Forest River Cherokee years to avoid (and the best years)

111 NHTSA owner complaints and 22 recalls across 5 model years, 2017 to 2022. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.

111complaints
22recalls
2reported crashes
10reported fires
0reported injuries

Which Forest River Cherokee years should you avoid?

No Forest River Cherokee model year stands out from the others in NHTSA owner complaints. The typical Forest River Cherokee year has 14 complaints on file.

What are the best Forest River Cherokee years?

The Forest River Cherokee years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2017 (11), 2020 (14) and 2018 (14). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.

NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.

Every model year

Year	Complaints	vs typical year	Recalls	Crashes	Our read	Most reported
2022	23	1.6×	6	0	Few red flags	Body and structure
2021	49	3.5×	3	1	Few red flags	Tires
2020	14	1.0×	7	0	Few red flags	Body and structure
2018	14	1.0×	8	0	Few red flags	Wheels
2017	11	0.8×	6	1	Few red flags	Suspension

Most reported problem areas

Share of the 86 complaints sorted by system, all years together.

Steering, suspension & tires39 (45%)
Structure & body24 (28%)
Other systems9 (10%)
Electrical & infotainment8 (9%)
Brakes4 (5%)

Recalls (22)

Structure · 24V003000 · Jan 2024 · model year 2020
A trailer that contacts the road during transit increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Safety · 22V556000 · Jul 2022 · model year 2022
An awning that drops or extends beyond normal operation can increase the risk of injury.
Safety · 22V486000 · Jul 2022 · model year 2022
An awning that drops or extends beyond normal operation can increase the risk of injury.
Safety · 22V243000 · Apr 2022 · model years 2021, 2022
A gas leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Electrical system · 22V135000 · Mar 2022 · model year 2022
Loose wires may contact each other and cause an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Tires · 22V012000 · Jan 2022 · model year 2022
The vehicle operator may install incorrect replacement tires that do not fix properly on the rim, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 21V877000 · Nov 2021 · model years 2021, 2022
An overloaded vehicle can lead to a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Electrical system · 20V654000 · Oct 2020 · model years 2020, 2021
A poor electrical connection can increase the risk of a fire.
Safety · 20V075000 · Feb 2020 · model year 2020
If the spare tire carrier and spare tire detach from the vehicle while in motion, it can become a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash.
Safety · 19V844000 · Nov 2019 · model years 2018, 2020
A trailer that detaches from the tow vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
Safety · 19V785000 · Nov 2019 · model year 2020
The incorrectly connected wire may not have overcurrent protection, allowing the wire to melt, increasing the risk of fire.
Electrical system · 19V668000 · Sep 2019 · model year 2020
Damaged distribution panel wiring can increase the risk of electrical shock or fire.
Safety · 19V453000 · Jun 2019 · model year 2020
An operator may rely on the incorrect Placard information and overload the trailer causing a loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 19V355000 · May 2019 · model year 2018
Due to the incorrect Federal Placard, an operator may overload the vehicle, which may decrease vehicle stability and increase the risk of crash.
Safety · 18V752000 · Oct 2018 · model year 2018
If the awning arm detaches, it can increase the risk of injury or a crash.
Safety · 18V186000 · Mar 2018 · model years 2017, 2018
A propane leak increases the risk of a fire.
Exterior lighting · 18V066000 · Jan 2018 · model year 2018
If the marker lights are in the wrong location or if the reflectors are missing, it can reduce the visibility of the vehicle to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Electrical system · 18V034000 · Jan 2018 · model years 2017, 2018
If both wires were connected to same lug, the smaller wire may overheat and fail due to trying to handle a higher load, thereby increasing the risk of an electrical fire.
Electrical system · 17V838000 · Dec 2017 · model years 2017, 2018
Pinched wires may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Safety · 17V756000 · Nov 2017 · model years 2017, 2018
In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Safety · 17V171000 · Mar 2017 · model year 2017
The incorrect tire information can cause the operator to install the wrong size of replacement tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Tires · 16V579000 · Aug 2016 · model year 2017
A damaged tire may unexpectedly deflate, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.