2003 Forest River Sunseeker

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Fuel/Propulsion System2
000
Engine1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Recreational Vehicle/Trailer08V346000
Filed Jul 7, 2008107,417 vehiclesForest River, Inc.

Defect. FOREST RIVER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MY 2003-2006 MOTOR HOMES, 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.

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

Remedy. FOREST RIVER 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 FOREST RIVER AT 1-574-389-4600.

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
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 8, 201616,460 milesWA

WHILE FUELING, GASOLINE STARTED TO LEAK FROM THE AREA ABOVE THE SEWER TANK. THE GASOLINE RAN OVER THE TANK AND ONTO THE FUELING DOCK. FUELING WAS STOPPED WITH THE TANK ABOUT 1/2 FULL. THE LEAK STOPPED SHORTLY AFTER FUELING STOPPED. NO LEAK WAS DETECTED FROM THE AREA AROUND THE FUEL TANK. THIS PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO THE PROBLEM REPORTED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER 926943, SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 10463500 REPORTED JUN 28, 2012.

Engine
Filed Jun 26, 2014CA

WE HAVE OWNED THIS MOTORHOME SINCE WE BOUGHT IT, OVER THE YEARS RANDOMLY THE THE ENGINE WOULD JUST SHUT OFF. WE COULD BE GOING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CHECK SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON WITH A RED BATTERY LIGHT AND ENGINE SHUTS OF. WE COULD BE GOING 35 AND IT HAPPENS. WE CAN DRIVE FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES AND NOTHING HAPPENS AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. WE HAVE HAD BATTERY CHECK AND EVEN REPLACED, WE HAVE HAD THE ALTERNATOR CHECK AND EVEN WIRES AND CABLES. RECENTLY IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE. ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH AND THEN AGAIN ON A BACK ROAD WHILE CAMPING. VERY DANGEROUS, IF WE ARE PULLING A CAR OR OUR BOAT THE DANGER IS GREATER. NO ONE SEAMS TO HAVE A ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THINKING THIS IS PART OF THE GCM IGNITION PROBLEM. OUR MOTOR HOME IS A CLASS "C" WITH THE GMC TRUCK FRONT. *TR

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jun 28, 20124,006 milesWA

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FILL RV WITH UNLEADED GASOLINE, THE GAS LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND AND CAUSED A SPILL OF APPROXIMATELY 2 GALLONS OF GAS. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE TOOK THE MOTORHOME TO A MECHANIC AND HE DISCOVERED THAT THE FILTER HOSE LEAKED GAS FROM HOLES IN IT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. HE HAS NEVER SEEN A LEAK LIKE THIS ONE, EVEN ON 40-50 YEAR OLD VEHICLES. THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO REPAIR, BECAUSE A HOLDING TANK MUST BE REMOVED TO ACCESS THE HOSE AND THE REPAIR WAS TOO EXTENSIVE FOR MY FAMILY WHILE TRAVELING. THE MECHANIC DROVE THE RV TO A GAS STATION AND FILLED IT WITH GAS, SO WE COULD TRAVEL HOME, APPROXIMATELY 140 MILES. THE MECHANIC ASSURED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, BECAUSE THE EXHAUST WAS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE GAS WOULD NOT LEAK AFTER IT REACHED THE FUEL TANK. I WILL FIND A LOCAL MECHANIC OR RV REPAIR SHOP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND REPLACE THE FUEL HOSE. THE MECHANIC ESTIMATED THAT THE NEW HOSE WOULD COST ABOUT $30.00, BUT REMOVING THE HOLDING TANK TO ACCESS THE HOSE WOULD REQUIRE EXTENSIVE MAINTENANCE. THE MECHANIC CHARGED $108.00 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. IF THE MANUFACTURER HADN'T ROUTED THE HOSE BEHIND THE TANK, THE MECHANIC WOULD HAVE REPAIRED IT IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES. *TR

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2021
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20260100Routine
20250200Routine
20241200Routine
20232500Routine
20221300Routine
20214400Routine
20201400Routine
20193100Routine
20183100Routine
20174200Routine
20161300Routine
20150200Routine
20142400Routine
20131400Routine
20120100Routine
20112100Routine
20100200Routine
20062100Routine
20051100Routine
20042200Routine
2003 — this page3200Routine
20023100Routine
20010100Routine
20003100Routine
19990100Routine
19980100Routine
19970100Routine

Compare every Sunseeker year →

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: Jul 7, 2008. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.