NHTSA vehicle safety data

2006 Heartland Bighorn Recalls & Complaints

The 2006 Heartland Bighorn has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 3 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 2006 Heartland Bighorn. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2006 Heartland Bighorn owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Heartland Bighorn, describing incidents dated April 12, 2009 to March 7, 2011.

Most-cited components

Structure 1 complaint
Suspension 1 complaint
Wheels 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10394301 · Filed April 5, 2011
I OWN A 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN 5TH WHEEL 3400RL WITH TANDEM AXLES. (TWO AXLES, 4 TIRES) VIN: [XXX] IT HAS AN ESTIMATED 20,000 MILES ON IT. UPDATED 04/25/11 *BF THE UNIT JUST TURNED 5 YEARS OLD. I AM THE SECOND OWNER. BOUGHT USED IN 2008, PULLED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. UPON ARRIVING HOME LAST TRIP…
ODI #10362108 · Filed October 24, 2010
I OWN A 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN 3055RL 5TH WHEEL. WHEN THE UNIT IS CONNECTED TO MY TOW VEHICLE, POPPING NOISES CAN BE HEARD AND THE PIN BOX MOVES UP INDICATING A FRAME DEFECT. WHEN DISCONNECTED, THE PIN BOX MOVES BACK DOWN. THIS HAS NOT YET CAUSED ANY DAMAGE PROPERTY DAMAGE OR INJURY, HOWEVER I FEAR…
ODI #10265126 · Filed April 13, 2009
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER, MODEL 3655. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE WHEEL CRACKED AND BLEW OUT THE AMERICANA TIRES. THE WHEELS PERFORM POORLY ON ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE WHEELS WERE UNSAFE BECAUSE THEY COULD BLOW OUT AT ANY TIME. A NEAR…

Read all 3 complaints

REFRIGERATOR/DOMETIC

NHTSA #08V380000 · Equipment — Recreational Vehicle/Trailer · NHTSA notice

Reported August 1, 2008 · HEARTLAND RECREATIONAL VEHICLES, LLC

Potentially affected: 6,002 vehicles

Owners notified September 11, 2008 · Vehicles built May 17, 2004 – January 15, 2007 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

HEARTLAND RV IS RECALLING 6,002 MY 2005-2008 BIG COUNTRY, LANDMARK, BIG HORN, CYCLONE, RAZOR, SUNDANCE, AND TRAIL RUNNER FIFTH WHEEL AND TRAVEL TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION. THE REFRIGERATOR MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.

Safety consequence

IF THIS SOLUTION IS EXPOSED TO AN IGNITION SOURCE UNDER CERTAIN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES, IT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

HEARTLAND RV IS WORKING WITH DOMETIC TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 08E032). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST THE OWNER IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR HEARTLAND RV AT 1-574-262-8030.

Notes

CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2006 Heartland Bighorn. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Heartland Bighorn.

Suspension

ODI #10394301

Incident: March 7, 2011 · Filed: April 5, 2011

I OWN A 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN 5TH WHEEL 3400RL WITH TANDEM AXLES. (TWO AXLES, 4 TIRES) VIN: [XXX] IT HAS AN ESTIMATED 20,000 MILES ON IT. UPDATED 04/25/11 *BF THE UNIT JUST TURNED 5 YEARS OLD. I AM THE SECOND OWNER. BOUGHT USED IN 2008, PULLED LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. UPON ARRIVING HOME LAST TRIP, (400 MILES ROUND TRIP), I FOUND MY LEAF SPRING SHACKLE LINKS, WHICH HOLD THE LEAF SPRING AND IN TURN HOLD THE AXLE IN PLACE HAD RIPPED LOOSE ON BOTH SIDES OF MY SUSPENSION. IN ESSENCE, THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE AXLE IN PLACE WAS THE REAR LEAF SPRING BOLTS. THE FRONT PART OF THE LEAF SPRING WHICH WAS NOW LOOSE JUST SO HAPPENED TO REST AGAINST THE TRAILER FRAME PREVENTING A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, (WRECK!) I CALLED THE RV MANUFACTURER, (HEARTLAND RV), AND THE SUSPENSION MANUFACTURER, (AL-KO KOBER), AND DISCUSSED THIS WITH BOTH. THEY PUT ME OFF BY STATING THEY ONLY GIVE A 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE UNIT. I HAVE DRIVEN AUTOMOBILES WITH LEAF SPRINGS FOR 200,000 MILES ACROSS EVERY KIND OF ROAD WITH NO REAR LEAF SPRING SUSPENSION INCIDENT. AM I TO EXPECT AXLE, LEAF SPRING FRACTURES EVERY 4-5 YEARS? THE LEAF SPRING BUSHINGS ARE DAMAGED OR ENTIRELY GONE. THE BOLTS ARE WORN BAD AS WELL. I WOULD THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 5 YEARS AND CERTAINLY MORE THAN THE ESTIMATED 20,000 MILES. COMMON SENSE STATES THAT THE AXLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RATED AT LEAST 7, 000 LB RATING. YOU CAN SEE THE DANGER OF PULLING THIS DOWN THE ROAD AND HAVING AN AXLE FALL OUT. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS TO EVER HAPPEN! I CAN SEND PICTURES! JUST BECAUSE THERE WERE NO INJURIES, DOESN'T MEAN THIS SHOULD NOT BE ADDRESSED!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR UPDATED 11/15/11 UPDATED 1/18/2012 *LN

Structure

ODI #10362108

Incident: October 8, 2010 · Filed: October 24, 2010

I OWN A 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN 3055RL 5TH WHEEL. WHEN THE UNIT IS CONNECTED TO MY TOW VEHICLE, POPPING NOISES CAN BE HEARD AND THE PIN BOX MOVES UP INDICATING A FRAME DEFECT. WHEN DISCONNECTED, THE PIN BOX MOVES BACK DOWN. THIS HAS NOT YET CAUSED ANY DAMAGE PROPERTY DAMAGE OR INJURY, HOWEVER I FEAR IT MIGHT IN THE FUTURE. *TR

Wheels

ODI #10265126

Incident: April 12, 2009 · Filed: April 13, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HEARTLAND BIGHORN FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER, MODEL 3655. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE WHEEL CRACKED AND BLEW OUT THE AMERICANA TIRES. THE WHEELS PERFORM POORLY ON ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE WHEELS WERE UNSAFE BECAUSE THEY COULD BLOW OUT AT ANY TIME. A NEAR CRASH OCCURRED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE MILEAGES WERE NOT APPLICABLE.

Other Heartland Bighorn model years

Check your 2006 Heartland Bighorn VIN

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

Check a Heartland VIN