RV Recall Scorecard: 1,669 NHTSA recall campaigns since 2016, and 90% came from three manufacturer groups
We pulled every NHTSA vehicle recall with a Part 573 report received from 2016 to October 2026 and grouped them by RV parent company. There were 1,669 campaigns covering about 4.0 million potentially affected units. Thor Industries, Forest River and Winnebago Industries filed 90.0% of them, which mostly reflects how many RVs those groups build.
By the RV Dealerships research desk · Published October 25, 2026
Key findings
- 1,669 recall campaigns in under 11 years. RV manufacturers filed 1,669 vehicle recall campaigns with NHTSA from 2016 to October 21, 2026, covering 3,982,895 potentially affected units.
- Three groups filed 90.0%. Thor Industries (695 campaigns, 41.6%), Forest River (545, 32.7%) and Winnebago Industries (262, 15.7%). They are also the three largest RV builders, so this is a volume story first.
- Half of all campaigns involve RV equipment. NHTSA's Equipment category appears in 831 campaigns (49.8%), including 223 for label problems and 138 for propane (LPG) systems.
- Campaign counts are drifting down. 2016 to 2018 averaged 185 campaigns a year; 2023 to 2025 averaged 138, about 25% fewer. 2026 had 106 through October 21.
- Electrical systems are the second most common component at 283 campaigns (17.0%), followed by structure (198, 11.9%), tires (106) and suspension (102).
Recall campaigns by manufacturer group
Most RV brands belong to a handful of parent companies, so we grouped each recall by the group that owns the brand today. A Jayco, Keystone, Airstream or Tiffin recall counts under Thor Industries; a Coachmen, Shasta or Dynamax recall under Forest River; a Grand Design or Newmar recall under Winnebago Industries; a Fleetwood, Holiday Rambler or Lance recall under REV Group.
| Thor Industries | 695 | 42% | 2,376,515 | 60% | 3,419 |
| Forest River | 545 | 33% | 859,150 | 22% | 1,576 |
| Winnebago Industries | 262 | 16% | 638,018 | 16% | 2,435 |
| REV Group | 69 | 4.1% | 53,177 | 1.3% | 771 |
| Leisure Travel Vans | 42 | 2.5% | 13,140 | 0.3% | 313 |
| Gulf Stream | 24 | 1.4% | 7,072 | 0.2% | 295 |
| Alliance RV | 16 | 1% | 20,626 | 0.5% | 1,289 |
| Brinkley RV | 12 | 0.7% | 14,644 | 0.4% | 1,220 |
| Northwood | 2 | 0.1% | 183 | 0% | 92 |
| nuCamp | 2 | 0.1% | 370 | 0% | 185 |
Units are NHTSA's 'potentially affected' count for each campaign, summed. A unit recalled twice is counted twice. Download this table (CSV)
Recalls by year
Campaign counts peaked at 189 in 2018 and have mostly stayed lower since. The 2023 to 2025 average of 138 is about 25% below the 2016 to 2018 average of 185. RV production also swung widely over these years, so the yearly count reflects how many units were built as well as how many problems were found.
What gets recalled
NHTSA tags each recall with one or more components. Half of RV campaigns fall under its broad Equipment category, which is where RV-specific gear lives. Within it, the largest groups are labels (223 campaigns), general RV and trailer equipment (222) and propane systems (138). Cooktops and ovens account for 58 campaigns and generators for 28.
| Equipment | 831 | 50% |
| Electrical system | 283 | 17% |
| Structure | 198 | 12% |
| Tires | 106 | 6.4% |
| Suspension | 102 | 6.1% |
| Exterior lighting | 59 | 3.5% |
| Trailer hitches | 39 | 2.3% |
| Steering | 36 | 2.2% |
| Visibility | 35 | 2.1% |
| Seats | 29 | 1.7% |
| Seat belts | 28 | 1.7% |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 24 | 1.4% |
| Fuel system, diesel | 22 | 1.3% |
| Power train | 20 | 1.2% |
| Service brakes, air | 18 | 1.1% |
Share = campaigns listing the component divided by 1,669. Download this table (CSV)
What it means for you: check the VIN before you buy
Recall repairs are free at an authorized dealer, but only if someone knows the recall is open. That matters most on a used RV, where the previous owner may never have had the notice. Our RV Dealer Review Index found that defects at delivery are the top complaint in low-star dealer reviews, and an open recall is one defect you can rule out in two minutes.
- Find the 17-character VIN. On a motorhome it is on the dashboard by the windshield and on the driver door frame. On a travel trailer or fifth wheel it is usually on the frame tongue and on the federal certification label by the entry door.
- Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The search shows open safety recalls from the past 15 years that haven't been repaired on that VIN. If the maker isn't in the VIN tool, search by make, model and year on the same page.
- Check the chassis and the appliances separately. A motorhome chassis recall is often filed by the chassis maker, and some appliance and tire recalls are filed by the component maker. Search those by make and model on the same site.
- Ask the dealer to show the repair is done. If a recall is open, ask for it to be completed before delivery, in writing. Our used RV dealer pages list dealers with service departments.
- Register the RV after you buy it. Make sure the manufacturer has your name and address so future notices reach you, and keep the warranty terms with your papers.
The infographic
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How we did this
- We downloaded NHTSA's recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010) on October 25, 2026 and kept vehicle recalls (record type V) whose Part 573 report was received from January 1, 2016 to October 21, 2026, the latest date in the file.
- A campaign was assigned to an RV group when the manufacturer name or make matched that group's company or brand names (for example Jayco, Keystone, Heartland, Airstream and Tiffin for Thor Industries). Brands are grouped by today's owner, so recalls filed before an acquisition count under the current parent. Each campaign is counted once, under the first group it matched.
- Units are NHTSA's 'potentially affected' figure, taking the largest value listed for each campaign and summing across campaigns. Components use the top-level NHTSA component name; a campaign with several components counts once in each.
- Recalls filed by chassis, appliance or tire makers under their own names are not included unless the manufacturer name or make matched an RV group. Pleasure-Way was searched and had no matching vehicle recalls. Name matching can miss a small number of campaigns filed under unusual names.
- Campaign counts depend on how many units each group builds and are not defect rates or a quality ranking.
Sources
- NHTSA recall flat file, FLAT_RCL_POST_2010.zip, accessed October 25, 2026
- NHTSA recalls lookup, accessed October 25, 2026. VIN and make/model recall search
- RV Dealerships analysis, October 2026
Cite this: RV Dealerships, "RV Recall Scorecard: 1,669 NHTSA recall campaigns since 2016, and 90% came from three manufacturer groups," October 25, 2026, https://rvdealerships.org/rv-recall-scorecard/
Spotted an error or have newer data? Tell us and we'll check it and update the page.
Questions people ask
Which RV manufacturer has the most recalls?
By campaign count, Thor Industries brands filed the most NHTSA vehicle recalls from 2016 to October 2026 (695), followed by Forest River (545) and Winnebago Industries (262). These are also the largest RV builders, so the counts mostly reflect production volume, not a higher defect rate.
What is the most common RV recall?
Half of RV recall campaigns (831 of 1,669) fall under NHTSA's Equipment category. Within that, label problems (223 campaigns) and propane system problems (138) are the largest groups. Electrical systems (283 campaigns) and structure (198) are the next most common components.
How do I check if my RV has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The VIN is on the driver door frame or dashboard of a motorhome, and on the frame tongue or certification label of a towable. Search the chassis and major appliances by make and model too, since those makers file some recalls themselves.
Are RV recalls going up or down?
Down, by campaign count. RV makers averaged 185 recall campaigns a year from 2016 to 2018 and 138 a year from 2023 to 2025, about 25% fewer. 2026 had 106 campaigns through October 21. Yearly counts also track how many RVs were built.