2016–2018 Forest River Cardinal Recall: Federal Placard on these vehicles overstates the Gross Axle Weight Rating…
NHTSA campaign 17V336000 · Equipment · filed May 24, 2017 · verified Jul 30, 2026
The defect
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cardinal recreational trailers, model CAF3250RL. The Federal Placard on these vehicles overstates the Gross Axle Weight Rating capacity (GAWR) by 840lbs. for each axle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
The risk
The incorrect GAWR makes the Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) label incorrect and may result in the vehicle being overloaded, affecting the vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →The fix — what to do
Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will provide a new Federal Placard with the correct GAWR and a new CCC label, free of charge. The recall began on June 6, 2017. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-206-7600. Forest River's number for this recall is 15-05192017-0412.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Affected vehicles
| Make | Model | Model years |
|---|---|---|
| Forest River | Cardinal | 2016, 2017, 2018 |
Related recalls
More Forest River Cardinal recalls
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Other campaigns involving Forest River vehicles
- 2027 Forest River Ibex and 3 other models — Federal Placard may state an incorrect fresh water tank…
- 2026–2027 Forest River OG Luxury Coach and 1 other model — Printed circuit board may fail during certain operations…
- 2026–2027 Forest River Salem and 1 other model — Federal Placard may have the incorrect Gross Vehicle Weight…
All Forest River Cardinal recalls → · All Forest River recalls →
Source: NHTSA recall database, campaign 17V336000 (manufacturer number 15-05192017-0412). Data last verified Jul 30, 2026.