Owners have filed 10 complaints
about the 2017 Forest River Rockwood with NHTSA between 2017 and 2024.
The largest single group is the body & structure.
Across this model's run it ranks 7 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 — 34
Against the median year of the Forest River Rockwood. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% 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 2017 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 2017 Forest River Rockwood
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Wheels
220.0%
Median failure at 1,330 miles
Tires
220.0%
Median failure at 2,500 miles
Suspension
220.0%
Median failure at 160 miles
Body & Structure
220.0%
Median failure at 160 miles
Other & Unspecified
110.0%
Brakes
110.0%
Median failure at 1,000 miles
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 2017peak 4May 2024
Recalls on the 2017 Forest River Rockwood
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 20175124 units in Canada
Tires
On certain travel trailers, the slide room arm may not have enough clearance from the driver side front tire. Under certain circumstances, the tire could come in contact with the slide mounting head, which could lead to tire failure resulting in a loss of vehicle control increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will install a lift kit between the axle(s) and the chassis in order to elevate the slide room away from the tire.
Recall 20171397 units in Canada
Structure
On certain travel trailers, the slide room mounting bracket may not ensure adequate clearance of the slide mounting head from the tread of the drivers’ side front tire. If the vehicle is not pulled level, or the suspension is loaded unequally, there is a risk the tire will contact the slide mounting head, which could cause rapid air loss and/or tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will install a new slide mounting bracket to ensure proper clearance from the driver’s side front tire
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 2,500 milesLiberty Center, IN
TIRES
The contact owns a 2017 Forest River Rockwood RV equipped with Castle Rock Tires, Tire Line: Radial ST226, Tire Size: 225/75/R15, DOT Number: (N/A). The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, the front and rear driver's side tires experienced blowouts. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The tires were replaced with a spare tire and a replacement tire. The tires were original tires. Additionally, the contact stated while driving to the residence, the rear passenger's side tire experienced a blowout. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road and noticed that the front passenger's side tire was also damaged. The contact's husband was in the process of purchasing two replacement tires from the tire shop. The front and rear passenger's side tires were not replaced. The tires were original tires. The manufacturer was not contacted. The RV failure mileage was approximately 2,500. The tires failure mileage was approximately 2,500.
NHTSA complaint #11591024 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Denton, MD
SUSPENSION
All four locations on my vehicle have FAILED Maryland State Inspection because the weld point between the axle and the mounting bracket have BROKEN. There is no justification for Dexter Axle to sell products with such potentially serious manufacturing defects.
NHTSA complaint #11523610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sewell, NJ
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Despite never being used, and always stored with a tire cover and proper inflation, this ~4 year old spare tire spontaneously developed a tread bulge. The bulge decreased in size, but still remained visible, after deflation and removal from the wheel. An air bubble exists between the inner liner and the casing.
NHTSA complaint #11423608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairburn, GA
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER METAL BRACKETS WERE BENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE WATER TANK MAY FALL OFF THE TRAILER. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. A FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED. *DT*DT
NHTSA complaint #11361770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Easthampton, MA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NHTSA RECALL 17V129 THE SLIDE ROOM MOUNTING BRACKET DOES NOT MEET THE TOLERANCE OF 3 1/2 INCH MINIMAL DIMENSION AWAY FROM THE TREAD OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE. FOREST RIVER HAD SENT A REPLACEMENT BRACKET WHICH HAS BEEN INSTALLED BY ORCHARD TRAILERS IN WHATELY, MA WHICH DOES NOT MEET THE MINIMAL TOLERANCE. WE ARE UNABLE TO GET THIS RECALL RESOLVED AS OF 11/30/18 ( THE ORIGINAL RECALL NOTICE WAS DATED 02/24/2017). WE PURCHASED THIS TRAILER ON 04/15/2017, UNAWARE THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL IN EFFECT AT THE TIME WHICH HAD NOT BEEN ADDRESSED.*DT
NHTSA complaint #11155241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 2,500 milesOrmond Beach, FL
WHEELS
WHILE TRAVELING HOME FROM CAMPING ON I-4, THE LEFT REAR TRAILER TIRE BLEW. AFTER SAFELY GETTING TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, I DISCOVERED THE RIGHT SIDE TIRE WAS ALSO BLOWN ON THE SAME AXLE. I HAD TO PUT TWO NEW TIRES ON MY CAMPER. WHILE DRIVING TO THE TIRE STORE TO REPLACE THE FRONT TWO TIRES, A THIRD TIRE ON THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE BLEW. THE TIRES IN QUESTION ARE CASTLE ROCK ( MADE IN CHINA ) ST225/75R15 LOAD RANGE D-DOT JULT IMT 0216. I HAD EXACTLY 65 PSI IN THOSE TIRES PRIOR TO GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY.
NHTSA complaint #11121244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 160 milesHanford, CA
WHEELS
SLIDE OUT MECHANISM IN RIGHT REAR WHEEL PASSENGER SIDE IS INSTALLED/BUILT/DESIGNED SO THAT PART OF IT'S MECHANISM MADE OF 1/4" STEEL STICKS INTO THE TIRE OF THE VEHICLE. IT HAS CUT INTO THE TIRE AS SEEN IN PHOTOS (ATTACHED) THE TIRE HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED HOWEVER IT CONTINUALLY BEING CUT/DAMAGED BY THIS METAL. THIS TRAVEL TRAILER CANNOT BE USED UNDER IT CURRENT CONDITION DUE TO POTENTIAL DANGER INVOLVED, NOT TO MENTION RUINING AN OTHERWISE NEW TIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THIS. I BELIEVE, HAD I NOT NOTICED THIS, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE UNDER USE COULD CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #11033483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 160 milesHanford, CA
SUSPENSION
SLIDE OUT MECHANISM IN RIGHT REAR WHEEL PASSENGER SIDE IS INSTALLED/BUILT/DESIGNED SO THAT PART OF IT'S MECHANISM MADE OF 1/4" STEEL STICKS INTO THE TIRE OF THE VEHICLE. IT HAS CUT INTO THE TIRE AS SEEN IN PHOTOS (ATTACHED) THE TIRE HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED HOWEVER IT CONTINUALLY BEING CUT/DAMAGED BY THIS METAL. THIS TRAVEL TRAILER CANNOT BE USED UNDER IT CURRENT CONDITION DUE TO POTENTIAL DANGER INVOLVED, NOT TO MENTION RUINING AN OTHERWISE NEW TIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THIS. I BELIEVE, HAD I NOT NOTICED THIS, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE UNDER USE COULD CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #11033483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 160 milesHanford, CA
STRUCTURE:BODY
SLIDE OUT MECHANISM IN RIGHT REAR WHEEL PASSENGER SIDE IS INSTALLED/BUILT/DESIGNED SO THAT PART OF IT'S MECHANISM MADE OF 1/4" STEEL STICKS INTO THE TIRE OF THE VEHICLE. IT HAS CUT INTO THE TIRE AS SEEN IN PHOTOS (ATTACHED) THE TIRE HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED HOWEVER IT CONTINUALLY BEING CUT/DAMAGED BY THIS METAL. THIS TRAVEL TRAILER CANNOT BE USED UNDER IT CURRENT CONDITION DUE TO POTENTIAL DANGER INVOLVED, NOT TO MENTION RUINING AN OTHERWISE NEW TIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THIS. I BELIEVE, HAD I NOT NOTICED THIS, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE UNDER USE COULD CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY.
NHTSA complaint #11033483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 1,000 milesAndover, CT
SERVICE BRAKES
A SPRING IN THE DEXTER ELECTRIC BRAKE ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING BRAKE COMPONENTS TO FALL INTO THE BRAKE DRUM WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THIS LED TO BRAKE FAILURE, COMPONENT DESTRUCTION, AND OVERHEATING OF THE WHEEL. BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED ON A TRAILER, WE DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT HAPPENED UNTIL WE REACHED OUR DESTINATION. WE HAD PUT APPROXIMATELY 1,000 MILES ON THIS NEW VEHICLE WHEN IT HAPPENED. (THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR REPORTS ON VARIOUS RV OWNER INTERNET DISCUSSION GROUPS.)
NHTSA complaint #11030693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.