2012 Forest River Forester problems: recalls, complaints and what to check
NHTSA has 1 recall and 1 owner complaint on file for the 2012 Forest River Forester. Here is what they are, what a technician checks for each kind of fault, and how to look one over before you buy it.
LP gas and gas appliances: 1 recall
Recall 12V458000 (18/09/2012): EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER:LPG SYSTEMS:LINES AND FITTINGS
Forest River, Inc., (Forest River) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Sunseeker 2860, 3120, 3170, Forester 2861, 3121, 3171, and Lexington 283 Class C motorhomes, manufactured from August 18, 2009, through September 12, 2012. The liquid propane gas (LPG) fuel line that supplies fuel to appliances in the slide out, can become damaged.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will repair the affected vehicles free of charge. The recall began on, or about October 23, 2012. Owners may contact Forest River at 1-574-206-7600.
What a tech checks: Regulator, lines and fittings, then the appliances: furnace, water heater, range. A proper pressure-drop leak test is the first thing a tech does on an LP complaint. Before you buy: Smell for gas with the tank open; have a shop do the leak test.
LP and furnace lessons · Furnace guide · Furnace 3D lab · Water heater 3D lab
Structure, roof and leaks: 1 complaint
What a tech checks: Roof sealant, seams, window and slide seals, and the frame. Water intrusion shows up as delamination, soft floors and stained ceilings months after the leak started. Before you buy: Press the sidewalls and walk the floor; look at every seam and seal.
Roof, leaks and body lessons · Seals and leaks guide
12 volt and 120 volt electrical: 1 complaint
What a tech checks: Voltage drop, grounds, the converter and the transfer switch. Melted shore-cord plugs and bad grounds cause most of the electrical complaints techs actually see. Before you buy: Battery at rest, converter output on shore power, GFCI test, every outlet.
12 V electrical lessons · 120 V and generator lessons · Wiring diagrams
What owners reported to NHTSA
07/23/2018, STRUCTURE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 2012 FOREST RIVER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED UPON DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE THE SLIDE WOULD NOT FULLY RETRACT, AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS INOPERATIVE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS REPAIRED. *JS
Looking at a 2012 Forest River Forester?
The Buyer's Check walks you through it on your phone: what to ask, the outside walk-around, water damage, every system on every power source, with the recalls above built in. You get a report that says what's a walk-away and what to negotiate on.
Checked against NHTSA 2026-10-23. Recall repairs are free at an authorized dealer. Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA and are not verified.