Complaints over time
Complaints about the 2021 Forest River FR3 peaked in 2021, with 2 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file. The lighter column runs through October.
Model year
2021 Forest River FR3
Other, gasoline, 4x2, built in United States. Owner complaints on file from Nov 1, 2021 to Oct 7, 2024.
Recall campaigns covering this model year39,644 vehicles or units across those campaigns
Owner complaints52.5 times the median 2021 other
Severity index20.02021 others average 7.1
First 24 months2Complaints in its first two years
Components
20% of complaints about the 2021 Forest River FR3 name brakes
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file. A complaint can name more than one component; it is counted under the first.
Recalls
3 recall campaigns cover the 2021 Forest River FR3
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24V-103 | Feb 12, 2024 | Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) tank mounting brackets may break, which can result in the LPG tank becoming dislodged and damaged | Equipment | 6,966 | Part replacement |
| 23V-262 | Apr 13, 2023 | Solar panel mounting hardware may become loose and pull through the slot in the panel | Equipment | 2,616 | Repair or modification |
| 20V-361 | Jun 19, 2020 | Wiring harness may have an incorrect wire connected to the parking brake, allowing the leveling jacks to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is… | Electrical system | 62 | Not stated |
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.
Owner complaints
What owners reported about the 2021 Forest River FR3
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
5 complaints on file, page 1 of 1.
- Filed Oct 7, 2024Failure Oct 7, 202436,000 milesThousand Oaks, CADashboard
The contact owns a 2021 Forest River FR3 built on a 2020 Ford F-53 Chassis. The contact stated while driving and exceeding 45 MPH, the contact noticed that the dashboard was bouncing. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the bottom of the dashboard fractured and separated along with the parts attached to the dashboard. The RV was taken to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The dealer provided an estimate for the repair. The dealer notified the manufacturer of the failure, but the manufacturer informed the dealer that the repair could not be covered because the RV was not covered under warranty. The RV was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
NHTSA complaint 11618460 - Filed Mar 12, 2024Failure Mar 11, 2024Santa Fe Springs, CAUnknown or other
LP brackets are cracked at the welding
NHTSA complaint 11576757 - Filed Nov 2, 2023Failure Jun 6, 2023Jackson, MSUnknown or otherFire
Due to faulty welding of the supports for the onboard propane tank, the tank fell out the bottom of the rig on I-70 outside Kansas City on June 6 2023. The tank bounced around, knocking out one one of the drive shafts before bursting into flames. There was no warning before this happened as there are no sensors for that. With the rig being a total loss, there is no way to reproduce the problem. My insurance company hired a fire investigator, but findings were inconclusive due to the extent of the fire damage. I have since found others that have had this issue, but mine is the first that led to a fire that I am aware of. [XXX] . Forest River has been contacted, but they deny a problem exists. All five passengers made it out safely. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint 11553249 - Filed Nov 1, 2021Failure Aug 31, 2021Jackson, CASteering, Suspension
Our 2021 Forest River FR3 34DS is built on the 2020 Ford F53 V8 chassis. When bringing the RV in for other service, the Ford dealer noticed that one of the bolts was missing from the rear sway bar. Further inspection showed that the coupling used to attach the sway bar was seriously deformed. This had a negative impact on the steering/handling of the RV in windy weather and when being passed by semis, RVs, and local delivery box trucks. We had to wait about a month for the parts to come in and be installed. A quick google will show this is a wide-spread problem across multiple brands of RVs that are built on the F53 chassis. This seems like either a design issue or a need to torque those bolts to a specific value.
NHTSA complaint 11438906 - Filed Nov 1, 2021Failure Aug 30, 2021Jackson, CAService brakes, Vehicle speed control
Our 2021 Forest River FR3 34DS is built on the 2020 Ford F53 Chassis with the V8 engine. Our unit was recalled for potentially insufficient axle lubricant. After Ford replaced the bearings, our anti-skid, ABS, and cruise-control stopped working with indicators showing that on the dash. The Ford dealer believes the problem is with the tone ring. It has been several months and the Ford dealer is unable to obtain a tone-ring. Meanwhile, the RV continues not to have these important safety features.
NHTSA complaint 11438904
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.
Investigations
NHTSA has not opened an investigation on this model year
Source: NHTSA ODI investigations file.
Service bulletins
4 manufacturer communications cover this model year
Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall.
- 511564 Mar 24, 2023 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
According to Ford's Final Notice of Recall 22V731: "In some of the affected vehicles, the rear stabilizer bar attachment bracket(s) weld-nuts may not be capable of supporting the required joint torque for this application and may have been damaged during th… - 511564 Nov 1, 2022 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
According to the notice from Ford 22S62: In some of the affected vehicles, the rear stabilizer bar attachment bracket(s) weld-nuts may not be capable of supporting the required joint torque for this application and may have been damaged during the assembly … - 511370 Jun 18, 2021 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
The rear axle may contain an inadequate volume of lubricating oil. An inadequate volume of rear axle lubricant may result in rear wheel bearing damage potentially leading to bearing seizure. Bearing seizure may lead to rear axle or driveshaft failure. A rea… - 831334 May 19, 2021 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
It was discovered that the manufacturing plant did not cut a stress relief line in the upper deck Driver Side and in on certain models, Passenger Side under the slide room(s). The upper deck in the Impression Fifth-Wheel needs to flex, without the "stress r…
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications files.