Forest River recall query RQ14004
Trailer tire may contact floor. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened this recall query about the u-bolt, leaf spring to axle on 10 model years (2012–2013). Opened Sep 10, 2014, closed Jul 9, 2015 after 10 months without a recall. closed
What NHTSA says
Source: Office of Defects Investigation, as filedODI opened RQ14-004 based on 3 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) which reported a condition similar to recall 13V-554. This recall addressed insufficient clearance between the tire and trailer floor. The condition was due to a frame supplier change which resulted in reduced clearance between the top of the tire and the bottom of the wheel wellOf the three VOQs reported in the opening resume two were not included in recall 13V-554 and one was. Both of the vehicles not included used a different frame than the recalled trailers. Upon thorough examination of the condition experienced by the owners it was found that neither unit exhibited insufficient tire clearance between the bottom of the floor and top of the tire. Forest River's initial Information Request Response (IRR) submission did not adequately address all the questions asked by ODI. Following a meetingwith Forest River personnel on March 20, 2015 an IRR was submitted on May 22, 2015, which satisfied ODI. This submission is included in the public repository. When asked how Forest River identified the recall population they used a production change to determine the start and end dates. On February 3, 2012 Forest River introduced a new frame. The engineering drawings used to launch this new frame failed to identify the frame rail height. Furthermore, Forest River failed to verify that the new frame rail height was the same as the one it replaced. This created a half inch reduction in clearance. This issue was not identified and remedied untilFebruary 4, 2013 which is the end of the recall population. A thorough review of the complaint and warranty informationreceived during this investigation was preformed. After removing claims that could be associated with recall 13V-554 a defect trend was not identified on the remaining population. The only crash which also included an injurycould not be positively associated with the alleged defect. This investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following complaint identification numbers: 10598458, 10598344, 10538519.
A Recall Query is a look at a recall that already exists — whether its remedy works, whether it reached every vehicle it should have, whether the manufacturer met its obligations. The summary is the agency’s own text from its investigation file, unedited; the opening and closing resumes with the full reasoning are on NHTSA’s site under this number.
What this means for an owner
Source: and what happens nextAn investigation is not a finding that a defect exists, and it puts no duty on anyone. NHTSA opens a Preliminary Evaluation when complaints and other reports suggest a condition worth asking the manufacturer about; it upgrades to an Engineering Analysis when the answers warrant testing; it closes either when it recommends a recall, when the manufacturer recalls on its own, or when no defect trend is found. The agency’s own goals are about four months for a petition, eight for a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query and eighteen for an Engineering Analysis; many run longer.
This one is closed. A recall query ends with NHTSA’s finding on the recall it examined — the remedy stands, is widened, or a new campaign follows; the file names the recall it concerned and NHTSA’s closing resume carries the reasoning.
Model years it names
Source: as NHTSA filed themAlso named: 2012 Forest River Flagstaff; 2013 Forest River Flagstaff; 2012 Forest River Forester; 2013 Forest River Forester; 2012 Forest River Rockwood; 2013 Forest River Rockwood; 2012 Forest River Vlite; 2013 Forest River Vlite; 2012 Forest River Windjammer; 2013 Forest River Windjammer.
A vehicle page’s investigation list carries the same action; a name here is the scope NHTSA opened, not a list of affected VINs.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationIs RQ14004 a recall?
No. A recall query is NHTSA asking questions, not a recall. A safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number and a duty to repair for free; this one closed without one. Whether one particular vehicle has an open recall is a VIN question at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Is RQ14004 still open?
No. It closed on Jul 9, 2015 without a recall.
Which vehicles does RQ14004 cover?
NHTSA opened it on 10 model years: 2012 Forest River Flagstaff, 2013 Forest River Flagstaff, 2012 Forest River Forester, 2013 Forest River Forester, 2012 Forest River Rockwood, 2013 Forest River Rockwood and more. That is the scope of the inquiry, not a list of affected vehicles; a recall, if one follows, defines its own population by VIN.