2015 Forest River Salem Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 16, 2018 · 8 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Salem years
Not enough data 4th of 31 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Forest River Salem. That ranks 4th out of 31 Salem model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (5 complaints, 63%), typically at around 875 miles. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

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Most common 2015 Forest River Salem problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Structure5 · ~875 mi
Suspension3
Electrical System2
Service Brakes2 · ~10,000 mi
Unknown or Other2 · ~875 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Structure563%875——
Suspension338%———
Electrical System225%———
Service Brakes225%10,000——
Unknown or Other225%875——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2016, with 5 complaints
2015: 2201522016: 5201652018: 120181

n = 8 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2015 Forest River Salem recalls (5)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Electrical system:12v/24v/48v batteryAug 21, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V550000 · 5,847 vehicles

Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Forest River Salem, Wildcat Maxx, Wildwood, Vibe, and Rainier recreational trailers. The break-away safety switch may not have been wired to a constant power source, and, as a result, the switch may be inadvertently disconnected from the trailer house battery causing the brakes to not engage if the trailer detaches from the tow vehicle.

Risk: If the trailer brakes cannot engage if the trailer detaches from tow vehicle, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install a new wiring harness to reroute the wiring, free of charge. The recall began September 25, 2018. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-503-831-5410. Forest River's number for this recall is 22/30-0824.

EquipmentNov 22, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V756000 · 365,885 vehicles

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/trailerNov 7, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V712000 · 40 vehicles

Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2015 Salem Ice Cabin trailers manufactured October 10, 2014, to October 28, 2014, and certain model year 2015 Wildwood Ice Cabin trailers manufactured October 10, 2014, to October 22, 2014. Due to insufficient thickness, the Lippert Components-brand draw bar of the affected trailers may break.

Risk: If the draw bar breaks, the front of the trailer may fall or the trailer may detach from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Forest River has notified the dealers who have the affected trailers quarantined on their lots. Lippert Components personnel will reinforce the draw tube, free of charge. The recall began on November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-353-7383. Forest River's number for this recall is 06-11032014.

Suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly:hanger/bracketOct 31, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V689000 · 206 vehicles

Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2015 Salem 8X16FK, 8X18RB, 8X20RD, 8X20RC, 8X20SV, 8X21RV, 8X22RDV, and 8X22RHV, and 2015 Wildwood 8X16FK, 8X18RB, 8X20RD, 8X20RC, 8X20SV, 8X21RV, 8X22RDV, and 8X22RHV ice house fishing cabin trailers manufactured September 22, 2014, to October 23, 2014. The affected trailers may have been built with frame spring hangers that may be brittle and susceptible to fracturing.

Risk: A spring hanger that fractures may result in a loss of control of the trailer, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Forest River has notified the dealers that have the affected trailers quarantined. Dealers will install a spring hanger reinforcement kit, free of charge. The recall began in late October 2014. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-353-7383. Forest River's number for this recall is 6-102914.

Equipment:other:labelsOct 7, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V625000 · 205 vehicles

Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Salem and Wildwood T174BH recreational vehicles manufactured September 18, 2013, to August 29, 2014. The affected vehicles may have an incorrect Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) on the certification and tire information labels. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Part 567, "Certification."

Risk: If the trailer is loaded to the specifications listed on the label, tire failure may result, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and will provide corrected labels to the owners, free of charge. The recall began on November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-353-7383. Forest River's number for this recall is 2014-PLT6.

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.

June 8, 2017, we were traveling southbound on i-15 in central utah. We were traveling at or near 60 miles per hour, when the vinyl roof separated from the top front of our trailer. We immediately stopped at the 1st off ramp we could safely get too, and secured it with ropes to prevent any hazard to…

Structure · received Oct 16, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11140755

I bought an rv 2015 for major rv in hesperia california forest river salem two weeks after i bought it the pain started pulling off the front then trailer brakes kept shorting in and out and then quit working altogether took it back to major rv told him about the paint and trailer brakes they told…

Service Brakes · received Nov 7, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10924681

Tl* the contact owns a 2015 forest river hemisphere (na). While driving various speeds, the brakes failed to respond without warning. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 10,000.

Service Brakes · received Oct 26, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10919075

Tl* the contact owns a 2015 forest villa salem villa (na). While the vehicle was parked, the awning detached from the trailer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown. Updated 09/08/16*lj *js

Structure · received Jul 15, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10884959

The suspension and axles do not adequately support the chassis at the advertised curb weight of the trailer, causing the axles to warp and all 4 of the tires to fail. The attach points to the chassis also dislodged and require replacement.

Suspension · received Jul 14, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10884887

Other Forest River Salem years

← 2014 Salem · 2016 Salem →

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 2015 Forest River Salem?

Owners most often report structure, suspension, electrical system problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 5 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2015 Forest River Salem?

Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2015 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 2015 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.