Pre-purchase inspection checklist — 2017 Forest River Palomino
The 2017 Forest River Palomino has a key recall related to the Smart-Jack model power tongue jack which may malfunction due to water entry. There are few owner complaints, suggesting relatively low incidence of issues, but potential buyers should remain vigilant during their inspections.
Known issues to inspect
Power tongue jack malfunction
How to check: Inspect the jack for any cracks or separation on the touchpad.
Test-drive walkthrough
- 01
Visual inspection
What to check: Check the power tongue jack for cracks.
Red flag: Cracked or damaged jack
- 02
Pre-drive setup
What to check: Test the operation of the power jack.
Red flag: Jack fails to operate
- 03
Exterior review
What to check: Look for other noticeable damages or leaks.
Red flag: Heavy damage or leaks
- 04
Towing simulation
What to check: Ensure stable towing experience.
Red flag: Unsteady or erratic towing
- 05
Post-drive inspection
What to check: Recheck the power tongue jack condition.
Red flag: New damage or functionality issues
Questions for the seller
Use this exact phrasing.
- Has the power tongue jack been replaced?
- Any history of water damage to components?
- Are there any unresolved recalls?
- Has the trailer been in any accidents?
Documents to request
Don't sign anything until you have these.
- Recall repair records
- Maintenance records
- Accident history report
- Warranty documentation
Generated by gpt-4o on 8/24/2026. Grounded in the NHTSA recall corpus and owner-complaint patterns for the 2017 Forest River Palomino.