Recall 18V296 affects 29 2018 Forest River Surveyor recreational trailers for a missing refrigerator cooling fan. Repair is free at any franchised Forest River dealer.
Forest River is recalling 29 2018 Surveyor recreational trailers after finding the slide-room refrigerator can lack an air cycling fan to cool refrigerator parts. Overheating can lead to cooling-tube failure and increase the risk of a fire; Forest River dealers will install the fan free of charge.
Does this recall apply to your specific vehicle?
The official, free per-VIN recall check is run by NHTSA. Enter your VIN and we'll forward you directly — and add you to a free watchlist so you hear about new recalls for your vehicle.
Check my VIN at NHTSARecallNotify doesn't check your VIN — NHTSA's official tool does. We use your email only to alert you to new recalls.
Watch this vehicle for recalls
Add it to your free watchlist and we will alert you as new federal recalls are posted for your year, make and model. New-recall alerts are rolling out now.
You are on the watchlist.
We will email you as new federal recalls are posted for your vehicle.
What's wrong?
The refrigerator in the slide room of the 2018 Forest River Surveyor is supposed to keep food cold while moving heat away from its working parts. In this layout, an air cycling fan helps move cooling air through the refrigerator compartment so heat does not build around the refrigerator components.
On affected Surveyor trailers, the wrong refrigerator specification was installed. That refrigerator did not include the cooling fan assembly needed for the slide room installation. Without that airflow, heat can collect around the refrigerator parts during use, and the refrigerator can overheat instead of shedding heat as designed.
Forest River reported no owner warning sign before this problem. There is no warning sign before failure, so an owner is not expected to notice a sound, smell, light, or performance change that confirms the fan is missing.
Who's affected?
| 2018 Forest River Surveyor | Recreational vehicle/trailer |
|---|---|
| Units affected | 29 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
Not every 2018 Forest River Surveyor trailer is on the list. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific trailer is included.
What's the safety risk?
An overheating refrigerator can make the cooling tubes fail and increase the risk of a fire. There is no warning sign before failure. Have the recall repair scheduled before using the refrigerator again. Repair is free at any franchised Forest River dealer.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2018 Forest River Surveyor is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Forest River dealer to schedule the free cooling fan assembly installation that keeps the refrigerator parts cooled.
- Bring the recall notice if Forest River mailed one. If not, reference recall number 18V296 when you call.
- Avoid using the slide room refrigerator until the cooling fan assembly is installed.
- Call Forest River customer service at 1-574-642-3119 with questions about the repair.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Forest River technician installs the missing cooling fan assembly for the refrigerator in the slide room. That fan is meant to move air across the refrigerator parts so they do not overheat. The recall repair is available now, and the fan assembly and installation are free under the recall. A dealership must install the fan assembly, so schedule the repair through a Forest River dealer.
Timeline
| May 4, 2018 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| May 9, 2018 | Owner notification mailed |
| July 2, 2018 | Dealer notification began |
| July 2, 2018 | Dealer notification ended |
| July 2, 2018 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 18V296?
Recall 18V296 covers 29 2018 Forest River Surveyor recreational trailers, model SVT241RBLE, with a refrigerator in the slide room that lacks an air cycling fan. Without that fan, refrigerator parts can overheat. Forest River dealers will install a cooling fan assembly for free.
What should I do if my 2018 Forest River Surveyor is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific trailer is included in recall 18V296. If it is, contact a franchised Forest River dealer to schedule installation of the cooling fan assembly. Reference recall number 18V296 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Forest River's remedy says dealers will install the cooling fan assembly free of charge. Parts and labor are covered at a franchised Forest River dealer.
What is the safety risk in recall 18V296?
The safety risk is fire. The refrigerator can overheat if it lacks the air cycling fan needed to cool refrigerator parts. Forest River's filing says overheating can lead to cooling-tube failure, increasing the risk of a fire.
What if I bought my Forest River Surveyor used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall eligibility follows the trailer's VIN, not the first owner. If you never received Forest River's owner notice, check your VIN and reference recall number 18V296 when you call a franchised Forest River dealer.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V296000 |
|---|---|
| Forest River customer service | 1-574-642-3119 |
| NHTSA recall # | 18V296 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 18V296000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →