NHTSA vehicle safety data
2018 Forest River Cardinal Recalls, Ratings & Complaints
The 2018 Forest River Cardinal has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 0 owner complaints on file as of October 16, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Forest River dealer.
NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2018 Forest River Cardinal. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
NHTSA #21V523000Reported July 9, 2021 · Forest River, Inc.
Potentially affected: 825 vehicles
Defect description
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Coachmen Cross Country, 2015 Coachmen Encore, 2016-2020 Coachmen Mirada, 2018-2021 Coachmen Sportscoach, 2019-2021 Forest River Berkshire, 2011-2016 Forest River Blue Ridge, 2014-2019 Forest River Cardinal, 2014-2020 Forest River Cedar Creek, 2014-2021 Forest River Georgetown, 2019 Forest River Legacy, and 2017-2018 Forest River Riverstone recreational vehicles equipped with Hehr 6400 Series windows. The adhesive that bonds the vented portion of the window may fail.
Safety consequence
Adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Manufacturer remedy
Dealers will inspect the windows, and replace the vent if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 2, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-825-8600. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-1380.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT
NHTSA #18V081000Reported January 30, 2018 · Forest River, Inc.
Potentially affected: 53 vehicles
Defect description
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018 Cardinal recreational trailers, models CAF3045RLLE, CAF304SR, CAF322DS and CAF392RD. These vehicles were manufactured without an emergency exit window in the rear wall of the vehicle.
Safety consequence
Without a secondary means of escape from the vehicle, a person may be trapped inside the vehicle during an emergency, which could increase the risk of injury.
Manufacturer remedy
Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install an emergency exit window, free of charge. The recall began on February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-206-7600. Forest River's number for this recall is 15-0626.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
NHTSA #17V336000Reported May 24, 2017 · Forest River, Inc.
Potentially affected: 17 vehicles
Defect description
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cardinal recreational trailers, model CAF3250RL. The Federal Placard on these vehicles overstates the Gross Axle Weight Rating capacity (GAWR) by 840lbs. for each axle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
Safety consequence
The incorrect GAWR makes the Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) label incorrect and may result in the vehicle being overloaded, affecting the vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will provide a new Federal Placard with the correct GAWR and a new CCC label, free of charge. The recall began on June 6, 2017. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-206-7600. Forest River's number for this recall is 15-05192017-0412.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Other Forest River Cardinal model years
Check your 2018 Forest River Cardinal VIN
Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Forest River Cardinal at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
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