NHTSA vehicle safety data

2011 Forest River Sandpiper Recalls & Complaints

The 2011 Forest River Sandpiper has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Forest River dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2011 Forest River Sandpiper. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2011 Forest River Sandpiper owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Forest River Sandpiper, describing incidents dated November 2, 2011 to March 25, 2017.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 1 complaint
Exterior Lighting 1 complaint

Of the 2 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11051510 · Filed November 30, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FOREST RIVER SANDPIPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE MELTING THE COVER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. THE FAILURE WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. A DEALER WAS NOT…
ODI #10969957 · Filed April 2, 2017
RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WHERE MAIN LIGHTING AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING QUIT WORKING. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING AND ANALYSIS, I WAS ABLE TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE. BEHIND THE POWER INVERTER AND CABINETRY I DISCOVERED WHERE ALL THE CAMPER WIRING CAME TOGETHER. I DISCOVERED SEVERAL BUNDLES OF 12V…

Read all 2 complaints

Fire Extinguisher May Be Clogged or Inoperable

NHTSA #17V756000 · Equipment · NHTSA notice

Reported November 22, 2017 · Forest River, Inc.

Potentially affected: 365,885 vehicles

Repair completion: 8.47% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Forest River campaign 51-0544 · Owners notified December 27, 2017 · Vehicles built February 1, 2002 – October 17, 2017 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2003-2018 Forest River Berkshire, Charleston, Rockport, Cedar Creek, Cherokee, Riverstone, Salem, Sandpiper, Sierra, Vengeance, Wildcat, Wildwood, XLR Boost, Cargo Mate, Continental Cargo, motorhomes, recreational trailers, toyhaulers, cargo trailers and restroom trailers and 2009-2018 Coachmen Mirada, Pursuit, Concord, Leprechaun, Freelander, Orion and Prism motorhomes, 2009-2017 Coachmen Apex and Catalina recreational trailers, and 2013-2017 Shasta Oasis and Revere recreational trailers, equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or excessive force may be needed to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf

Safety consequence

In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Forest River will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began on December 27, 2017. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-348-7440, or Kidde customer service toll free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-0544.

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.

AXLE ASSEMBLY/WHEEL END SEPARATION

NHTSA #10V460000 · Power Train — Axle Assembly · NHTSA notice

Reported October 8, 2010 · FOREST RIVER, INC.

Potentially affected: 92 vehicles

Owners notified January 6, 2011

Defect description

FOREST RIVER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 SANDPIPER AND SIERRA TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH DEXTER AXLES. ON SOME AXLES, CRACKS COULD APPEAR IN THE SPINDLE WELD.

Safety consequence

THESE CRACKS CAN PROPAGATE AND CAUSE THE SPINDLE TO DETACH FROM THE AXLE TUBE, RESULTING IN THE SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL END FROM THE VEHICLE, CREATING A ROAD HAZARD AND/OR COMPROMISING THE DRIVER'S CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

FOREST RIVER IS WORKING WITH DEXTER AXLE AND WILL INSPECT THE AXLE SERIAL NUMBER AND REPLACE IT IF IT FALLS WITHIN THE SERIAL NUMBER RANGE. REPLACEMENT OF THE AXLE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 6, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FOREST RIVER'S WARRANTY DEPARTMENT AT 1-574-534-3167 OR DEXTER AXLE AT 1-800-400-2164.

Notes

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2011 Forest River Sandpiper. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Forest River Sandpiper.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11051510

Fire

Incident: November 2, 2011 · Filed: November 30, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FOREST RIVER SANDPIPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE MELTING THE COVER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. THE FAILURE WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE LIGHTS WITH LED LIGHTS AND THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE CONTACT REQUESTED TO INCLUDE THAT THE FIXTURE ON THE BULB WAS RV DASH ILLUMINAIRE RV-1L22 (30516) WHICH WAS MADE IN TAIWAN AND LAMP TYPE WAS 12V 921. A FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Electrical System

ODI #10969957

Incident: March 25, 2017 · Filed: April 2, 2017

RECENTLY EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WHERE MAIN LIGHTING AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING QUIT WORKING. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING AND ANALYSIS, I WAS ABLE TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE. BEHIND THE POWER INVERTER AND CABINETRY I DISCOVERED WHERE ALL THE CAMPER WIRING CAME TOGETHER. I DISCOVERED SEVERAL BUNDLES OF 12V COMMON/GROUND WIRING BUNCHED TOGETHER. I THREE AREAS I FOUND UP TO 7 WIRES CONNECTED TOGETHER WITH A BLUE WIRE NUT AND WRAPPED IN ELECTRICAL TAPE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE "BUNDLE" OF WIRES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LIGHTS THAT DIDN'T WORK. AFTER REMOVING THE ELECTRICAL TAPE, I FOUND THE WIRING HAD BEEN POORLY OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED AND CREATED AN AREA OF HIGH RESISTANCE, RESULTING IN A MELTDOWN OF THE WIRE NUT AND ALL ASSOCIATED WIRES. THIS CAUSES A GREAT CONCERN BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER AREAS WERE LARGE NUMBERS ARE WIRES ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER AND THEREFORE CREATING A CONTINUED FIRE RISK. ATTACHED IS A PHOTO OF THE DAMAGED AREA THAT WAS REMOVED.

Other Forest River Sandpiper model years

Check your 2011 Forest River Sandpiper VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Forest River Sandpiper at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Forest River VIN