FOREST RIVER SURVEYOR (2020) recall — Equipment
Forest River recalls 2020-2021 Surveyor Travel Trailers with unsafe safety chains that may break, causing detachment and injury. Owners must have chains replaced free by June 8, 2020.
Use caution until it’s fixed
If the vehicle trailer becomes detached from the tow-vehicle, the safety chains may break, leading to complete detachment and potential property damage, personal injury or a crash.
Contact the company & request your remedy
What happened, in plain English
Forest River is recalling certain 2020-2021 Surveyor Travel Trailers because the safety chains may break if the trailer detaches from the tow vehicle, risking injury or damage. This affects trailer owners who use the chains as part of their towing setup. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/79509-forest-river-2020-surveyor-trailer-safety-chains-recall-risk-of.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/79509-forest-river-2020-surveyor-trailer-safety-chains-recall-risk-of · Updated October 5, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #20V297000
Cite this page
“Forest River 2020 Surveyor Trailer Safety Chains Recall: Risk of Detachment.” GovInfoNow, updated October 5, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/79509-forest-river-2020-surveyor-trailer-safety-chains-recall-risk-of. Based on NHTSA recall #20V297000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=20V297000).
Why it’s dangerous
The safety chains are not strong enough for the trailer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. If the trailer becomes detached from the tow vehicle, the chains could break, causing the trailer to completely detach and potentially crash.
Who’s affected
Trailer owners who purchased a 2020-2021 Forest River Surveyor Travel Trailer with model SVT296QBLE are most at risk. Those who regularly tow trailers with high weight ratings may face detachment hazards.
How to tell if you have this one
Check for the model number SVT296QBLE on your 2020-2021 Forest River Surveyor Travel Trailer. The recall started on June 8, 2020, and applies to trailers sold during that time.
- Brand
Forest River- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Contact Forest River
Call 1-574-642-3112 to schedule a free safety chain replacement at a dealer or service center.
What NHTSA says to do
Forest River will notify owners, and a dealer or service center will replace the safety chains, free of charge. The recall began June 8, 2020. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-642-3112. Forest River's number for this recall is 37-1170.
Questions people ask
Why is this recall happening?
The safety chains are insufficient for the trailer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and may break if the trailer detaches from the tow vehicle.
How do I know if my trailer is affected?
Your trailer must be a 2020-2021 Forest River Surveyor Travel Trailer with model SVT296QBLE.
What should I do if I have the affected trailer?
Contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-642-3112 to arrange a free replacement of the safety chains.
Contact Forest River
We’ve drafted a message you can send Forest River to request your refund or repair — edit it as you like.
Subject: Recall 20V297000 — Forest River Forest River Hello, I own a Forest River that is covered by recall 20V297000 from Forest River. The official recall notice states: Forest River will notify owners, and a dealer or service center will replace the safety chains, free of charge. The recall began June 8, 2020. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-642-3112. Forest River's number for this recall is 37-1170. I’m writing to arrange the remedy described in the recall (a refund, repair, or replacement as applicable). Could you please tell me the next steps to resolve this? Thank you.
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Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: NHTSA Recall #20V297000 (May 22, 2020)
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 5, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.