2020 Forest River R-Pod recalls & complaints
Source: NHTSA, updated daily. Last checked 2026-10-18. Recalls apply to specific VINs — run your VIN to confirm.
3 safety recalls, most serious first
1. Equipment
What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018-2020 RPOD travel trailers. The sewer termination bracket may fail, causing the plumbing to drag on the ground or to detach completely.
What could happen: If the plumbing were to detach, it can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install a new securement bracket, free of charge. The recall began January 12, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-642-3119, option 2. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-1265.
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2020 R-POD.
- Book a repair at any authorized Forest River dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V763000 (manufacturer code 51-1265).
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Manufacturer hotline: 1-574-642-3119.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER:PLUMBING:SEWAGE/BLACK:PIPE/FITTINGS
Summary: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018-2020 RPOD travel trailers. The sewer termination bracket may fail, causing the plumbing to drag on the ground or to detach completely.
Consequence: If the plumbing were to detach, it can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install a new securement bracket, free of charge. The recall began January 12, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-642-3119, option 2. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-1265.
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.
2. Electrical system
What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2020 R. Pod travel trailers. The wire for the refrigerator's spark igniter may have been connected to a breaker that permits a current higher than the wire can handle.
What could happen: Without the proper circuit breaker protection, the wire can melt, increasing the risk of fire.
The fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will move the wire from the 30 AMP circuit to the designated 15 AMP circuit, free of charge. The recall began May 28, 2019. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-642-3119. Forest River's number for this recall is 80-1011.
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2020 R-POD.
- Book a repair at any authorized Forest River dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V356000 (manufacturer code 80-1011).
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Manufacturer hotline: 1-574-642-3119.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
Summary: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2020 R. Pod travel trailers. The wire for the refrigerator's spark igniter may have been connected to a breaker that permits a current higher than the wire can handle.
Consequence: Without the proper circuit breaker protection, the wire can melt, increasing the risk of fire.
Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will move the wire from the 30 AMP circuit to the designated 15 AMP circuit, free of charge. The recall began May 28, 2019. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-642-3119. Forest River's number for this recall is 80-1011.
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.
3. Equipment
What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Surveyor, NO BO, Cherokee, R. POD, Clipper, Viking, Independence, Puma and East to West trailers. The spare tire carrier U-bolts may fail allowing the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle.
What could happen: If the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle while in motion, it can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will replace U-bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 20, 2020. Owners may contact Surveyor, NO BO, R. and POD customer service at 1-574-642-3119, Independence, Viking, and Clipper customer service at 1-269-467-4600, Puma customer service at -574-642-0606, East and…
What to do
- Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2020 R-POD.
- Book a repair at any authorized Forest River dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V075000 (manufacturer code 51-1133).
- The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
- Manufacturer hotline: 1-574-642-3119.
- Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.
Official wording from NHTSA
Component: EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
Summary: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Surveyor, NO BO, Cherokee, R. POD, Clipper, Viking, Independence, Puma and East to West trailers. The spare tire carrier U-bolts may fail allowing the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle.
Consequence: If the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle while in motion, it can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will replace U-bolts, free of charge. The recall began March 20, 2020. Owners may contact Surveyor, NO BO, R. and POD customer service at 1-574-642-3119, Independence, Viking, and Clipper customer service at 1-269-467-4600, Puma customer service at -574-642-0606, East and West customer service at 1-574-264-6664 or Cherokee customer service at 1-877-426-5337. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-1133.
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.
Useful for owners
- OBD2 code reader — see what the car's computer is reporting
- Compact car fire extinguisher
- Portable jump starter
- 2020 Forest River R-Pod owner's manual
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Most complained-about parts: Unknown Or Other (4), Body / structure (4), Visibility (wipers / glass) (2), Electrical system (1).
Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.
Read recent complaints (8)
03/29/2024 · Unknown Or Other
2020 Forest River Rpod 191. Sewer termination bracket failed and the plumbing dragged on the road. Contacted Forest River and was told our VIN was not included in the national recall for the exact same thing. Our RPod model and year is the same in the recall but apparently wasn't included in the recall.
01/21/2024 · Unknown Or Other
Front window randomly shattered while parked for a week with know known impact to trailer or window. The windshield shattered, and did not have an ANSI stamp anywhere on it.
11/06/2022 · Body / structure
Sagging walls on 2020 Forest River R-Pod RP-190. Walls sag to the point where the tires will contact the fender.
02/03/2022 · Body / structure
The glass in the front window spontaneously combusts
04/30/2021 · Visibility (wipers / glass)
FRONT WINDOW OF CAMPER SHATTERED FOR NO REASON SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. FOREST RIVER HAS BEEN UNRESPONSIVE ABOUT REPAIRING THIS. IF WE HAD BEEN IN THE CAMPER SLEEPING, THE SHATTERED GLASS WOULD HAVE WENT ALL OVER US, POSSIBLY INTO EYES AND MOUTH. CAMPER WAS PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND WITH STABILIZERS DEPLOYED. HAVE READ ABOUT OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENIN…
01/19/2021 · Unknown Or Other
WE WERE DRIVING EAST ON HIGHWAY 50 ABOUT 65 MPH.WE LOOKED IN THE SIDE MIRRORS AND SAW THE FRONT WINDOW OF THE RPOD SHATTERED. WHEN WE NOTICED THE WINDOW WE WERE ABOUT 90 MILES WEST OF ELY NEVADA. WE HAD STOPPED ABOUT 30-45 MINUTES PRIOR FOR LUNCH AND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. VERY LIMITED TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. THE WINDOW WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED AND GLAD WAS AL…
09/15/2020 · Body / structure
FOREST RIVER R-POD. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEWER PIPE FAILURE ON TRAILER. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEWER PIPE COULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING CAUSING RAW SEWAGE TO BE RELEASED ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS*DT*TR
07/28/2020 · Electrical system
WE BOUGHT 2020 R-POD 172 OFF ROAD PACKAGE TRAVEL TRAILER IN DEC OF 2019 TO BE TAKEN TO PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUNDS. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO IT WHEN WE TOOK IT ON A 25 MILE COUNTY ROAD IN MONTANA. IT WAS TOWED AT A AVERAGE SPEED OF 10 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR ON THE TRIP TO THE CAMPGROUND: THE REFRIGERATOR BROKE LOOSE FROM THE 4 SCREWS HOLDING IT AND SLIDE BACK, LUCK…