Car Problem DataNHTSA records

1998 Forest River Cardinal

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › frame and members › underbody shields. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Structure › Frame and Members › Underbody Shields1
000
Electrical System1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer07V085000
Filed Mar 5, 2007128,000 vehiclesForest River, Inc.

Defect. CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR, MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION, 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.

Risk. RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. FOREST RIVER WILL BE WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 06E076). 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 YOU 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 FOREST RIVER AT 1-574-389-4600,

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Dec 7, 2022KS

The thermostat control wire running from my furnace to the AC melted inside the wall. Harper camper land in great bend Ks told the HVAC guys that came out to fix it that they have seen this issue on a lot of campers where it melted the ends of the wires.

Structure › Frame and Members › Underbody Shields
Filed Apr 5, 2006WI

PIN BOX BROKE LOOSE FROM VEHICLE. UPON ARRIVING FROM A VACATION THE CONTACT UNLOADED THE 5TH WHEEL TRAILER AND FOUND AN 1 INCH TO 11/2 INCH GAP IN THE RIGHT TOP CORNER, BIG ENOUGH TO STICK HAND RIGHT OUTSIDE. ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE DISCOVERED THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE OUT THE FIBERGLAS WAS FRACTURED, AND THERE WAS AN 1/2 INCH GAP IN THE CRACK. *AK

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2015
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20240100Routine
20231000Routine
20220500Routine
20211600Routine
20201100Routine
20191100Routine
20180300Routine
20177300Routine
20162400Routine
201511100Routine
20141400Routine
20132200Routine
20121000Routine
20103000Routine
20095100Routine
20081000Routine
20067100Routine
20056210Routine
20042200Routine
20031300Routine
20021200Routine
20011210Routine
20002100Routine
19992110Routine
1998 — this page2100Routine
19970100Routine

Compare every Cardinal year →

Other Forest River models

All Forest River models →
Cherokee 160Georgetown 132Rockwood 119Wildwood 111Salem 98Flagstaff 68Wildcat 54R-Pod 54Shasta 51Cedar Creek 48

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 5, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.