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2014 Forest River CardinalProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2014 Forest River Cardinal, most often about the visibility/wiper. It is covered by 4 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 recalls4Lowest repair rate 6%Owner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage0kVisibility/wiper, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 9, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2014 Forest River Cardinal has problems

1 complaint 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
Visibility/wiper10

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

4 recalls

2014 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.

29%repaired · 2023 Q4

Equipment: recreational vehicle/trailer

Recall 21V-523 · Jul 9, 2021 · 825 vehicles · 237 repaired

Risk. Adhesive failure may cause the vent portion of the window to detach, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

17%repaired · 2019 Q3

Equipment: recreational vehicle/trailer

Recall 15V-273 · May 11, 2015 · 689 vehicles · 116 repaired

Risk. If the rivet shears causing the quad step to fail, the step user may fall, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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

2014 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 visibility/wiper complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FOREST RIVER CARDINAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE RV WAS BEING DRIVEN AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE EMERGENCY EXIT WINDOW INDEPENDENTLY DETACHED FROM THE RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON REACHING THEIR DESTINATION THEY WERE INFORMED THAT THE WINDOW WAS MISSING. THE…
Complaint 10969728 · Mar 31, 2017 · 200 miles

Own a 2014 Cardinal?

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