Owners have filed 24 complaints
about the 2021 Grand Design Imagine with NHTSA between 2021 and 2025.
The largest single group is the body & structure.
Across this model's run it ranks 1 of 6 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 — 75
Against the median year of the Grand Design Imagine. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 22
4.2% 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 2021 compares with every other Grand Design Imagine
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2021 Grand Design Imagine
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Body & Structure
729.2%
Median failure at 50,000 miles
Suspension
520.8%
Other & Unspecified
416.7%
Tires
416.7%
Median failure at 8,000 miles
Equipment & Accessories
14.2%
Wheels
14.2%
Fuel & Propulsion
14.2%
Transmission & Drivetrain
14.2%
0 crashes, 1 fires
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 2021peak 5Aug 2025
Recalls on the 2021 Grand Design Imagine
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 20220312,243 units in Canada
Other
Issue: On certain RV trailers, the pull handles for the drawers and doors inside the trailer have square corners that could be sharp. Safety Risk: Sharp corners on the drawer and door handles can create the risk of a cut or scrape. Corrective Actions: Grand Design RV will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your trailer to a dealer to replace the pull handles with handles that have a rounded shape.
Recall 20215162 units in Canada
Suspension
Issue: A small number of travel trailers equipped with Dexter D30 axles may have the incorrect inner axle bearings installed. As a result, the bearings could wear quickly and cause an axle failure. If this happens, the wheel assembly could also separate from the trailer. Safety Risk: An axle failure could cause a loss of control and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a wheel that separates could also hit another person or vehicle. Corrective Action: Grand Design will notify owners by mail and instruct you to bring your vehicle to a dealer to have the axles inspected. If required, the axle assembly will be replaced.
Recall 20213286,666 units in Canada
Accessories
Issue: On certain travel trailers, the propane (LP) regulator could fail. If this happens, high-pressure propane could reach the appliances. Note: This recall only affects trailers equipped with a Winntec propane regulator. Safety Risk: Unregulated propane pressure can create the risk of an appliance fire. Corrective Action: Grand Design RV will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your travel trailer to a dealer, to replace the propane (LP) regulator.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Lorton, VAFire
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2021 Grand Design Travel Trailer. The contact stated that he was driving at an undisclosed speed when another vehicle alerted the contact that a fire was coming from the front driver’s side wheel. The contact then stated that he was able to navigate the trailer off the road. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that smoke was coming from the front driver’s side wheel and that wheel had collapsed from the wheel hub. The vehicle was towed to a service station where it was left overnight however, the next day, the contact had a technician come out to the vehicle where a temporary repair was performed. The contact then stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake lube in the housing had caught fire and burned the brake unit and that the driver’s and passenger side axle one and axle two failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V636000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was unavailable. The contact stated that after leaving a negative review about the manufacturer, a PR representative reached out to them and Dexter Axle. The repairs have been completed at no charge to the contact.
NHTSA complaint #11504447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Albright, WV
SUSPENSION
The right side leaf spring hanger broke from the frame while traveling causing the trailer to lean heavily and pull to the right side nearly hitting an 18 wheeler that I was passing. I received a customer satisfaction campaign letter from Grand Design 3 days later in regard to cracks in the I beam frame above the spring hangers for all Imagine 2910BH models produced between 6/24/2020 and 6/14/2023. Grand Design said that they have concluded that condition does not present a safety hazard. Having a suspension component fail on a trailer is a safety hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11680317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Schodack Landing, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
After reading of other owners of similar and identical models like mine having frame cracks, I made a point to inspect my trailer’s I beam chassis and I discovered horizontal cracks within the I beam, one on each side, over the suspension area. Every picture I have seen looks just like mine, a rusty L shaped crack adjacent to a crossmember welded on the backside of this area. You can see the shape of this crossmember through the surface of the I beam, indicating the metal is quite thin. It took me only a couple minutes to find, as I knew exactly where to look, based on the numerous stories I’ve read about. Upon further inspection, I also found suspect welds that look burned through the frame, leaving a hole behind. This makes me question the quality of the rest of the trailer’s frame. There is also a crossmember at the front of the trailer with a distinct bend in it at the bottom, where the top remains fairly straight. This, to me, is another indication that the frame is flexing and causing this member to fold as a result. After discovering this, I later learned many other owners have the same issue, and one had a complete A frame failure in that area. Also, I have discovered that all four of my trailer’s leaf springs are flattening out, and they remain this way with all personal items removed from the unit. As it sits now, it is within a handful of pounds of the original purchase weight, and the leafs have not sprung back. We have an appointment scheduled directly with the manufacturer in Indiana to have these issues repaired, among a laundry list of less safety related issues we’ve experienced since ownership. We’ve known of these major issues since August of 2024 and have waited 6 months for our appointment for repairs. We have declined from using this trailer during this time as we don’t have confidence that it can safely be towed. I am to understand, the wait time is due to a large influx of other trailers being brought in for major repair.
NHTSA complaint #11633521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Schodack Landing, NY
SUSPENSION
After reading of other owners of similar and identical models like mine having frame cracks, I made a point to inspect my trailer’s I beam chassis and I discovered horizontal cracks within the I beam, one on each side, over the suspension area. Every picture I have seen looks just like mine, a rusty L shaped crack adjacent to a crossmember welded on the backside of this area. You can see the shape of this crossmember through the surface of the I beam, indicating the metal is quite thin. It took me only a couple minutes to find, as I knew exactly where to look, based on the numerous stories I’ve read about. Upon further inspection, I also found suspect welds that look burned through the frame, leaving a hole behind. This makes me question the quality of the rest of the trailer’s frame. There is also a crossmember at the front of the trailer with a distinct bend in it at the bottom, where the top remains fairly straight. This, to me, is another indication that the frame is flexing and causing this member to fold as a result. After discovering this, I later learned many other owners have the same issue, and one had a complete A frame failure in that area. Also, I have discovered that all four of my trailer’s leaf springs are flattening out, and they remain this way with all personal items removed from the unit. As it sits now, it is within a handful of pounds of the original purchase weight, and the leafs have not sprung back. We have an appointment scheduled directly with the manufacturer in Indiana to have these issues repaired, among a laundry list of less safety related issues we’ve experienced since ownership. We’ve known of these major issues since August of 2024 and have waited 6 months for our appointment for repairs. We have declined from using this trailer during this time as we don’t have confidence that it can safely be towed. I am to understand, the wait time is due to a large influx of other trailers being brought in for major repair.
NHTSA complaint #11633521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Schodack Landing, NY
STRUCTURE
After reading of other owners of similar and identical models like mine having frame cracks, I made a point to inspect my trailer’s I beam chassis and I discovered horizontal cracks within the I beam, one on each side, over the suspension area. Every picture I have seen looks just like mine, a rusty L shaped crack adjacent to a crossmember welded on the backside of this area. You can see the shape of this crossmember through the surface of the I beam, indicating the metal is quite thin. It took me only a couple minutes to find, as I knew exactly where to look, based on the numerous stories I’ve read about. Upon further inspection, I also found suspect welds that look burned through the frame, leaving a hole behind. This makes me question the quality of the rest of the trailer’s frame. There is also a crossmember at the front of the trailer with a distinct bend in it at the bottom, where the top remains fairly straight. This, to me, is another indication that the frame is flexing and causing this member to fold as a result. After discovering this, I later learned many other owners have the same issue, and one had a complete A frame failure in that area. Also, I have discovered that all four of my trailer’s leaf springs are flattening out, and they remain this way with all personal items removed from the unit. As it sits now, it is within a handful of pounds of the original purchase weight, and the leafs have not sprung back. We have an appointment scheduled directly with the manufacturer in Indiana to have these issues repaired, among a laundry list of less safety related issues we’ve experienced since ownership. We’ve known of these major issues since August of 2024 and have waited 6 months for our appointment for repairs. We have declined from using this trailer during this time as we don’t have confidence that it can safely be towed. I am to understand, the wait time is due to a large influx of other trailers being brought in for major repair.
NHTSA complaint #11633521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Prescott, AZ
WHEELS
Cross member of frame bending, allowing A frame that its connected at to also bend.
NHTSA complaint #11627166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Prescott, AZ
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Cross member of frame bending, allowing A frame that its connected at to also bend.
NHTSA complaint #11627166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Prescott, AZ
SUSPENSION
Cross member of frame bending, allowing A frame that its connected at to also bend.
NHTSA complaint #11627166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seneca, SC
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On [XXX] we were driving with our travel trailer from South Carolina to Michigan on interstate highways. When we made what was to be a quick late afternoon stop in Detroit, we discovered that the A-Frame on the trailer was severely bent and about to break. We spent the next day trying to get help with repairing it by calling the manufacturer, Grand Design; the local Grand Design dealer; and a couple of welders. None were able to assist us, so we had the trailer hauled back to a welder closer to our home. We were thankful the A-Frame did not completely break on the highway which could have caused a wreck or a major safety hazard. The welder that replaced the metal was surprised the A-Frame metal was so very thin, commenting they had never seen anything so thin on a travel trailer. It was replaced with ¼” metal. The propane system integrity is in question since it was pushed against the front wall of the trailer. The travel trailer is currently at a Grand Design dealer to determine if it or other structural damage was incurred due to the bent A-Frame. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11625777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seneca, SC
STRUCTURE
On [XXX] we were driving with our travel trailer from South Carolina to Michigan on interstate highways. When we made what was to be a quick late afternoon stop in Detroit, we discovered that the A-Frame on the trailer was severely bent and about to break. We spent the next day trying to get help with repairing it by calling the manufacturer, Grand Design; the local Grand Design dealer; and a couple of welders. None were able to assist us, so we had the trailer hauled back to a welder closer to our home. We were thankful the A-Frame did not completely break on the highway which could have caused a wreck or a major safety hazard. The welder that replaced the metal was surprised the A-Frame metal was so very thin, commenting they had never seen anything so thin on a travel trailer. It was replaced with ¼” metal. The propane system integrity is in question since it was pushed against the front wall of the trailer. The travel trailer is currently at a Grand Design dealer to determine if it or other structural damage was incurred due to the bent A-Frame. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11625777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gridley, CA
TIRES
While towing our travel trailer we experienced a tire blowout on the left side rear. The blow out tore up the black water valve and sewage cap dumping sewage on the side of the highway. The lack of protection to the valve is not present and the valve is directly behind the tire. With trailer tire blowouts prevalent this is bound to happen again.
NHTSA complaint #11609161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bonney Lake, WA
SUSPENSION
Suspension hangers cracked the frame and a section of the frame broke allowing the hanger to flip over and suspension to fail. This occurred while backing the trailer up. If it occurred while driving it could have caused the trailer to tip over.
NHTSA complaint #11583201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bonney Lake, WA
STRUCTURE:BODY
Suspension hangers cracked the frame and a section of the frame broke allowing the hanger to flip over and suspension to fail. This occurred while backing the trailer up. If it occurred while driving it could have caused the trailer to tip over.
NHTSA complaint #11583201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Livingston, TX
STRUCTURE:BODY
As we were driving down the road, the frame had a catastrophic frame failure where the frame was split in half ,and almost departed from the entire towing portion of the trailer. The trailer is not in our possession any longer because the insurance company deemed it totaled . Thankfully, we were not driving fast and we were able to pull over safely dragging the entire RV along the highway. The Rv was inspected by the insurance company . There was no warning prior to the incident, however it has come to light that this is happening amongst many RV trailers and 5th wheels.
NHTSA complaint #11572497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Livermore, CA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Noticed the frame on our trailer is starting to bulge. We are part of a Facebook group for our specific trailer and apparently this is a common problem/ occurrence. We contacted both Grand Design and Lippert for assistance with fixing the issue which they have done for many but since we are second owners they are refusing to help. This is a major safety issue and of left unfixed could potentially cause a bad accident/ incident. Since this is a common problem in these trailers I feel both Grand Design and Lippert should be held accountable and be required to correct the issue for the safety of their owners and others on the road should the frame snap completely while towing.
NHTSA complaint #11523031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 7,000 milesAvon Park, FL
TIRES
The contact owns a 2021 Grand Design Imagine RV equipped with Westlake Tires, Tire Line: Super ST, Tire Size: 225/75/R15, DOT Number: JULT1CT3920. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the contact felt a thump from the rear end of the trailer. The contact had not noticed a warning light being illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and noticed that the tread on the front passenger’s side tires had completely separated, causing damages underneath the trailer. There were no warning lights illuminated. The tire was changed by a towing service. The trailer was driven home, and the dealer was contacted. The contact had not yet received a call back from the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 7,000.
NHTSA complaint #11517675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 9,000 milesSalem, OR
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
The contact owns a 2021 Grand Design Recreational Travel Trailer equipped with Westlake Tires, Tire Line: Super, Tire Size: 225/75/R15, DOT Number: 3320. The contact stated that while driving approximately 72 MPH, he experienced a failure with the passenger’s side rear tire. The contact noticed that the tire was delaminated, and the tread had separated from the casing. The travel trailer was damaged. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the tire; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic who informed him that the other three tires had small bubbles and had started to delaminate. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. The tire failure mileage was approximately 9,000.
NHTSA complaint #11513237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lorton, VAFire
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2021 Grand Design Travel Trailer. The contact stated that he was driving at an undisclosed speed when another vehicle alerted the contact that a fire was coming from the front driver’s side wheel. The contact then stated that he was able to navigate the trailer off the road. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that smoke was coming from the front driver’s side wheel and that wheel had collapsed from the wheel hub. The vehicle was towed to a service station where it was left overnight however, the next day, the contact had a technician come out to the vehicle where a temporary repair was performed. The contact then stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake lube in the housing had caught fire and burned the brake unit and that the driver’s and passenger side axle one and axle two failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V636000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was unavailable. The contact stated that after leaving a negative review about the manufacturer, a PR representative reached out to them and Dexter Axle. The repairs have been completed at no charge to the contact.
NHTSA complaint #11504447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 50,000 milesBeallsville, MD
STRUCTURE
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado used for hauling a 2021 Grand Design Imagine travel trailer. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed that the front of the travel trailer had collapsed. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the travel trailer tongue was bent downward. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that they were unable to perform the repair. An independent mechanic performed the repair on-site by replacing the tongue and welding it to the travel trailer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
NHTSA complaint #11487728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Montverde, FL
TIRES
On 6/17/2022 the cold pressures were set correctly for the 2021 Grand Design 2800BH travel trailer as they had been for a dozen or more prior trips. A TPMS was being used during travel to monitor pressures and temperatures. All 4 of the Westlake brand ST 225 / 75 R 15 tires with manufacturing date "3320" were inspected for bubbles, cuts, punctures, etc... prior to departure and no anomalies were observed. With absolutely NO WARNING the right rear wheel experienced a complete tread separation. The tire's entire tread was thrown from the tire in one piece, after making contact with the vehicle, while traveling at 68mph on the FL turnpike southbound. The remainder of the tire remained inflated however the steel belt was now in contact with the highway. The debris caused a multicar accident and delays on the highway according to the Road Ranger who assisted with installation of the spare. The camper itself has consequential damage in excess of $6000 that neither the tire warranty nor travel trailer warranty will cover for this manufacturing defect. The safety of myself, my family riding along, and those around me while traveling on the highway was put in severe risk of injury or death. The defective tire that was removed from the wheel has been retained.
NHTSA complaint #11476853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rochester, NY
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
There has been a safety recall concerning the Winn-Tec regulator for the propane tank outstanding since last summer. I have been attempting to get this matter resolved with Grand Design since the recall came out. Grand Design has still failed to address this issue. The emails have tagged the recall as RE: M3418134- 114652- 910023 recall.
NHTSA complaint #11468156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Easley, SC
STRUCTURE:BODY
Crossmember connecting the rear of the Hitch A-frame is starting to buckle inward. From the research done, this is the first step in the complete failure of the A-frame. We just recently purchased the 2021 RV from a private seller and noticed the slight bend in crossmember but didnt think anything of it. After a 1500 mile trip the bend is much more pronounced. This is when I started to research to see if this was more prevalent in this model, which seems to be the case. Contacted frame builder (Lippert) and started the claim process with them and Grand Design as well.
NHTSA complaint #11426518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Libertyville, IL
SUSPENSION
We were driving and went through a dip in the road and the whole front end of the A- Frame bent/buckled. We have not had any problems with this in the past, but it is a brand new trailer and we are learning it has happened to a few others all Grand Design XLS series. We wonder if the steel used is not of top quality and is too thin.
NHTSA complaint #11425375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Libertyville, IL
STRUCTURE:BODY
We were driving and went through a dip in the road and the whole front end of the A- Frame bent/buckled. We have not had any problems with this in the past, but it is a brand new trailer and we are learning it has happened to a few others all Grand Design XLS series. We wonder if the steel used is not of top quality and is too thin.
NHTSA complaint #11425375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Winter Haven, FL
EQUIPMENT
The contact owns a 2021 Grand Design Imagine. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 21V393000 (Equipment). The contact reached out to the local dealer and was informed that the earliest available appointment to service the recall would not be until October. The contact also attempted to reach the manufacturer but was unsuccessful. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact had not experienced the failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA complaint #11424664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.