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NHTSA campaign 17V249000

2012–2018 Foretravel IH45 and 2 other Foretravel models: suspension recall

A separated ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

high 81 vehicles affected 86% reported repaired

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem Foretravel, Inc. (Foretravel) is recalling certain 2012-2018 ih-45, Phenix and Nimbus motorhomes. The ball joints on the independent front suspension (IFS) modules can loosen and separate, leading to a partial loss of steering. Risk A separated ball joint can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Foretravel will notify owners, and dealers will inspect clean, and secure the ball joint, free of charge. The recall began on April 26, 2017. Owners may contact Foretravel customer service at 1-800-955-6226, option 3.

Reported to NHTSA Apr 11, 2017 by Foretravel, Inc, owners notified Apr 25, 2017.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 17V249000

Vehicles built May 5, 2011 to Oct 5, 2016 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearOn WhichTrim
2012 Foretravel IH45
2013 Foretravel IH45
2014 Foretravel IH45
2015 Foretravel IH45
2016 Foretravel IH45
2017 Foretravel IH45
2018 Foretravel IH45
2012 Foretravel Nimbus
2013 Foretravel Nimbus
2014 Foretravel Nimbus
2015 Foretravel Nimbus
2016 Foretravel Nimbus
2017 Foretravel Nimbus
2018 Foretravel Nimbus
2012 Foretravel Phenix
2013 Foretravel Phenix
2014 Foretravel Phenix
2015 Foretravel Phenix
2016 Foretravel Phenix
2017 Foretravel Phenix
2018 Foretravel Phenix

None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: the catalogue covers the cars, trucks and SUVs the EPA certifies from 2016 on, and these vehicles fall outside it — older model years, or motorhomes, trailers, buses, motorcycles and chassis cabs the EPA does not rate. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →

How much of it has been fixed

Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7
Reported repaired 86%

of the campaign

The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.

This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.

It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 17V249000

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

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Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built May 5, 2011 to Oct 5, 2016. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.