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2021 Forest River Cherokee

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 49 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Tires. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports3 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

49 reports
Mileage unknown · May 30, 2023
Unknown Or Other

My coach was purchased brand new, straight off the lot, 11/14/2020. On Mon, May 22, 2023, I came home to my black tank hanging out of the bottom of my camper. Upon inspection, the black tank had none of the straps underneath it and was not being held in place by the bracket because the bracket had been welded in backwards. Its a…

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My coach was purchased brand new, straight off the lot, 11/14/2020. On Mon, May 22, 2023, I came home to my black tank hanging out of the bottom of my camper. Upon inspection, the black tank had none of the straps underneath it and was not being held in place by the bracket because the bracket had been welded in backwards. Its amazing that this has not fallen completely out while it was traveling down the road. I have been shuffled between the manufacturer, the dealer, my warranty people. I have sent several pictures and I need to know someone else I can speak with. Even if I was to get a new tank, that bracket will have to be cut off, turned around, and then welded back in place. This is not a “my camper is too old and my warranty has expired” problem. This is a “It was made in your factory by someone that didn’t pay attention to what they were doing” manufacturer problem. This could have caused a serious accident and could be a liability if it could even be moved to the dealer for them to look at it. At this time, it is not operational because it is a liability. This has been escalated to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Trade Commission.

NHTSA ODI #11524432

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2023
Tires

There was a sudden thread separation while trailer was being towed on a highway in Florida at about 65 MPH. The thread that came off the tire damaged the underbody of the travel trailer as seen in the pictures. These ST 225/75R15 trailer tires were installed by the manufacturer and were fabricated in WK12 2021. I am positive the…

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There was a sudden thread separation while trailer was being towed on a highway in Florida at about 65 MPH. The thread that came off the tire damaged the underbody of the travel trailer as seen in the pictures. These ST 225/75R15 trailer tires were installed by the manufacturer and were fabricated in WK12 2021. I am positive the tire was at 80 PSI as it was checked before the trip from Florida to North Carolina on 4/14/2023. I contacted the manufacturer Forest River and because the trailer is past the 1 year warranty, they recommended to talk to the tire manufacturer Lionshead, for which you receive a voicemail and asks you to fill out a warranty information. I will fill out the information and see what happens, but this incident could have caused a huge accident. If you google, "castle rock thread separation" - you will find multiple complaints in multiple forums about this issue. I hope it gets corrected and accidents prevented. Thank you, JP Ledermann

NHTSA ODI #11518029

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2022
Tires

Three tires blew up within a few hours of each other while traveling on I81/I75, the tires are available for inspection at my personal residence. With a complete blow out each time finding a safe place to pull off the interstate was challenging, slowing traffic and speeding vehicles. The tires were replaced while on the side o…

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Three tires blew up within a few hours of each other while traveling on I81/I75, the tires are available for inspection at my personal residence. With a complete blow out each time finding a safe place to pull off the interstate was challenging, slowing traffic and speeding vehicles. The tires were replaced while on the side of a busy interstate risking one's life in the process. The tires have been inspected by 2 different tire stores of whom stated the tires are poorly made and "garbage". The insurance company has been notified with a claim number issues however, the RV can not be inspected until December 15th (first available date). Tires are continuously monitored with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System with readings of 79-82 psi. There were absolutely no warnings or symptoms of an impending failure of the tires. These tires are going to kill someone and should not be allowed to be sold in the U.S. let alone installed on new RV's.

NHTSA ODI #11495500

Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 2022
Electrical SystemFire

The electric fireplace in our RV caught on fire. A visible flame was seen behind the fireplace glass near the thermostat display on the right side of the fireplace. Visible smoke and burning smell observed from the upper right vents above the control panel buttons. The fireplace unit itself had an audible alarm, in addition t…

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The electric fireplace in our RV caught on fire. A visible flame was seen behind the fireplace glass near the thermostat display on the right side of the fireplace. Visible smoke and burning smell observed from the upper right vents above the control panel buttons. The fireplace unit itself had an audible alarm, in addition to the RV smoke detectors that were triggered. We were inside the RV when this occurred, and once smoke and flame were observed, we immediately extinguished the fire by shutting off the master power breaker, and promptly removed the fireplace unit from the cabinet prior to any damage to the RV.

NHTSA ODI #11489719

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 2022
Tires

CASTLE ROCK RADIAL, ST 226 ST 225/75R15, LOAD RANGE E, DOT JULT 1MT 5019 75MPH 2021 WOLF PACK 23PACK15. TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 4,000 MILES. TIRES STILL HAVE 9/32 TREAD LEFT. LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF WHEN TRAVLING ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING OVER 4,000.00 DOLLARS IN DAMAGES TO THE UNDER SIDE OF TRAILER AND SLIDEOUT. NO IMPACT TO …

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CASTLE ROCK RADIAL, ST 226 ST 225/75R15, LOAD RANGE E, DOT JULT 1MT 5019 75MPH 2021 WOLF PACK 23PACK15. TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 4,000 MILES. TIRES STILL HAVE 9/32 TREAD LEFT. LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF WHEN TRAVLING ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING OVER 4,000.00 DOLLARS IN DAMAGES TO THE UNDER SIDE OF TRAILER AND SLIDEOUT. NO IMPACT TO TIRE OR DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD. TRAILER HAS TPMS SENSORS THAT READ ON MY DASH TIRE PRESSURE AND TEMP. NO WARRING TIRE STILL HAD AIR BUT TREAD PEELED OFF FROM THE STEEL BELTS. THE OTHER TIRES HAVE BUMPS IN THE TREAD AND ARE NOT SAFE TO USE. CONTACTED MY DEALER AND THEY STATED TIRES ARE [XXX] TIRES. NOT A GOOD ANSWER. WAS TOLD TO CONTACT LIONSHEAD TIRE AND WHEEL. I MADE A NUMBER OF CALLS WITH NO RESPONCE ONLY OPTION WAS TO FILL WARRANTY FORM. CONTACTED FOREST RIVER AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO CONTACT TIRE MANUFACTURE. I DID GET A RESPONCE BACK FROM LIONSHEAD TIRE THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR ONE TIRE $105.00 NOTHING FOR THE OTHER TIRES, DAMAGES, LOSS OF USE OR DIMINISHED VALUE AS THE DAMAGES TO THE UNDERSIDE CAN NOT BE REPAIR TO PRELOSS CONDITION. WITH OVER 40 YEARS AUTOMOTIVE EXPERIENCE AND 30 YEARS RV EXPERIENCE THIS IS NOT NORMAL. I SEE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS WITH NO RESOLUTION. ***** HOPE SOMEONE WILL LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. NOT TO SAY IT DID NOT ALREADY HAPPEN JUST NOT REPORTED. ***** INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #11483871

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2022
Electrical SystemFire

On the morning of August 1st, 2022 we were notified by a neighbor of some damage on our 2021 Artic Wolf 5th wheel. After inspection it appeared that a small fire had occurred earlier in the morning- unknown time and it apparently was contained to the one compartment without spreading. The previous evening the camper was fine. Th…

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On the morning of August 1st, 2022 we were notified by a neighbor of some damage on our 2021 Artic Wolf 5th wheel. After inspection it appeared that a small fire had occurred earlier in the morning- unknown time and it apparently was contained to the one compartment without spreading. The previous evening the camper was fine. The fire was contained to a specific compartment which housed the water hook-up, cable hook-ups and the motion light. This was reported to our insurance who did an inspection and determined that most likely it was an electrical issue and started with the motion light. Upon discovery of the issue the trailer was unplugged and battery was disconnected. We had gone camping the weekend before the fire happened. Unable to be "recreated". The insurance adjuster inspected it on 8/10/22. No concerns or issues the weekend before. We have been having issues with the light randomly staying on/not turning on etc.

NHTSA ODI #11482291

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 2022
SuspensionUnknown Or Other

No current incidents that I'm aware of. Landing gear on the 5th wheel isn't designed for this heavy trailer. There is a potential for someone to be seriously hurt, or killed if they have to resort to using bottle Jack's to lift trailer. Also the suspension is very weak, and i believe could break, and cause a major accident..…

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No current incidents that I'm aware of. Landing gear on the 5th wheel isn't designed for this heavy trailer. There is a potential for someone to be seriously hurt, or killed if they have to resort to using bottle Jack's to lift trailer. Also the suspension is very weak, and i believe could break, and cause a major accident...

NHTSA ODI #11470948

Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2022
Tires

Over a period of 2 months all four tires blew out while traveling with less than 3500 miles on them. None of the tires blew out due to running over anything, each tire blew while traveling on interstate highways. Tires are ST225/75R15 Load Range E Castle Rock made by LionsHead Tire and Wheel, all 4 had DOT of JULT. Tire pressu…

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Over a period of 2 months all four tires blew out while traveling with less than 3500 miles on them. None of the tires blew out due to running over anything, each tire blew while traveling on interstate highways. Tires are ST225/75R15 Load Range E Castle Rock made by LionsHead Tire and Wheel, all 4 had DOT of JULT. Tire pressure was maintained at 70 psi and driving speed was 60 mph with ambient temperatures ranging from 75 to 95 degrees. Tires came with 5th wheel camper by Forrest River when purchased new in 2021. Tires have been replaced and disposed of but pictures are attached.

NHTSA ODI #11468741

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2022
Structure

We have had our travel trailer for about 1 year and have had it in for service to the bedroom door as we noted it was sticking. This weekend the bedroom door failed. The frame of the door itself came away from the door making it difficult to open. At the same time the other entry door was stuck shut. My wife was unable to open t…

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We have had our travel trailer for about 1 year and have had it in for service to the bedroom door as we noted it was sticking. This weekend the bedroom door failed. The frame of the door itself came away from the door making it difficult to open. At the same time the other entry door was stuck shut. My wife was unable to open the door. I was able to open it with great difficulty. The door side of the trailer was in direct afternoon sunlight it it appeared to have swollen and jammed itself in the doorway. It did not resolve itself until the outside temperature dropped and we ran the air-conditioning inside the trailer. If my wife would have been inside alone and would have needed to escape the trailer should would not have been able to. In researching forums and forest river related Facebook groups this appears to be a common issue.

NHTSA ODI #11467060

Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2022
Structure

Mounting nuts from body to frame are loose after only 2 years of use.

NHTSA ODI #11459767

Official recalls

3

22V243000 · Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer:lpg Systems:lines And Fittings

Apr 13, 2022

Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Coachmen Adrenaline, Apex, Catalina, Freedom Express, Spirit, East to West Alta, Della Terra, Silver Lake, Forest River Cedar Creek, Cherokee, Columbus, Flagstaff, Impression, Ozark, Rockwood, Sabre, Salem, Sandstorm, Shockwave, Stealth, Stealth Evo, Vengeance, Vibe, Wildwood, XLR Toyhauler, Palomino Puma, Prime Time Avenger, Crusader, Lacrosse, Sanibel, Shasta Oasis, 2022 Coachmen Cross Trail, Prism, Forest River Aurora, Rainier, Wildcat, Work and Play, Prime Time Tracer, 2021-2023 Coachmen Leprechaun, and 2022-2023 Coachmen Freelander fifth wheel and travel trailer recreational vehicles. The quick disconnect fittings in the LP gas system may be cracked, causing a gas leak.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A gas leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the quick disconnect and perform a LP system check, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2022. Owners may contact the applicable customer service number for their vehicle model. Please see the recall report for the list of phone numbers.

21V877000 · Equipment:other:labels

Nov 12, 2021

Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Cherokee ACKT29TEBL travel trailers. The tire size and Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the Federal Placard are incorrect, which could result in the vehicle being overloaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims" and 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An overloaded vehicle can lead to a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Forest River will mail owners a new Federal Placard, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River Customer Service at 1-260-499-2100. Forest Rivers number for this recall is 17A-1439.

20V654000 · Electrical System

Oct 26, 2020

Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Cherokee recreational trailers. The shore cord inlet wiring insulation may not have been sufficiently stripped back, causing a poor connection with the set screw.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A poor electrical connection can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will remove the inlet, and rewire or replace the inlet completely if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 23, 2020. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-260-499-2100. Forest River's number for this recall is 17D-1201.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.