2009 Forest River Cardinal Problems
- Complaints
- 5filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 4,500miles, 4 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Forest River Cardinal (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 2009 Forest River Cardinal. The part named most often is tires, with 3 complaints (60% of the total), followed by equipment (1) and suspension (1). 4 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 4,500 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year. Equipment complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the labels filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Tires3 60%
- Equipment1 20%
- Suspension1 20%
Example complaints
Tires: “On april 6, 2012 I was on my way to a camp ground when one of the tires on my camper blow out. The only damage was to the tire. On july 18, 2012 I again was on my way to a camp ground and the second tire came a part. This time the tire damaged the camper. The following is tire information: heritage trail trac ap lt235/85r16e DOT oj or4jov 5207 pressure 80 lbs.”
NHTSA complaint #10467964, filed 2012-07, 3,000 milesEquipment: “The contact owns a 2011 Forest River Cardinal rv equipped with a dometic awning. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the awning opened. The contact was able to drive onto the emergency lane. The dealer tore the awning fabric while the rv remained in the emergency lane. The dealer stated that the awning motor failed causing the arms to release since they were not locked. The dealer replaced the motor and added a lock. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The awning serial and part numbers were unavailable.”
NHTSA complaint #10368172, filed 2010-11Suspension: “2009 Forest River cedar creek g2 fifth wheel rv was involved in an accident when the shackles and u bolts securing the trailer suspension came off, as per the manufacturer they were not properly secured by locking bolts, and the axles were missing the guide pins for the leaf springs . The trailer had less than 700 miles on it at he time. An accident occurred, and the Forest River company is trying to silence the owner of the trailer by telling him not to report it to the insurance company, but rather they will rebuild the rv!”
NHTSA complaint #10284602, filed 2009-09, 700 milesMileage when problems were reported
100% of the 4 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 3,000 and 6,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Recalls and investigations
- 09V148000May 1, 2009Equipment › Other › LabelsCovers: Forest River Cardinal 2009
Forest river is recalling 176 my 2009 cardinal fifth wheel trailers. These trailers fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars." due to faulty…
Recall details for the 2009 Forest River Cardinal → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 2009 Forest River Cardinal.
Other model years of the Forest River Cardinal
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 7 | 3,950 | 3 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 11 | 6,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2009 | 5 | 4,500 | 1 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2006 | 7 | 7,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2005 | 6 | 5,000 | 2 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Forest River Cardinal model years
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Forest River Cardinal have?
NHTSA recorded 5 consumer complaints for the 2009 Forest River Cardinal as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2009 Forest River Cardinal is reported most often?
Tires is named most often, in 3 complaints (60% of the total), followed by equipment with 1.
Has the 2009 Forest River Cardinal been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Forest River Cardinal reported?
Among the 4 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 4,500 miles and the middle half falls between 3,000 and 6,000 miles; 100% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.