2005 Forest River Tsunami recalls and problems

The 2005 Forest River Tsunami has 4 recalls and 2 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2005 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

4recalls
2complaints
0crashes
0fires
0injuries
780median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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4 recalls

Equipment

Mar 1, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V152000 · 38 vehicles

Problem: Forest River is recalling certain recreational vehicles equipped with 1200-SERIES norcold refrigerators. The population of refrigerators being addressed contains either a sensing algorithm or thermal switch to shut off power to the refrigerator when high temperatures are detected in order to prevent a potential fire. The response times of the sensor algorithm and thermal switch devices to stop power are not sufficient.

Original NHTSA wording

FOREST RIVER IS RECALLING CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1200-SERIES NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.

Risk: The sensing algorithm or thermal switch installed to shut off power to the refrigerator when high temperatures are detected due to a possible hydrogen gas leak May not shut off in sufficient time to prevent a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THE SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH INSTALLED TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED DUE TO A POSSIBLE HYDROGEN GAS LEAK MAY NOT SHUT OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Forest River is working with norcold to identify and notify any affected owners. Owners will be instructed to contact norcold dealers to receive the remedy free of charge. Please see norcold's defect report 10E-049 for additional information. The safety recall began on March 14, 2011. Owners May contact norcold at 1-800-767-9101.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Equipment

Jul 7, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V346000 · 107,417 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Remedy & notes

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.

Customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Steering

Feb 14, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V067000 · 89 vehicles

Problem: Forest River is recalling 89 my 2003-2008 tsunami motor homes built on Freightliner chassis and equipped with zf model 8018 steering gears. These gears May have been assembled with the incorrect recirculating ball spacer. This could potentially allow the recirculation balls to escape from the recirculation ball circuit resulting in a loss of steering.

Original NHTSA wording

FOREST RIVER IS RECALLING 89 MY 2003-2008 TSUNAMI MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON FREIGHTLINER CHASSIS AND EQUIPPED WITH ZF MODEL 8018 STEERING GEARS. THESE GEARS MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH THE INCORRECT RECIRCULATING BALL SPACER. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY ALLOW THE RECIRCULATION BALLS TO ESCAPE FROM THE RECIRCULATION BALL CIRCUIT RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING.

Risk: The operator May notice higher required steering wheel inputs, or the need for more steering wheel adjustments while driving in a straight line in combination with metallic cracking noises prior to a loss of steering. Loss of steering could result in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THE OPERATOR MAY NOTICE HIGHER REQUIRED STEERING WHEEL INPUTS, OR THE NEED FOR MORE STEERING WHEEL ADJUSTMENTS WHILE DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE IN COMBINATION WITH METALLIC CRACKING NOISES PRIOR TO A LOSS OF STEERING. LOSS OF STEERING COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Forest River is working with Freightliner and zf to replace the steering gear (please see 07V343 and 07E049). Owners May contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712 or Forest River at 1-574-389-4600.

Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Equipment

May 19, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V234000

Problem: On certain motor homes equipped with vehicle systems' aqua-hot and hydro-hot water heaters, which use webasto burner tubes, the burner tubes do not meet specifications and could fail prematurely.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH VEHICLE SYSTEMS' AQUA-HOT AND HYDRO-HOT WATER HEATERS, WHICH USE WEBASTO BURNER TUBES, THE BURNER TUBES DO NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS AND COULD FAIL PREMATURELY.

Risk: The surface temperature of the exhaust tube exiting from the heater can increase and could potentially ignite combustible materials in or around the vehicle.

Original NHTSA wording

THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF THE EXHAUST TUBE EXITING FROM THE HEATER CAN INCREASE AND COULD POTENTIALLY IGNITE COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS IN OR AROUND THE VEHICLE.

Remedy & notes

Vehicle systems is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Owners May contact vehicle systems at 1-800-685-4298 or Forest River at 574-522-1583.

Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

2005 vs. other Forest River Tsunami years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 Forest River Tsunami have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Forest River Tsunami, the latest from Mar 1, 2011 (equipment). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Forest River Tsunami?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (1), tires (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.