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1.8

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.

ย I immediately found some things wrong and took it back to PoulsboRV to get fixed before our trip. ย  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 theย vacation from ***. ย 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:ย ย 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. ย When I turned the lights on they were dim so I checked the battery voltage and it was 10.4 volts. ย What the heck! I plugged the shore power in and the built in charger picked up the load.

ย  While connected to power I was trying to listen to the AM radio and the noise was so loud the radio was useless. ย 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) ย With the AC power disconnected the radio was fine. Result: ย I was told the "converter" was within specs, per FR, so PoulsboRV would not do anything about it.

ย 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. ย 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 โ€œconverterโ€ 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:ย ย With the power off for the night, having charging all day, the next day the battery was dead again. ย I traced it to a ยฝ amp load on the battery ALL THE TIME.

ย There are some house loads that DO NOT GO THROUGH THE DC FUSE BLOCK. ย 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 offโ€ฆ..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:ย ย 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. ย I removed the inspection plate on the shower stall and the floor was flooded. ย 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.

ย 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. ย 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 1โ€x2โ€ 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.

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

5:ย ย All of the pull down night shades were installed crooked. Result: ย Dealer said they adjusted the shades.ย 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:ย ย 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: ย Lamps were replacedย ย COMMENT: Seems to be OK 7:ย ย Just before leaving on our trip, the propane detector started going off and it COULD NOT be silenced nor reset. ย I had to remove it from the wall and cut the power wire to the unit to silence it.

ย 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: ย PoulsboRV replaced the unit just before we left. They said FR had gotten some bad units from the manufacturer. ย They did not comment on the constant load it presents.ย  COMMENT: Battery switch I added solved the problem.

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

ย 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. ย But why was it sent out this way? 10:ย ย It was almost impossible to get the propane tank cover off and on.

ย 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,ย which will be required every time you fill the tank. Result: ย It was being gouged by the over length bolts that were used to bolt on the plate that holds the pressure regulator. ย I simply reversed the bolts. ย Poor Installation.ย But why was it sent out this way?

COMMENT:ย PoulsboRV decided to replace the torn up cover โ€œgratisโ€ 11:ย ย The door stop for the bathroom door was the door *** hitting the mirror mounted on the closet door. ย VERY POORย design. COMMENTS: ย 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 extinguisherย instead of the mirror.ย But why was it sent out this way? 12:ย ย 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.

ย As far as factory wiring is concerned this involved installing the battery switch in 1 existing wire. Result: ย I was told by the service rep at PoulsboRV that this modification has now voided the factory warranty on the electrical system.ย Be aware folksโ€ฆ make any electrical change and you have voided your warranty. 13:ย ย Except for the exposed floor the 180 was filthy. ย 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: ย My wife spent a day cleaning the unit. ย 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.ย But why was it sent out this way?ย  14:ย ย The hot water is so hot it will scald you.

ย 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?ย  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. ย I cannot recommend to anyone the purchase an Rpod, or Forest River productย without a warningย 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 Iโ€™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. Iโ€™ll let you know how it goes.

Reason of review: Bad quality.

Monetary Loss: $500.

Preferred solution: Full refund.

Forest River Cons: Customer service and refusal to authorize warranty work.

Location: 1429 SE Uglow Ave, Dallas, OR 97338, USA

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RV Life

I love all these comments... This is a great interaction about a rotten company.

Guest

It is evident the Dealer from whom you purchased the unit DID NOT do the job for which they are paid. This puts the customer in an unfavorable opinion with regard to the product.

Had the Dealer done their job, the majority of these issues would not exist. We have a 2016 FR Wildwood X-Lite 253RLXL.

Yes, there have been a few issues but none that caused any inconvenience with any of our trips. From my professional experience, I say: "New only guarantees new, and not necessarily good." That is why the warranty exists and it is up to the selling Dealer to uphold the warranty terms.

Guest

I also have had the WORST purchase ever of a forest river travel trailer from Poulsbo RV in kent Wa.Never ever ever go there!They sold me the biggest piece of crap that they did extensive floor repair which is terrible,I am just in tears looking at this $29000 piece of crap!

Guest

Typical

Guest

Has anyone experience a issue with a slide out mounting brackets breaking off ? On my 2017 Forest River Phoenix lite 296rs Fifth wheel. The kitchen slide had two bolts snap off and when the slide was used it caused damage to the wall it was attach to.

Rojelio Xbd

I have a Sportscoach Legend motor home. Coachmen unit, plagued with a leaking roof from day one.

When Coachman was bought out by Forest River, I was informed that they would not honor Coachmenโ€™s warrantyโ€™s.

So I have a $300,000 pile of crap! Never buy a Forest River product.

alan h Jzv

Hello to all of you Forest River RVโ€™s owners having problems trying to get info on having your RV repaired. We have been dealing with an ongoing factory repair since June 28th 2019 and it is now Jan 10th 2020 and RV is still in Indiana and we canโ€™t get a status or a completion / delivery date from them.

The repair was attempted once already and sent back to local dealership and was rejected by American Family RV in Chesapeake Va for the poor workmanship and was returned to Primetime manufacturing facility where it was to be repaired the second time, and has been sitting since. Donโ€™t expect a lot from them and what you get is a bunch of lip service of what they are doing for you , peel the layers back with questions and they shut down. Here is a list of people with phone numbers and email address , so you can send or call whether it helps who knows but to copy and paste an email and send everyday I am sure will get old for them and maybe one will be a profession and get back with you. Many emails you will send you will have an automated email reply back I am out of the office until the following Monday and another person email is given if you have questions or concerns or the good old common Forest River phone # 574-862-**** for customer retail.

Customer service is #1 with them they say but we all know better or we wouldnโ€™t need to be on this forum sharing horror stories or looking for contacts. I have spent countless hours emailing Duane whoโ€™s word of what he is doing for you is worthless and turns out to be falsehoods. Have asked countless times to speak with his supervisor and or higher ups , no replies ever. Local Dealer American Family RV has not been able to get answers and has not supplied me with a higher up supervisor to talk with so frustrations dealing with both of them is very high.

At one point I was told Lori is Duane supervisor so an email directly to her asking 2 question are you his supervisor and what is the status of my RV to date no reply to either. Your next step should be to file with BBB to build a pattern of the problems with all Forest River products. I have done this and case is still open due to the fact I have not got the RV back and statements by Duane to the BBB were rejected by me and my follow up to his account of this matter to the BBB has gone unanswered by Forest River ( Duane Casteel ) to date. My reply was one of his own emails of his own statements that went against what he had wrote as his account of this matter to the BBB complaint.

All this is good for building your case should you retain a lawyer. Hopefully they will step up for all of us , or the industry in whole will be regulated by a building standard to meet for RV ( at this point there is no building standards or codes for building a RV and why RV are mainly built in Indiana ). Hopefully a building code and standards will be in place one day and we will see better quality products being produced. Hope everyone the best BBB Serving Northern Indiana 4011 Parnell Avenue Fort Wayne, IN 46805 Phone: (260) 423-**** Fax: (260) 423-**** info@***.bbb.org bbb.org/northernindiana Maria Anciani-Dutt, Senior Dispute Resolution Specialist maria@***.bbb.org Phone: 260-918-**** The manufacturer of your defective RV will know whether your state lemon law covers RVs and the extent of such coverage, so you should talk to an experienced RV lemon law attorney who can make sure you understand your legal options.

If your motorhome, 5th wheel, or another motor vehicle is covered under a lemon law, you must allow the manufacturer a reasonable opportunity to correct the problem. This repair opportunity involves three or four repair attempts in many states, but the number of attempts can be as few as one or two where serious safety issue constitute the problem.

Further, the vehicle also might be subject to a lemon law claim if the vehicle is out of service for repair for a sufficient period, which often is thirty days but can be as few as fifteen in some states. Here are a few of the Forest River ( Prime Time Manufacture Inc ) Lesile Ott Service Coordinator LOtt@***.com 547-862-**** Sara Hankins Retail Advisor shankins@***.com 574-862-**** Duane Casteel Customer Affairs Manager dcasteel@***.com 547-86*-*** Lori Rewa lrewa@***.com Wendy Corl wcorl@***.com 547-862-**** Shannon Hunter shunter@***.com 547-862-**** Chelsey Wright cewright@***.com Terry Baughman tbaughman@***.com Forest River phone # 574-862-**** customer retail

alan h Jzv
reply icon Replying to comment of alan h Jzv

Sounds like the same thing we are going thru .DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY , NO SUPPORT , NO PRIDE , NO COMMUNICATION AFTER THE SALE

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of alan h Jzv

Thank for your time to put this information together. We are in a very serious situation with our camper and all your info is a great help!

RV Life
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1822415

I wish you the best

Paul C Cfc

Forest River is junk

RV Life
reply icon Replying to comment of Paul C Cfc

So so true.

Guest

Some things are common sense. ALL electronics today have memory chips that store your settings.

Yes, there is some battery drain which must be managed. BUT you can put a battery disconnect in when you are not using the unit to slow down lot rot and discharge in between camping trips. BTW, we have a 2017 PRod 180 that has been fun and trouble free from Day 1. We put a battery disconnect in AND upgraded the house battery to a Group 27 Marine battery.

We also have a 5 watt solar trickle charger to keep it topped up in the winter. NO ISSUES in Eastern Shore, Maryland.

Guest

thank you for your review. I feel so sorry for you guys no one should have to go through this after spending their good hard-earned money on a product.

I looked into the r-pod before my purchase, and decided not to purchase because I did not like what I saw. the only thing that was nice about it what's the purchase price, not real expensive. In this particular case you get what you pay for. I wound up purchasing a little guy Max.

Much more expensive but so far two months in, I'm happy with the product. hopefully things stay that way and I continue being happy with the product. Again feel sorry for you folks hope things get better.

And don't stop letting everyone know what you've been through. That is the only way to prevent other people from having similar experiences.

Guest

2018 Sandpiper black tank vent pipe was screwed into with thermostat screws and has a bigger hole in cabinets

Guest

My brand new 2018 Rockwood Roo 233s the steps and stove hood are already rusting and on closer examination you can see why.... They painted over rust in the factory....

The seals are already leaking on the bunks.

Poor quality don't buy...โ€ฆโ€ฆ My daughters brand new pop up roof is already leaking as well. The company needs a wake up call.

Guest

I was going to buy a R-Pod. However, you have reminded me of my last trailer from Forest River.

I also had many problems.

Most I had to repair or pay to repair myself. Thank for the reminder.

Guest

This review changed my mind. I already had quality concerns about the Rpod, but this supported my concerns. Thanks for the detailed review of both the unit and dealer.

Hilmar Aoy

I was excited about buying the new 195. Honestly after this review I will start looking elsewhere!

Guest

Man did we make the same mistake.... Not the exact problems but just as many.

We regret purchasing this R.V. and wish we would of read your post or have spoken to owners of Forest River Products.

Buyers beware... Forest River "SUCKS"

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