Forest River

Forest River Rpod Problems I have been holding off submitting this to the forum until I heard back from the dealer (PoulsboRV) and Forest River. On October 22, 2017 we purchased a brand new 2017 Rpod 180RB for our trip to Palm Springs.

 I immediately found some things wrong and took it back to PoulsboRV to get fixed before our trip.   After taking the unit back to PoulsboRV with problems two times, over several weeks. We were unable to get the work scheduled or have parts in prior to our departure date of 12-14-17. Despite extending our departure date we left with repairs undone and many questions.

At this point in time it was either go the way it was or cancel the trip we had been planning for a year AND all reservations were already made and paid for. We went on the trip which, because of the Rpod problems and weather, will forever be remembered as the vacation from ***.  We finally cut the vacation short, took our loses, and came home. As soon as we got home I delivered the Rpod back to PoulsboRV for the repair work on 1-12-17.

Got word today, 2-2-17, from PoulsboRV (and indirectly from Forest River) that they were finished and we could pick up our Rpod. We picked it up on 2-7-17 with most of the repairs being denied by Forest River and so PoulsboRV refused to fix. Here are the problems that we had and the results & comments. 1:  When we got the unit home after purchasing on Oct 22.

it sat in the driveway for 2 days before we had time to start loading it.  When I turned the lights on they were dim so I checked the battery voltage and it was 10.4 volts.  What the heck! I plugged the shore power in and the built in charger picked up the load.

  While connected to power I was trying to listen to the AM radio and the noise was so loud the radio was useless.  Finally figured out that the "converter" in the unit has so much RF noise that it totally blanks the radio. (This is common in the cheap solid state switching type chargers with poor filtering - OK for battery chargers but not OK for radio because of the noise it generates)  With the AC power disconnected the radio was fine. Result:  I was told the "converter" was within specs, per FR, so PoulsboRV would not do anything about it.

 At this point the battery is probably shot and they will not replace it either. I was also told by the service department that the "converter" was known to be faulty by Forest River and had been replaced with a different one. If I wanted the new one I would have to pay for it myself..... On a unit I had used once.

I had previously asked PoulsboRV if they could do a load check on the battery as I suspect that with the deep discharge it might be ruined.  I was told that I would have to pay for the load test if Forest River would not pay for it. PoulsboRV did not do a battery load test. SOLUTION: On 3/10/17 I replaced the “converter” with a MJF power supply at a cost of $109.

The radio now works perfectly and I have a voltmeter and ampmeter on the MFJ. Moving right along. 2:  With the power off for the night, having charging all day, the next day the battery was dead again.  I traced it to a ½ amp load on the battery ALL THE TIME.

 There are some house loads that DO NOT GO THROUGH THE DC FUSE BLOCK.  The ONLY way to keep the battery from going dead is to disconnect the battery. In a car this would be like not being able to turn your parking lights off…..unless you disconnect the battery. Result: PoulsboRV did not even look at this after telling them about the problem.

SOLUTION: I installed a disconnect on the battery. 3:  When we got to Palm Springs after a couple of showers my wife questioned where all the water in the bathroom floor was coming from.  I removed the inspection plate on the shower stall and the floor was flooded.  The next shower my wife took, I was watching the plumbing under the shower and water was running all over the place from the drain piping.

 Found out that the shower stall was only supported on the edges and while taking a shower it felt like you were on a trampoline.  The plumbing is all rigid ABS plumbing which does not tolerate flexing so it was broken. (I GUESS I COULD HAVE JUST CUT *** IN THE FLOOR UNDER THE P-TRAP TO THE OUTSIDE AND THE PROBLEM WOULD BE SOLVED) 4 pieces of 1”x2” in the corner is the total shower support and with the hole for the drain cut in the middle of the plywood it is very unstable. A RV repairman was found in Palm Springs and he replaced all the piping with new AND then added three additional pieces of 2X4 putting them under the shower floor in the center to give it some additional support.

 This was to get us through the trip.    Note: Forest River did pay for this because we were extremely insistent it was their failure and we were 200 miles from the nearest dealer. They initially expected us to take it to a dealer which would mean leaving our paid for RV park, driving 400 miles round trip, and just hoping that the dealer could get us in and could fix the problem. This would of course force us into a motel.

Result:  After looking at the repair done in Palm Springs, PoulsboRV (not us) wanted to take the shower stall out and reinforce the support.  They were told by Forest River that the shower was installed per spec and would not pay for it so PoulsboRV would not do it. SOLUTION: PoulsoboRV did re-replace the fittings ("customer gratis" as they said) as they said it was still leaking (which it wasn’t). I then added 4 more braces under the shower to further steady it up to prevent further damage. I hope this is sufficient. 4:  The cord that plugs into the tow vehicle had about 3/4" of the wiring exposed at the plug.  Result:  PoulsboRV replaced the cord. But why was it sent out this way?

5:  All of the pull down night shades were installed crooked. Result:  Dealer said they adjusted the shades. But why was it sent out this way? COMMENT: The shades look just as crooked after the adjustment as they did before so they are still crooked and this is unresolved. 6:  The brake/tail lights had LED segments that were not working.

I noticed this when we took delivery and it was noted by PoulsboRV at that time. They did not have any in stock so I had to leave it till we got home. Result:  Lamps were replaced  COMMENT: Seems to be OK 7:  Just before leaving on our trip, the propane detector started going off and it COULD NOT be silenced nor reset.  I had to remove it from the wall and cut the power wire to the unit to silence it.

 This is one of the loads that do not go through the fuse block and is part of the "phantom load" in the unit. Result:  PoulsboRV replaced the unit just before we left. They said FR had gotten some bad units from the manufacturer.  They did not comment on the constant load it presents.  COMMENT: Battery switch I added solved the problem.

8:   The brackets that hold the kitchen Venetian blinds were incorrectly installed as the brackets were installed wider than the blinds.  Therefore the blinds could not be secured at the bottom and flopped around. Result:  They remounted the bottom brackets. But why was it sent out this way? 9:  The factory installed wires that connect to the battery were not crimped properly and were totally corroded and covered with a green corrosion and this was before a battery was even installed in the unit.

 The battery was installed AFTER we bought the unit from PoulsboRV. COMMENT: Before leaving on the trip I cleaned off the corrosion, re-crimped the wires and soldered the connection.  But why was it sent out this way? 10:  It was almost impossible to get the propane tank cover off and on.

 Prior to my taking delivery of the 180 it had deep gouges in the plastic cover which was cutting the plastic deeply when you tried to remove or install the cover, which will be required every time you fill the tank. Result:  It was being gouged by the over length bolts that were used to bolt on the plate that holds the pressure regulator.  I simply reversed the bolts.  Poor Installation. But why was it sent out this way?

COMMENT: PoulsboRV decided to replace the torn up cover “gratis” 11:  The door stop for the bathroom door was the door *** hitting the mirror mounted on the closet door.  VERY POOR design. COMMENTS:  To prevent the mirror being broken by the door *** I mounted a bumper on the bottom of the bath room door so that now it hits the on the floor mounted fire extinguisher instead of the mirror. But why was it sent out this way? 12:  I am installing a second battery in the space behind the power panel and converter AND installing a battery switch so I can disconnect the batteries.

 As far as factory wiring is concerned this involved installing the battery switch in 1 existing wire. Result:  I was told by the service rep at PoulsboRV that this modification has now voided the factory warranty on the electrical system. Be aware folks… make any electrical change and you have voided your warranty. 13:  Except for the exposed floor the 180 was filthy.  Sawdust and construction debris in all the storage areas, in the storage lockers, in the hot water tank area, in the water pump area, in the drawers, in the over counter storage areas.....

Looks like the only thing done by Forest River and PoulsboRV was to vacuum the floor that you could see. COMMENT:  My wife spent a day cleaning the unit.  Imagine delivering a unit in this condition to a customer... VERY POOR consideration for the customer by Forest River and/or PoulsboRV, which ever was supposed to clean the unit. But why was it sent out this way?  14:  The hot water is so hot it will scald you.

 I asked if it could be turned down. Result: I was told by PoulsboRV that they would have to see if Forest River would pay for checking the water temperature... if they wouldn't I would have to pay for that. Today I was told that it was between 120 and 140 degrees that it was with in factory spec so they would not do anything.

COMMENT: Still unresolved but one added item. We used the unit for 1 month and the anode in the water heater is over 50% gone. I have purchased a new one which I will put in when we next use the unit. Over the years, and I am 80 so there have been many of them, I have owned; 1 truck/cab-over camper, 1 Scamp trailer, 3 Class B RVs, 2 Class C RVs, 1 Class A, and now this Rpod.

Most have had some initial problems but all the dealers made them good with no problems and no arguments. This is the ONLY one of the bunch that I am totally disgusted with. The design and layout is great but the factory craftsmanship is poor, Forest River does not support their customer, and PoulsoboRV will not do ANYTHING on their own. Really great customer service all around don't you think?  Before my problems were apparent a friend saw mine just after I brought it home and he purchased an identical unit from PoulsboRV a week later.

I just talked to him and he is experiencing some of the same problems I have had. At this point if we could return the unit and get our money back we would.  I cannot recommend to anyone the purchase an Rpod, or Forest River product without a warning that you are on your own. I am also very disappointed in the attitude of PoulsboRV.

All promises when you buy and abandoned when you need service. WE ARE NOT HAPPY RPOD OWNERS and with all the bent axles being reported I’ll have something else to watch for. Oh goody. I know that from now on I am on my own with any problems with this Rpod and have totally written off Forest River and PoulsboRV.

Bottom line: Today I took the 180 to a RV repair shop that has an EXCELLENT reputation who believe that the customer comes first. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Cracked welds on my 4000lb. Dexter Torflex Axles.

We are annual Snow Birders from Central British Columbia that head for Yuma in early January for three months in our 28ft.

2016 Flagstaff 5th wheel. Model WFLF8528IKWS. This trailer is primarily used for this purpose. It is a 5000 mile return trip all on paved highways and freeways.

There is approximately 35000 total miles on the trailer. I would like to note that this unit has never been used off road. Only on major paved highways. We are the original owners and do all of the required maintenance when needed.

In October I wanted to re-pack my bearings and redo the brakes. Upon removal of my tires I immediately noticed the cracked welds on the outside of the u-shaped brackets on the axles. Further inspection also revealed a major stress crack on the inside of one bracket and hairline cracks on the remaining three. A potentially dangerous situation!

The dry weight of my trailer is 8332 lbs. with a G.V.W. of 9389lbs.I am legally only allowed to carry 1007 lbs.of cargo with these two 4000 lb. Axles.

My two gray and one blackwater tank if full would account for more than half of my allowable load limit. Flagstaff in their cost saving engineering design made this trailer barely street legal and didn't give any true consideration to normal everyday use. These axles are to small for this unit ! They should have been at minimum 5000 lb.

axles. If Flagstaff would have done this initially( at minimal extra cost ) I am certain that I would not be here posting this situation today. I have notified Flagstaff and Dexter of my seriously under designed suspension problem and they have both denied me any help in regards to this matter. They have both said that because my 5 year warranty has expired there is nothing they can do for me.

Dexter did mention that if I had bought my trailer 10 months later there would have been a 10 year warranty on the axles .Not certain why this is so? I have personally installed two new 6000lb. axles. What a difference!

No more fish tailing and minimal bouncing when in tow. Tracks beautifully now. Something that Flagstaff should have done initially at the factory. The suspension on this unit was under stress from day one.

I am not happy with the quality and the service of this Flagstaff (Forest River) product.

Would never buy another one again. Frank Bomben; Pissed Off Forest River owner.

I just bought a 2023 forest river heritage glen 43 ft 5thwheel. It was forestall by owner.

They used the unit for less then 3 months. At first everything looks great. We have been using it for 2 months. Some of the things I have found so far.

Screws and staples under roof membrane. Roof membrane separating at seems. Trim pieces coming unglued and silicone breaking down all over outside of unit. Master bedroom slide can see daylight halfway up wall on one side and bottom corner of slide you can see outside.wet bay I beam alluminim welds are not solid they have holes in them.

Many trim screws put not flush. Entry door does not seal bottom left corner can see daylight. Trim on inside of door one side is half inch short. Staples and puddy all can be seen on all Trim ceilings.

Pantry shelves are not secure. Hardware for pantry doors crooked screws stripped. Oven drawer is crooked. Calking around shower cracked and seperated.

Bathroom trim seperated from wall.Ac fins throughout trailer are not connected. Threshold screws are sticking up and at angle. I understand small issues but for a unit that msrp for 90k it should not have this many issues. I use to be a builder and I may notice more then some, but the final qaulity at the factory this unit should have failed.

What can I do. I'm paying 68k financed by owner.

Have pop up RV trailer 6 months old been in camp land San Diego for 6 days roof leaks and slide out is falling off . Door don't close .

Propane smell with heater gave a headache after ten minutes. Rubber moldings falling off bathroom wall coming apart water leak under toilet. A rip in the screen in window have Google pictures with date and time 10 hours after setting up for the 1 st time was told it would be taken care of I have a year warranty . BS on Forest River warranty.

They are rude from the beginning of the phone call to the end.

No one should ever buy Forest River products ever till they get control of the way they build, handle,and answer phone calls . Total boycott of Forest River products.

We purchased our brand new 2023 Forest River Salem travel trailer approximatley 10 mos ago. So many things went wrong right from the get go.

I have no idea how they can pass these on to the public and still be proud of their name. I would be embarresed. Our heater never worked from the very first time we tried to use it. Tried working with the warranty department which is a joke.

We finally called a repair man our selves. It kept shorting out. Reason because the furnace box was sitting on one of the wires pinching it. I am sure they do not have a quality control department.

So many things have gone wrong.Broken chair. Cabinets all hinges loose and will not tighten.

Toilet leaks, gages do not work.Laminate comi ng off the cabinets. Too much more to explain.

My refrigerator worked for the first season (6 weekends). Winterized, then next spring refrigerator didnt cool.

I took to a dealership and they found a relay board was burnt out. It took 6 weeks for them locate another replacement. They did this without any cost to me even though forest river said it was out of warranty. It was winterized again and this spring refrigerator again would not cool.

This brand is fridge is crap. A friend has the exact same camper and his fridge didnt work from the very start. Foest river replaced his with a new GE instead of the Canon (never cool). I asked for my fridge to be replaced with a GE and I would pay for this since it was out of warranty.

It was ordered in June and it now mid-August and still no refrigerator! I purchased a camper so I wouldnt have to live out of a cooler and thats all Ive done these last 2 summers. The first customer service gal I talked to just brushed me off! Its a manufacturer problem take it up with them.

I said I didnt want another Canon! She was terrible to try and resolve this with.

Don't deserve even one star! Don't buy anything from this MANUFACTOR!!!

We bought a brand new 2021 Wolfpack toy hauler and it has had nothing but issues from day one. The generator gave us so many issues right from the start, the jacks were installed wrong, the garage door came off during travel, one of the the tires during transport to us was damaged, they didn't replace only patched. We have had a propane leak, now we have fiberglass cracks through out and they refuse to fix!!! Have the extended warranty and a extended 5 year warranty.

We were told the warranty expired in 2022 and they will not fix, even though other manufactures are doing the right thing and taking care of their customers!!

Seems to be something that happens more often than not. Terrible customer service, will never buy anything Forest River again, spread the word!