2014 Palomino Columbus Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2014 Palomino Columbus, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes1565.2%
- Other / unspecified521.7%
- Body & structure28.7%
- Tires & wheels14.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON JULY 10, 2014 MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT A COLUMBUS 340 RK FIFTH WHEEL MADE BY FOREST RIVER. UPON DELIVERY AUGUST 14TH 2014 WE NOTICED IMMEDIATE DEFECTS AND CALLED RV WHOLESALERS TO NOTIFY OF THE ISSUES. SINCE WE HAD A TRIPPED PLANNED WITH THE 5TH WHEEL TO DRIVE THROUGH THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS MY WIFE AND I STATED WE WOULD TAKE IT IN FOR REPAIRS AFTER THE TRIP. DURING OUR TRIP I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES FELT LIKE THEY WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP OF THE ISSUE. WE AGREED ON A REPAIR SHOP WHERE I DELIVERED THE 5TH WHEEL (SEPT 14, 2014) AND GAVE A LIST OF DEFECTS TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND RV DEALER. BRAKES WERE NUMBER 1 CONCERN. THE REPAIR SHOP CALLED ME AND STATED THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE BRAKES WERE NEVER WIRED AND COMPLETE (PICTURES WERE SENT) ALSO, ISSUE 2 THE BACKING PLATES FOR THE BRAKES WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. IN A NUT SHELL MY 13,800 POUND TRAILER HAD NO BRAKES! CURRENTLY IN A LEMON LAW SUIT AGAINST FOREST RIVER AND NEED MY GOVERNMENTS HELP. RV STILL AT SHOP WITH ZERO WORK DONE TO IT. SITTING SINCE SEPT 2014.
BRAKES WERE SUSPECT, WEAK, INCONSISTENT ACTION. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPACK AND INSPECT BRAKES. DISCOVERED ALL 4 SEALS FAILED AND ALL FOUR BRAKE ASSEMBLIES WERE COVERED IN GREASE. DEALER CONTACTED MANUFACTURE OF BRAKE ASSEMBLY, LIPPERT COMPONENTS, INC., AND THEY REPLACED BRAKES UNDER WARRANTY. *JS
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE STUDS SNAP OFF AND THE WHEEL AND TIRE ARE NO LONGER SECURED TO THE HUB. THE WHEEL MAY SEPARATE FROM THE TRAILER CAUSING IT TO BE A PROJECTILE ON THE HIGHWAY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. *TR
TOOK TRAILER TO SHOP BECAUSE BRAKES WERE SLUGGISH AND NOT WORKING WELL. DEALER DISCOVERED ALL SEALS BLOWN AND BRAKES COVERED IN OIL. LINE FOR BRAKES ON FRONT AXLE PINCHED, THEREFORE NO BRAKING ACTION ON FRONT AXLE. HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR BRAKE UNITS REPLACED AND BRAKE LINE TO FRONT AXLE REPAIRED. MECHANIC STATED THAT GREASE IN AXLES WAS NOT PROPER GRADE, TO THIN. LIPPERT AND COLUMBUS PUT MY FAMILY AND MYSELF IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2014 PALAMINO COLUMBUS 5TH WHEEL CAMPER. THERE IS A SMALL CRACK IN THE FRONT CORNER OF THE BEDROOM SLIDE OUT. THE COLUMBUS FACEBOOK PAGE IS FULL OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. FOREST RIVER HAS FIXED SOME UNITS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY ADMIT THAT THERE IS A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM WITH THE FRAMES OF THE CAMPERS. LIPPERT IS THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FRAME AND IT HAS POOR WELD AND POOR STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS. THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSAND OF THESE UNITS OUT THERE THAT NEED FIXING. I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY BREAKING IN HALF TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD BUT, ONE WOULD THINK IF THE STRUCTURE GOT WEAK ENOUGH IT MIGHT COLLAPSE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURIES. PLEASE VISIT HTTPS://M.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/COLUMBUSRVGROUP/?SOFT=SEARCH THANK YOU. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TOWING A 2014 PALOMINO COLUMBUS ON A 2012 RAM 2500. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER DETACHED FROM THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TOWING A 2014 PALOMINO COLUMBUS ON A 2012 RAM 2500. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TOWED AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER DETACHED FROM THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .