2003 Forest River Salem Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Salem years
- Not enough data 4th of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Forest River Salem. That ranks 4th out of 31 Salem model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is equipment (3 complaints, 38%). Complaints mention 1 fire. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 8owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Forest River Salem 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment | 3 | 38% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 25% | 7,650 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 25% | 7,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Forest River Salem recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment
Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2003-2018 Forest River Berkshire, Charleston, Rockport, Cedar Creek, Cherokee, Riverstone, Salem, Sandpiper, Sierra, Vengeance, Wildcat, Wildwood, XLR Boost, Cargo Mate, Continental Cargo, motorhomes, recreational trailers, toyhaulers, cargo trailers and restroom trailers and 2009-2018 Coachmen Mirada, Pursuit, Concord, Leprechaun, Freelander, Orion and Prism motorhomes, 2009-2017 Coachmen Apex and Catalina recreational trailers, and 2013-2017 Shasta Oasis and Revere recreational trailers, equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or excessive force may be needed to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Risk: In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began on December 27, 2017. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-348-7440, or Kidde customer service toll free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-0544.
Equipment:recreational vehicle/trailer
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.
Risk: If this solution is exposed to an ignition source under certain specific circumstances, it can result in a vehicle fire.
Fix: 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.
Equipment:recreational vehicle/trailer
Problem: Certain recreational vehicles equipped with a two-door refrigerator, manufactured by the dometic corporation, 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: Release of coolant under certain conditions could ignite and result in a fire.
Fix: Forest river will be working with dometic in order to repair these refrigerators (please see 06e076). 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 you 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,
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 2003 forest river salem travel trailer. The vehicle has a dometic refrigerator, model rm2652. The refrigerator was repaired in june of 2005 because it would not cool. The contact received a safety recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 06e076000 (equipment: recreational…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 forest river. The vehicle has a dometic refrigerator, model rm2652. He spoke with a representative from dometic (asia, 21841034) in january of 2008, and was informed that they would call him back once they reached massachusetts and would be covered. The contact called…
I purchased a forest river 38' sand piper sport f37sp toy hauler fifth wheel new in 2003. The trailer was equiped with tandom axels. We experianced numerous tire blow outs. Each time the tire would blow it would blow up with pieces of rubber flying every where causing excessive damage to the rv and…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 forest river salem. The contact smelled smoke in his fifth wheel trailer. He detected smoke and immediately went outside to disconnect the wires. The fire department was not called and the dealer was not notified. No other vehicle information was applicable.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 forest river cherokee fifth wheel (na). While the vehicle was parked, the grey water tank fell off. The tank, which could weigh up to 400 pounds, was secured with only four screws. The contact spoke with the dealer and they advised him to call the manufacturer. The…
Other Forest River Salem years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Salem | 0 | 2 |
| 2026 Salem | 0 | 6 |
| 2025 Salem | 4 | 8 |
| 2024 Salem | 4 | 10 |
| 2023 Salem | 2 | 5 |
| 2022 Salem | 13 | 7 |
| 2021 Salem | 4 | 10 |
| 2020 Salem | 12 | 7 |
| 2019 Salem | 5 | 11 |
| 2018 Salem | 6 | 9 |
| 2017 Salem | 5 | 9 |
| 2016 Salem | 9 | 8 |
| 2015 Salem | 8 | 5 |
| 2014 Salem | 1 | 4 |
| 2013 Salem | 2 | 2 |
| 2012 Salem | 3 | 1 |
| 2011 Salem | 2 | 3 |
| 2010 Salem | 1 | 2 |
| 2009 Salem | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 Salem | 3 | 3 |
| 2007 Salem | 0 | 2 |
| 2006 Salem | 0 | 2 |
| 2005 Salem | 0 | 2 |
| 2004 Salem | 3 | 3 |
| 2003 | 8 | 3 |
| 2002 Salem | 1 | 1 |
| 2001 Salem | 2 | 1 |
| 2000 Salem | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 Salem | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 Salem | 0 | 1 |
| 1997 Salem | 0 | 1 |
See all Forest River Salem problems by year, every Forest River model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Forest River Salem?
Owners most often report equipment, structure, suspension problems. The top one, equipment, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Forest River Salem?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Forest River Salem a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Salem model years, the 2003 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.