2020 Forest River Salem Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Salem years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Forest River Salem. That ranks 2nd out of 31 Salem model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is tires (5 complaints, 42%), typically at around 3,677 miles. Complaints mention 3 fires. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 12owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 5 | 42% | 3,677 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 8% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 8% | 3,854 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Forest River Salem recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Forest River Aurora, Coachmen Catalina, 2026 Coachmen Viking, Coachmen Clipper, 2016-2026 Wildwood, and Salem recreational trailers. The distribution panel wire may be connected to the battery without over current protection.
Risk: Unprotected wiring can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will relocate the distribution panel wire to the correct side of the breaker, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2025. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-825-4995. Forest River's number for this recall is 205-1987.
Equipment:recreational vehicle/trailer
Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Salem, Wildwood and 2020-2021 Stealth EVO travel trailers. The fresh water tank may not be properly secured to the vehicle's frame.
Risk: A fresh water tank that detaches from the frame could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will properly secure the holding tank, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 23, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-503-831-5410. Forest River's number for this recall is 22-1400.
Equipment:appliance:oven/stove/cooktop; equipment:recreational vehicle/trailer:lpg systems
Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019 Coachmen Chaparral and Shasta, 2019-2020 Coachmen Concord and Orion, 2020-2021 Coachmen Cross Trek and Forest River Berkshire, 2019-2021 Coachmen Freelander, Leprechaun and Prism, 2020 Coachmen Mirada, Pursuit and Sportscoach, Dynamax Force, DX3, Dynaquest XL and Isata and Forest River Wildwood and 2008 and 2020 Forest River Salem vehicles equipped with Dometic 3 burner cooking stoves. The saddle valve securing bolt may be overtightened, possibly damaging the o-ring seal and causing a continuous gas leak.
Risk: A gas leak can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will install a remedy kit of gaskets, washers, thread locker bolts, and two round orange labels, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2021. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-825-4995, or Dometic customer service at 1-574-293-0681. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-1259.
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control; trailer hitches
Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Wildwood, Salem, and 2020 Sonoma travel trailers. The break-away safety switch may not be wired to constant power, which can cause the trailer brakes to not activate in the event of a trailer separation from the tow vehicle.
Risk: If the brakes of the trailer do not engage, it can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will rewire the breakaway switch, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2020. Owners may contact Forest customer service at 1-909-873-3777. Forest River's number for this recall is 67A-1230.
Equipment
Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Salem and Wildwood motorhomes. The fresh water tank may not be properly secured to the vehicle's frame.
Risk: A fresh water tank that detaches from the frame could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will properly secure the holding tank, free of charge. This recall began September 23, 2020. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-503-831-5410. Forest River's number for this recall is 22-1219.
Service brakes, electric
Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2020 Freedom Express, Salem, Stealth EVO, Vibe, Wildcat Maxx, and Wildwood recreational trailers. The emergency break-away switch may fail.
Risk: In the event of trailer separation from the tow vehicle, a failed break-away switch will not apply the trailer's brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will replace the break-away switch, free of charge. The recall began February 19, 2020. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-503-831-5410 or 1-574-825-8205. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-1129.
Equipment
Problem: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2020 EVO, Salem and Wildwood travel trailers. The trailer cooktops were installed with a rubber liquid propane (LP) gas line instead of a copper one.
Risk: The rubber hose may melt, allowing gas to enter the vehicle, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Forest River has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rubber LP gas line with a copper gas line, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2019. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-909-873-3777. Forest River's number for this recall is 67A-1107.
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.
Our Forest River Salem Hemisphere Travel Trailer posed a severe safety risk to my family due to improper construction. Specifically, an electrical outlet installed under the sink and near the water heater was not GFCI-compliant or waterproofed, violating NEC Table 310.15(B)(16) and NEC 551…
Our Forest River Salem Hemisphere Travel Trailer posed a severe safety risk to my family due to improper construction. Specifically, an electrical outlet installed under the sink and near the water heater was not GFCI-compliant or waterproofed, violating NEC Table 310.15(B)(16) and NEC 551…
Had two Castle rock tires blow out on the highway one after the other tread, de-laminated in the center will attach photos
The contact owns a 2020 Forest River Salem. The contact stated that the door on the travel trailer was unable to be opened from inside or outside. The contact stated that she had to remove the lock and use a screwdriver to unlock the door. The RV was not diagnosed by a dealer nor an independent…
The contact owns a 2020 Forest River Salem fifth wheel. The contact stated that the RV was not able to start up. Additionally, the converter caught fire while the contact's husband was inside the RV. The contact's husband put out the fire with a fire extinguisher. No injuries were sustained and no…
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 | 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 Salem | 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.
Similar Forest River models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Forest River Salem?
Owners most often report tires, electrical system, equipment problems. The top one, tires, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Forest River Salem?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 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 2020 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.