Forest River Cardinal Problems by Year
NHTSA has 61 owner complaints and 21 safety recalls on file for the Forest River Cardinal, across 26 model years (1997–2024). The 2015 model year has the most complaints (11). The most reported problem area overall is tires.
Forest River Cardinal years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Cardinal year: 2015. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2015 Cardinal: 11 complaints, 1 recall
- 2017 Cardinal: 7 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2006 Cardinal: 7 complaints, 1 recall
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2001 Cardinal: 1 complaint, 2 recalls
- 2002 Cardinal: 1 complaint, 2 recalls
- 2003 Cardinal: 1 complaint, 3 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Forest River Cardinal problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 19 | 8 | 0 |
| Structure | 15 | 10 | 0 |
| Equipment | 10 | 9 | 0 |
| Wheels | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 5 | 1 |
| Electrical System | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1 | 0 |
All Forest River Cardinal model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Cardinal | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2023 Cardinal | 1 | 0 | — | Latches/locks/linkages | |
| 2022 Cardinal | 0 | 5 | — | — | |
| 2021 Cardinal | 1 | 6 | — | Structure | |
| 2020 Cardinal | 1 | 1 | — | Structure | |
| 2019 Cardinal | 1 | 1 | — | Structure | |
| 2018 Cardinal | 0 | 3 | — | — | |
| 2017 Cardinal | 7 | 3 | — | Tires | |
| 2016 Cardinal | 2 | 4 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2015 Cardinal | 11 | 1 | — | Wheels | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 Cardinal | 1 | 4 | — | Visibility/wiper | |
| 2013 Cardinal | 2 | 2 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2012 Cardinal | 1 | 0 | — | Wheels | |
| 2010 Cardinal | 3 | 0 | — | Tires | |
| 2009 Cardinal | 5 | 1 | — | Tires | |
| 2008 Cardinal | 1 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2006 Cardinal | 7 | 1 | — | Tires | |
| 2005 Cardinal | 6 | 2 | — | Structure | |
| 2004 Cardinal | 2 | 2 | — | Equipment | |
| 2003 Cardinal | 1 | 3 | — | Equipment | |
| 2002 Cardinal | 1 | 2 | — | Equipment | |
| 2001 Cardinal | 1 | 2 | — | Equipment | |
| 2000 Cardinal | 2 | 1 | — | Equipment | |
| 1999 Cardinal | 2 | 1 | — | Equipment | |
| 1998 Cardinal | 2 | 1 | — | Electrical System | |
| 1997 Cardinal | 0 | 1 | — | — |
More from Forest River: all Forest River models · VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Forest River Cardinal years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2015 (11) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Cardinal year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Forest River Cardinal?
Tires, with 19 complaints across 8 model years.
How many recalls does the Forest River Cardinal have?
21 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.