NHTSA vehicle safety data

2013 Heartland Big Country Recalls & Complaints

The 2013 Heartland Big Country has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 4 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Heartland dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2013 Heartland Big Country. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2013 Heartland Big Country owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Heartland Big Country, describing incidents dated July 24, 2013 to August 26, 2017.

Most-cited components

Tires 2 complaints
Wheels 2 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint
Structure 1 complaint
Unknown or Other 1 complaint

Of the 4 complaints on file, 1 reports a fire (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11020062 · Filed August 28, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HEARTLAND BIG COUNTRY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH DYNAMIC TIRES, SIZE: 235/80P16. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS MISSING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND THAT PART OF IT WAS DISINTEGRATED. THE…
ODI #10608931 · Filed July 8, 2014
I WAS PARKED OVER NIGHT AT A CAMPGROUND AND UPON MAKING MY PRE-TRIP INSPECTION, NOTICED SEVERAL BUBBLES ON THE FRONT DRIVER-SIDE RV TIRE. HAD THE TIRE REPLACED AND STARTED OUT LATER THAT AFTERNOON ON MY TRIP. ABOUT TWO HOURS IN, HAD A BLOWOUT ON ONE OF THE OTHER TIRES ON THE RV WHILE TRAVELING DOWN…
ODI #10567391 · Filed March 5, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HEARTLAND BIG COUNTRY TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HIRED A ELECTRICIAN TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE ELECTRICIAN STATED THERE WAS DEFECTIVE AND LOOSE WIRING UNDER THE CAMPER THAT WAS CAUSING SPARKING…

Read all 4 complaints

Incorrect Tire Size Information/FMVSS 567

NHTSA #15V482000 · Equipment — Other — Labels · NHTSA notice

Reported July 30, 2015 · Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC

Potentially affected: 1,680 vehicles

Repair completion: 8.51% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Heartland campaign 99-01-23 · Owners notified September 29, 2015 · Vehicles built January 1, 2010 – July 23, 2015 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC (Heartland) is recalling certain trailers of various models and model years. Click on "All Products Associated With This Recall" for a complete list. The tire certification labels applied to the vehicles may contain inaccurate tire sizing and/or inflation information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

Safety consequence

An owner or operator could rely on the inaccurate information in inflating the tires which could cause under or over inflation which, in turn, could lead to a tire failure or crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Heartland will notify owners, and dealers will send a replacement label with the correct information, free of charge. The recall began on September 29, 2015. Owners may contact Heartland customer service at 1-574-266-3988.

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.

Unexpected Unfurling of the Awning

NHTSA #13V181000 · Equipment · NHTSA notice

Reported May 7, 2013 · Heartland Recreational Vehicles, LLC

Potentially affected: 890 vehicles

Heartland campaign 99-01-11 · Owners notified May 20, 2013 · Vehicles built February 13, 2013 – April 16, 2013 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

Heartland Recreational Vehicles is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Big Country, Bighorn, Elk Ridge, Elk Ridge Express, Landmark, Prowler, Sundance, Sundance XLT, and Silverado fith wheel and travel trailers manufactured February 13, 2013, through April 16, 2013. If the awning installation sequence was not completely followed, the awning motor may unknowingly become damaged.

Safety consequence

If motor damage has occurred, it is possible that the awning can unfurl unexpectedly, either while the trailer is at rest or while in transit, increasing the risk of personal injury or a vehicle crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Heartland will notify owners and Dometic staff will replace the affected motors with a design that is not subject to an out-of-sequence installation error. The recall began on May 20, 2013. A notification schedule has not yet been provided. Owners may contact Heartland Recreational Trailers at 1-888-262-5992 or Dometic at 1-888-447-0003 for more information. Owners are being instructed not to drive their vehicle until repairs can be performed. Heartland's recall campaign number is 99-01-11.

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.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2013 Heartland Big Country. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

4 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Heartland Big Country.

Tires

ODI #11020062

Incident: August 26, 2017 · Filed: August 28, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HEARTLAND BIG COUNTRY RECREATIONAL VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH DYNAMIC TIRES, SIZE: 235/80P16. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS MISSING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE TIRE AND FOUND THAT PART OF IT WAS DISINTEGRATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE MILEAGE TO REPORT. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Structure; Wheels; Unknown or Other

ODI #10608931

Incident: June 30, 2014 · Filed: July 8, 2014

I WAS PARKED OVER NIGHT AT A CAMPGROUND AND UPON MAKING MY PRE-TRIP INSPECTION, NOTICED SEVERAL BUBBLES ON THE FRONT DRIVER-SIDE RV TIRE. HAD THE TIRE REPLACED AND STARTED OUT LATER THAT AFTERNOON ON MY TRIP. ABOUT TWO HOURS IN, HAD A BLOWOUT ON ONE OF THE OTHER TIRES ON THE RV WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 60 MPH. ROAD SERVICE PUT ON OUR SPARE AND WE WENT TO THE NEXT EXIT A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD THAT HAD A TIRE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER SHOWED ME ON ONE OF THE TWO REMAINING ORIGINAL TIRES ON THE RV, THAT THE TREAD WAS PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE BODY. I REPLACED ALL OF THE TIRES INCLUDING THE SPARE THAT WAS ALSO A TOWMAX ROAD KING ST23580R16 LRE. ONE BAD TIRE, CHALK IT UP TO THAT'S LIFE, THREE BAD TIRES AND $1500 DAMAGE TO MY RV, NOT GONNA ROLL THE DICE WITH MY FAMILY'S SAFETY! HEARTLAND AND DYNAMIC TIRES NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING AND INSTALLING THIS JUNK ON WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE AN EXPENSIVE ASSET. *JS

Electrical System

ODI #10567391

Fire

Incident: February 4, 2014 · Filed: March 5, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HEARTLAND BIG COUNTRY TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HIRED A ELECTRICIAN TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE ELECTRICIAN STATED THERE WAS DEFECTIVE AND LOOSE WIRING UNDER THE CAMPER THAT WAS CAUSING SPARKING UNDERNEATH THE CAMPER. THE ELECTRICIAN ALSO STATED THE FAILURE WAS SO SEVERE THAT THE CAMPER COULD HAVE EXPLODED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SHOWER WAS LEAKING IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES. THE CONTACT HIRED A CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THE SHOWER WAS NOT SEALED CORRECTLY AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE WATER DAMAGE, INCLUDING A MOLD PROBLEM. THE TRAILER WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Tires; Wheels

ODI #10535375

Incident: July 24, 2013 · Filed: August 14, 2013

WE WERE NORTH ON INTERSTATE 75 NEAR KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE TOWING OUR 2013 5 MONTH OLD HEARTLAND BIG COUNTRY RV WITH OUR 2012 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY. A PASSING MOTORIST SIGNALED TO US THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE OF THE RV WAS FLAT. WE LEFT THE HIGHWAY AND FOUND A TRUCK AND TRAILER REPAIR FACILITY AT THE EXIT. CAUSE OF THE FLAT WAS THAT THE PLIES OF THE TIRE HAD COME APART AND THE OTHER THREE TIRES WERE SO CLOSE TO FAILING (THE PLIES WERE COMING APART) THAT WE HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR OF THEM. THEY WERE FACTORY INSTALLED POWER KING TOWMAX 235 80R 16 E. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER, THE MANUFACTURER, THE DISTRIBUTOR AND TBC TIRE COMPANY IN PALM BEACH GARDENS FLORIDA. ALL THE HEARTLAND CUSTOMER SERVICE REP SAID WAS "UH HUH" WHEN I EXPLAINED. HE DIDN'T CARE. NONE OF THEM WOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECTIVE TIRES. TBC SAID THEY ARE GOING TO SEND US A SMALL CHECK "AS A GESTURE OF GOOD WILL." I AM NOT WRITING TODAY TO ASK FOR HELP IN COLLECTING MONEY. I AM WRITING BECAUSE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THESE TIRES HAD ONLY 6066 MILES ON THEM. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THESE TIRES. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS CATASTROPHE HAD ONE OR MORE OF THE REMAINING TIRES ALSO GONE FLAT. TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 75 AT KNOXVILLE WAS EXTREMELY HEAVY AT THE TIME. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT, I DID EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON HEARTLAND RV FORUMS AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINS SIMILAR TO OUR ABOUT THESE TIRES FAILING, SOME AS SOON AS 2,000 MILES. THE REPRESENTATIVE AT TBC TIRES SUGGESTED TO ME THAT THESE ARE NOT THE CORRECT TIRES FOR AN RV THE SIZE OF A HEARTLAND BIG COUNTRY. I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE WERE A HAIRS BREADTH FROM BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED.. I HAVE ONE OF THE FAILED TIRES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS A WHOLE CHAIN OF RESPONSIBILITY HERE. *TR

Other Heartland Big Country model years

Check your 2013 Heartland Big Country VIN

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

Check a Heartland VIN