS ON SAME TIRE WITHIN 500 MILES, THE DAY AFTER WE BOUGHT IT FROM CAMPING WORLD. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. SUMMARY: FOREST RIVER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012-2013 ROCKWOOD, WINDJAMMER, VLITE AND FLAGSTAFF TRAVEL TRAILERS MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 3, 2012, THROUGH FEBRUARY 4, 2013. WHEN AN AFFECTED TRAILER HITS A LARGE BUMP OR POT HOLE, THE TRAILER TIRE MAY CONTACT THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOOR. CONSEQUENCE: AS A RESULT, THE TIRE MAY BECOME DAMAGED AND POSSIBLY BLOW OUT WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY: FOREST RIVER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL ADD A LIFT KIT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE AXLE MOUNTING BRACKETS, FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FOREST RIVER AT 1-[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11328635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 500 milesNescopeck, PA
STRUCTURE:BODY
HAD 2 BLOWOUTS ON SAME TIRE WITHIN 500 MILES, THE DAY AFTER WE BOUGHT IT FROM CAMPING WORLD. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. SUMMARY: FOREST RIVER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012-2013 ROCKWOOD, WINDJAMMER, VLITE AND FLAGSTAFF TRAVEL TRAILERS MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 3, 2012, THROUGH FEBRUARY 4, 2013. WHEN AN AFFECTED TRAILER HITS A LARGE BUMP OR POT HOLE, THE TRAILER TIRE MAY CONTACT THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOOR. CONSEQUENCE: AS A RESULT, THE TIRE MAY BECOME DAMAGED AND POSSIBLY BLOW OUT WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY: FOREST RIVER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL ADD A LIFT KIT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE AXLE MOUNTING BRACKETS, FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FOREST RIVER AT 1-[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11328635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 500 milesNescopeck, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HAD 2 BLOWOUTS ON SAME TIRE WITHIN 500 MILES, THE DAY AFTER WE BOUGHT IT FROM CAMPING WORLD. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. SUMMARY: FOREST RIVER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012-2013 ROCKWOOD, WINDJAMMER, VLITE AND FLAGSTAFF TRAVEL TRAILERS MANUFACTURED FEBRUARY 3, 2012, THROUGH FEBRUARY 4, 2013. WHEN AN AFFECTED TRAILER HITS A LARGE BUMP OR POT HOLE, THE TRAILER TIRE MAY CONTACT THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOOR. CONSEQUENCE: AS A RESULT, THE TIRE MAY BECOME DAMAGED AND POSSIBLY BLOW OUT WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY: FOREST RIVER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL ADD A LIFT KIT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE AXLE MOUNTING BRACKETS, FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FOREST RIVER AT 1-[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11328635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 4,000 milesCenterville, VAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD EQUIPPED WITH A DOMETIC REFRIGERATOR, SERIAL NUMBER: 52100384, MODEL NUMBER: DMR702. WHILE THE CAMPER WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY A NEIGHBOR THAT THE CAMPER WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE VENT BEHIND THE REFRIGERATOR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CAMPER WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AT AMERICAN TRUCK & TRAILER (LOCATED AT 11949 LIVINGSTON RD, MANASSAS, VA 20109, (703) 257-1710) FOR AN UNKNOWN FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.
NHTSA complaint #11254717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,500 milesEaston, KS
SUSPENSION
OK PURCHASED THIS TRAILER NEW. AFTER ABOUT 1500 MILES WE HAD A BLOWOUT WITHOUT KNOWING IT ON THE FRONT AXLE PASSENGER SIDE. WE DISCOVERED IT WHEN WE PULLED INTO A CAMPGROUND. THERE WAS ONLY SIDEWALLS LEFT. WE PUT THE SPARE ON AND WENT TO A TIRE STORE THE NEXT DAY. WE REPLACED THE TIRE AND THE OTHER SIDE ON THAT AXLE SO THE TIRES WOULD MATCH. WE TOOK SEVERAL SHORT TRIPS AROUND THE AREA AND THEN IN THE SPRING OF 2017. ON THE WAY HOME WITH ONCE AGAIN ABOUT 1500 MILES ON THE NEW TIRES THE TIRE MINDERS ALERTED UP THAT WE WERE LOSING AIR IN THE TIRE ON THE FRONT AXLE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. AT THE SAME TIME A CAR PULLED ALONG SIDE AND TOLD US THAT WE HAD THRONE A TREAD. WE PULLED OVER AND WE HAD THRONE THE TREAD. I CHANGED THE TIRE AND WE PROCEEDED HOME. WE TOOK THE TRAILER TO OLATHE RV AND THEY INFORMED US THAT THE FRONT AXLE WAS BENT. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW BUT WE ENDED UP CONTACTING THE AXLE MANUFACTURE AND AFTER SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS THEY AGREED TO REPLACE BOTH AXLE'S AS A GOOD FAITH JESTER. WE HAD TO PAY ALL OTHER EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM. WE ASSUMED THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. BECAUSE OF COMPLICATIONS WITH A KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY IN 2018 WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO USE THE TRAILER ON ONE TRIP ON ABOUT 1400 MILES. NO PROBLEMS. THEN THIS YEAR WE WENT TO NEBRASKA, MINNESOTA AND THEN OUT TO COLORADO. THE TOTAL MILES ON THAT TRIP TOTALED 2800 MILES.ON THE RETURN FROM COLORADO I WAS WALKING AROUND THE TRAILER AND NOTICED THE INSIDE TREAD ON THE REAR AXLE WAS SHOWING CORD. I CHANGED THE TIRE. WHEN I GOT HOME ANOTHER 150 MILES I NOTICED THE SAME THING ON THE FRONT AXLE ON THE OTHER SIDE. WE TOOK THE TRAILER TO A TRAILER COMPANY AND THEY SAID THAT BOTH AXLES WERE BENT. PROBLEM TRAILER IS RATED AT 4K PER AXLE TOTAL 8K TRAILER WEIGHT DRY IS 7690K WITH A CARGO CAPACITY OF 1193.TOTAL GVWR WITH CARGO 8939K. SO THE TRAILER LOADED IS 939LBS OVER THE AXLE RATING.
NHTSA complaint #11234295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dayton, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE TANDEM AXLE TRAILERS' FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE IS DAMAGED BY THE SLIDE OUT BRACKET WHEN THE SUSPENSION IS COMPRESSED WHILE BEING TOWED ON ROUGH PAVEMENT, POT HOLES, ETC. THE DAMAGE WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL RECENTLY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF THE TIRE IT OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE.*DT
NHTSA complaint #11192712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 30,000 milesGainesville, GA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I EXPERIENCED A TIRE FAILURE ON MY TRAVEL TRAILER. RIDGWAY SPORT ST, ST225/75R15, DOT # 1KMM16A, MANUFACTURE DATE 2615. I WAS TRAVELING 63MPH, MY TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM SHOWED 53PSI. THE TIRE QUICKLY BEGAN LOSING PRESSURE AS ALERTED BY MY TPMS. LATER I EXAMINED THE TIRE AND FOUND TREAD SEPARATION AND SINGLE STRANDS OF METAL POKING THROUGH THE TREAD. THE TREAD PATTERN WAS ALSO DISTORTED. I HAVE PICTURES AND THE TIRE. I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED BY THE TIRE MANUFACTURE AS I NEED TO PURCHASE 4 NEW TIRES.
NHTSA complaint #11103854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,500 milesHarbison, DE
STRUCTURE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD. AFTER DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE SHOWER PANEL FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE RV TRAILER WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,500.
NHTSA complaint #10954208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,200 milesRusk, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE HOOD VENT OVER THE STOVE THAT RELEASED THE FUMES WHILE COOKING WOULD NOT OPEN AND THE ELECTRICAL POWER FAILED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN RV DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,200. UPDATED 02/07/17*LJ INVALID VIN UPDATED 7/12/18
NHTSA complaint #10928761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,200 milesRusk, TX
STRUCTURE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE HOOD VENT OVER THE STOVE THAT RELEASED THE FUMES WHILE COOKING WOULD NOT OPEN AND THE ELECTRICAL POWER FAILED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN RV DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,200. UPDATED 02/07/17*LJ INVALID VIN UPDATED 7/12/18
NHTSA complaint #10928761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,200 milesRusk, TX
VISIBILITY/WIPER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOWS FAILED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE HOOD VENT OVER THE STOVE THAT RELEASED THE FUMES WHILE COOKING WOULD NOT OPEN AND THE ELECTRICAL POWER FAILED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN RV DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,200. UPDATED 02/07/17*LJ INVALID VIN UPDATED 7/12/18
NHTSA complaint #10928761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 5,000 milesPueblo West, CO
SUSPENSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD. WHILE DRIVING AND THEN STOPPING AT A FUEL STATION TO CHECK THE TIRES DUE TO A NOISE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE RUBBING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CAMPER. IN ADDITION, THE TORQUE FLEX AXLE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN RV DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
NHTSA complaint #10910768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Oviedo, FL
TIRES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DECAL FOR THE GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT ON THE RV WAS RATED FOR 8,917 POUNDS (LBS) MAX, HOWEVER THE TIRES ON THE RV WAS RATED FOR 8,624 POUNDS (LBS) MAX. THE RV WAS EQUIPPED WITH TIRES MANUFACTURED BY: RIDGWAY SPORT ST TIRES (NA), SIZE: 225/75/R15 (NA). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10780825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.