Owners have filed 10 complaints
about the 2007 Forest River Wildcat with NHTSA between 2008 and 2019.
The largest single group is the tires.
Across this model's run it ranks 2 of 3 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 — 44
Against the median year of the Forest River Wildcat. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 52
10% 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 2007 compares with every other Forest River Wildcat
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2007 Forest River Wildcat
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Tires
440.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 6,000 mi
Body & Structure
330.0%
Equipment & Accessories
220.0%
Median failure at 15,000 miles
Suspension
110.0%
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.
Jul 2008peak 1Oct 2019
Recalls on the 2007 Forest River Wildcat
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 201761061,287 units in Canada
Accessories
On certain motorhomes equipped with Kidde fire extinguishers with black plastic handles and valves, the fire extinguishers may become clogged or require excessive force to activate. Also, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury, and fail to discharge. In case of fire, failure of the extinguisher to function could result in injury and/or property damage. Correction: Owners will be provided with instructions on how to inspect the fire extinguisher to see if it is recalled. Replacement fire extinguishers will be supplied by Kidde directly. Note: For more information about recalled fire extinguishers, please visit <a href="https://inmarmarketaction.com/kidde/Kidde284CA/">www.kidde.com</a>.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 4,000 milesAbbville, LACrash
TIRES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT 27RLS FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAS POWER KING TOWMAX TIRES, SIZE P225/75/15 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES HAD TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRES HAD 4,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE TIRE MANUFACTURER, BUT THERE WAS NO DEALER IN HIS VICINITY THAT COULD REPAIR THE TIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.
NHTSA complaint #10274667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Carson City, NV
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE MOVED UP AND DOWN VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CROSSMEMBER WAS CURRENTLY BEING REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #11276903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FT Wainwright, AK
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
WE WHERE OUT CAMPING WHEN MY DAUGHTER TOLD ME THE CAMPER WAS ALMOST ON MY BED RAILS WE PULLED OVER AND FOUND THE STEP DECK BOX AND KING PIN BOX METAL HAD RIPPED AND MAKING IT NOT TOWABLE. WE WHERE AROUND 300 MILES FROM HOME WHEN IT HAPPEN AFTER GETTING IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THE METAL RIPPED IN FOUR DIFFERENT SPOTS ON FRONT AND BACK CROSS MEMBERS. AND THE SHOP SAID WE WAS LUCKY IT DIDN'T COME APART AND FALL OFF GOING DOWN THE ROAD. AND THEN FINDING OUT THE FRAMES ARE KNOWN TO BE A DEFECT WHEN BUILT, AND THE LIPPERT FRAME COMPANY WILL NOT DO ANY THING ABOUT IT MAKING IT A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. BOTH THE FRAME COMPANY AND RV BUILDER BLAME EACH OTHER ON WHO NEEDS TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND TWO YEARS LATER IM STILL TRYING TO GET IT FIXED THE RIGHT WAY AND TOLD IT WILL COST ME 4 TO 6 THOUSAND TO FIX OUT OF MY POCKET. THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE TO FIX A VERY KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THERE FRAMES.
NHTSA complaint #10704082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Nokomis, FL
SUSPENSION
WE HAD A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT 5TH WHEEL 28 FT. WE WERE COMPLETING OUR CROSS COUNTRY TRIP THAT WE STARTED IN FLORIDA. WE WERE IN CALIFORNIA AND AS WE WERE COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY, WE HEARD A STRANGE CLANGING SOUND. THERE HAPPENED TO BE A CAMPING WORLD NEAR WHERE WE WERE AND SO WE PULLED IN. WHEN THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE FIFTH WHEEL, HE NOTICED THAT THE HITCH WAS ONLY AN INCH OR TWO FROM THE BED OF THE TRUCK. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE FRAME OF THE PIN HITCH WAS CRACKED IN A NUMBER OF SPOTS AND THAT WAS WHAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE WITHOUT TAKING OFF THE FRONT OF THE UNIT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY CAME OUT AND TOTALED IT. WE THEN HAD TO PACK ALL OF OUR THINGS IN A U-HAUL AND TOW THAT BACK TO FLORIDA. WHEN WE GOT EVERYTHING OUT, WE COULD SEE THAT OUR CLOSET WAS COMPLETELY BUCKLED AND PUSHED UP FROM THE PIN HITCH. WE WERE LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN WE WERE GOING 60-65 MPH. THIS WAS THE 4TH 5TH WHEEL THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TO THAT I KNOW OF.
NHTSA complaint #10628586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Burlington, NJ
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MAIN BEAM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10543876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 15,000 milesPhoenix, AZ
TRAILER HITCHES
I OWN A 2007 FOREST RIVER 5TH WHEEL TRAILER. IT IS A WILDCAT MODEL 28RKBS. THE MANUFACTURE OF THE FRAME FOR THE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER IS A COMPANY CALLED LIPPERT COMPONENTS, THERE WAS A FAILURE OF THE 5TH WHEEL HITCH PIN BOX TO WHERE IT IS WELDED TO THE FRAME CROSS MEMBERS. THERE WAS CRACKS IN BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR CROSS MEMBER THAT SUPPORT THE 5TH WHEEL HITCH, THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER WAS CRACKED BY MORE THAN 90% OF THE WIDTH OF THE CROSS MEMBER. THE REAR CROSS MEMBER WAS CRACKED ACROSS THE TOTAL WIDTH OF THE PIN BOX. WHEN I AM REFERRING TO CROSS MEMBERS THAT IS THE STEAL BEAM OF THE FRAME THAT SPANS THE WIDTH OF THE TRAILER AND SUPPORTS THE 5TH WHEEL HITCH. I WAS LUCKY THAT I NOTICED THE PROBLEM WITH THE HITCH PRIOR TO A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE HITCH. IF THE HITCH HAD COMPLETELY FAILED IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH PROPERTY DAMAGE, INJURY AND POSSIBLE DEATH. TO ME THIS LOOKS LIKE A WEAKNESS IN THE DESIGN OF THE 5TH WHEEL HITCH ON LIPPERT COMPONENTS FRAMES. AFTER THIS HAPPENED, I CONTACTED FOREST RIVER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS LIPPERT COMPONENTS PROBLEM . I THEN CONTACTED LIPPERT COMPONENT AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND I WAS AMAZED AT HOW MUCH INFORMATION THERE WAS ON THE WEB ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH LIPPERT FRAMES AND ABOUT THE LACK OF SUPPORT FROM LIPPERT TO CORRECT THEIR PROBLEMS. I THINK IT IS TIME FOR SOMEONE TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM WITH FRAMES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR KILLED FROM A LIPPERT PIN BOX TO FRAME FAILURE. IF YOU NEED TO SEE PICTURES OF THE FAILURE TO MY 5TH WHEEL PIN BOX, I CAN SEND THEM TO YOU, THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10366915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 6,000 milesEvans, GA
TIRES
ON MY 2007 WILDCAT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER WE HAD A DOUBLE BLOW OUT ON I95 IN FLORIDA,THE TIRES CAME APART FROM THE INSIDE OUT WITH ONLY ABOUT 5 TO 7K MILES ON THEM. ALSO THE TIRES WERE ONLY ABOUT 3 YEARS OLD. INSPECTION OF ANOTHER TIRE SHOULD IT WAS CLOSE TO BLOWING OUT SO ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10276743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 4,000 milesAbbville, LACrash
TIRES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT 27RLS FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER. THE VEHICLE HAS POWER KING TOWMAX TIRES, SIZE P225/75/15 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES HAD TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRES HAD 4,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE TIRE MANUFACTURER, BUT THERE WAS NO DEALER IN HIS VICINITY THAT COULD REPAIR THE TIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.
NHTSA complaint #10274667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kirkland, WA
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT TRAILER. WHILE THE TRAILER WAS PARKED, THE METAL-WELDED TUBING FAILED THAT WAS LOCATED ON THE FRONT END. THERE WAS INDICATION OF INEFFECTIVE WELDING PERFORMED ON THE TRAILER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT APPLICABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10266133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 8,600 milesSAN Diego, CA
TIRES
I HAD THE TREAD SEPARATE FROM THE SIDEWALL ON MY TRAILER TIRE. POWERKING TOWMAX S/T225/75R15 (BPR LRD) DOT CODE ON THE SIDE OF THE TIRE IS OHMC 2206. TIRES WERE ALWAYS MAINTAINED AT 65 PSI. LUCKILY FOR ME, THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT VERY LOW SPEED (LESS THAN 5 MPH) AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE TRAILER OR INJURIES CAUSED. TIRE IS RATED AT 2,600 LBS (FOUR TIRES FOR A TOTAL LOAD ON THE AXLES OF 10,400 LBS) AND LAST FULL WEIGHT AT A CAT SCALE WAS JUST OVER 8,000 LBS ON THE AXLES (1,600 ON THE PIN FOR A TOTAL TRAILER WEIGHT OF ~9,600 LBS WITH A GVW FOR THE TRAILER OF 11,500). TIRE SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER 2.25 YEARS. TRAILER IS A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT 29BHBP 5TH WHEEL.
NHTSA complaint #10245311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sioux Falls, SD
TIRES:VALVE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FOREST RIVER WILDCAT 32QBBS. AS THE CONTACT WAS CHECKING THE TIRE PRESSURE ON HIS VEHICLE THE VALVE STEM ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD BROKEN OFF OF THE RIM. THE TIRES WHERE TAKEN TO A LOCAL TIRE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VALVE STEMS WERE REPLACED. AS OF JULY 31, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900 . UPDATED 09/15/08 *BF UPDATED 09/17/08.
NHTSA complaint #10236553 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.