2013 Forest River Cardinal Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cardinal years
- Not enough data 7th of 26 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Forest River Cardinal. That ranks 7th out of 26 Cardinal model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (1 complaints, 50%), typically at around 15,000 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 2owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Forest River Cardinal problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1 | 50% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 50% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Forest River Cardinal recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:recreational vehicle/trailer
Problem: Forest River Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Georgetown, Sunseeker, Forester, Cross Country, Pathfinder, Cardinal, Blue Ridge, Cedar Creek, and Brookstone recreational vehicles manufactured March 11, 2013, through April 26, 2013 and equipped with certain Frigidaire Convection Microwave models CFMV152CLB and CFMV154CLS. The microwave may start on it's own and begin heating when unattended.
Risk: If the microwave starts on its own and there are contents inside, a fire could result.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will repair the membrane/keypad component, free of charge. The recall began in February 2015. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-353-7383.
Equipment
Problem: Forest River is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Forest River models Blue Ridge, Cardinal, Cherokee, Columbus, EVO, Georgetown, Flagstaff, Forester, Lexington, Puma, Rockwood, Sabre, Salem, Sandpiper, Sandstorm, Sierra, Stealth, Sunseeker, Wildcat, Wildwood, Work and Play and XLR; Coachmen models Brookstone, Catalina, Chaparral, Concord, Encounter, Freedom Express, Freelander, Leprechaun, Mirada, Pursuit, and Sportcoach; Prime Time models Avenger, Crusader, Lacrosse, Saniber, and Tracer; Palomino model Maverick Truck Camper; Cargo Mate model Eliminator and Shasta models Revere, Phoenix recreational vehicles manufactured from February 13, 2013, through April 18, 2013. Due to a design change in the power awning motor assembly, the motor assembly screws may unknowingly shear.
Risk: If the motor assembly screws shear, it is possible that the awning can unfurl unexpectedly, either while the vehicle is at rest or while in transit, increasing the risk of personal injury or a vehicle crash.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners and Dometic staff will replace the affected motors with motors of a different design. The safety recall began on July 29, 2013. Owners may contact Forest River at 1-574-389-4600 or Dometic at 1-888-447-0003 for more information. Owners are being instructed not to drive their vehicle until repairs can be performed.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 forest river cardinal. The contact stated that the seals on the top and side of the camper detached due to water. The contact mentioned that water was entering the camper and damaged the interior. The camper was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the seals…
PRIOR TO LEAVING FOR A TRIP I PLUGGED OUR CARDINAL 3550RL IN TO AN AC OUTLET TO RUN THE FRIDGE. THE MORNING OF OUR DEPARTURE I FOUND THAT THE 2 REAR SLIDE ROOMS HAD DEPLOYED OVERNIGHT ON THEIR OWN AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE SLIDE ROOM PUMP HAD RUN ALL NIGHT AND BURNED THE PUMP OUT SO BADLY THAT WE…
Other Forest River Cardinal years
← 2012 Cardinal · 2014 Cardinal →
See all Forest River Cardinal problems by year, every Forest River model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Forest River models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Forest River Cardinal?
Owners most often report electrical system, structure problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Forest River Cardinal?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Forest River Cardinal a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cardinal model years, the 2013 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.