AI Damage2014 Palomino Columbus: common problems
Owners of the 2014 Palomino Columbus filed 18 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and wheels. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 18
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 83% of all complaints
- 2 Wheels 28% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 15 complaints (83% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Wheels: 5 complaints (28% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (11% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 18 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Brakes failed to provide adequate braking since 5th wheel trailer was new. I complained to collier rv of rockford of poor braking ability and asked them to inspect brakes which they said they did.
Overheating of this grease could potentially cause a fire in hubs with catastrophic consequences. This event just so happened the day of my warranty expiration and I am currently fighting with lippert to cover labor costs.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,622 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Columbus has 6 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 18, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Palomino Columbus?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, wheels, structure. Total complaints: 18. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (22%), overheating, coolant loss (6%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2014 Palomino Columbus?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2014 Palomino Columbus from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.