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2013 Forest River CardinalProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 2 owner complaints about the 2013 Forest River Cardinal, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-449 the manufacturer reports only 6% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 6%Owner complaints20 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage15kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 1, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Forest River Cardinal has problems

2 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system10
Structure10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2013 Forest River Cardinal recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

6%repaired · 2016 Q3

Equipment: recreational vehicle/trailer

Recall 14V-449 · Jul 23, 2014 · 1,041 vehicles · 65 repaired

Risk. If the microwave starts on its own and there are contents inside, a fire could result.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

57%repaired · 2015 Q1

Equipment

Recall 13V-203 · May 17, 2013 · 9,526 vehicles · 5,440 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Forest River.

Best & worst years

2013 vs. every other Cardinal year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cardinal median. How we score

'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'08'09'10'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Cardinal owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 10743444 · Jul 25, 2015 · 15,000 miles

Own a 2013 Cardinal?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.