2018 Forest River Columbus problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Suspension (1) · Structure (1)
Safety recalls (1)
Tires 2017-04-26 · campaign 17V282000 · 71 vehicles
Defect: Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Salem, Wildwood, XLR, Sanibel, Wildcat, Vengeance, Chaparral Lite and Columbus recreational trailers. The Federal Placard may inaccurately list the tire and rim combinations that are installed on the trailers. Additionally, the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) information may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standa
Risk: The incorrect information may cause the operator to install an incorrect replacement rim or tire, overinflate the tire, or overload the vehicle, all scenarios that may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Forest River will notify owners and will provide a corrected Federal Placard, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2017. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-348-7440. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-04242017-0393.
What owners report
2025-11-06 · Structure“the contact owns a 2018 forest river columbus. the contact stated that the pin box behind the tow area had sidewall separation from the frame of the trailer. the trailer was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.…”
2025-06-12 · Suspension“after a trip i found a crack in the fiberglass under the slide out, the dealer sent me to a bodyshop. they have determined that the welds for the frame have broken. i have contacted forest river they will not try to help with the repair. i believe this is a safety issue with their product.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.