IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ITASCA SUNRISE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IN A STORM THE ROOF OF THE RV DISLODGED FROM BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000. ## VIN PASSED ## 2006 WINNEBAGO ITASCA SUNRISE ##
2006 Itasca Sunrise
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sunrise years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Parking Brake. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
2 reportsPURCHASED NEW 2006 WINNEBAGO ITASCA SUNRISE 38J MOTOR HOME (MH). I DON'T KNOW IF WORKHORSE AUTO PARK BRAKE ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE WHICH CAUSED THE ALLISON TRANSMISSION TO BLOW OR VICE VERSA. I KNOW OUR MH WAS ON FIRE AS WE WERE DRIVING, A MAN WAS INJURED & THERE WAS A CRASH. I KNOW THIS MH IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. IT IS IM…
Read full complaint
PURCHASED NEW 2006 WINNEBAGO ITASCA SUNRISE 38J MOTOR HOME (MH). I DON'T KNOW IF WORKHORSE AUTO PARK BRAKE ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE WHICH CAUSED THE ALLISON TRANSMISSION TO BLOW OR VICE VERSA. I KNOW OUR MH WAS ON FIRE AS WE WERE DRIVING, A MAN WAS INJURED & THERE WAS A CRASH. I KNOW THIS MH IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. IT IS IMPERATIVE YOUR ORGANIZATION PERFORM AN UNBIASED, CONSUMER SAFETY ORIENTED EVALUATION. WINNEBAGO, WORKHORSE & ALLISON ARE POINTING FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. LESS THAN 2000 MILES ON MH, DRIVING APX 57 MPH, HEARD HUGE EXPLOSION, DASH WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING & CHIMES STARTED DINGING. DROVE LESS THAN ONE MILE TO GAS STATION. PULLED UNDER GAS PUMP CANOPY. MANAGER RAN OUT YELLING AT US TO MOVE MH AWAY FROM PUMPS. WE WERE ON FIRE. PULLED MH UP APX 30 FEET, TURNED ENGINE OFF. PUT FIRE OUT. MH BROUGHT TO WORKHORSE AUTH DEALER IN FAYETTEVILLE, NC. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US SOMETHING IN AUTO PARK BRAKE ASSEMBLY HAD MALFUNCTIONED & HEATED UP INSIDE ASSEMBLY CANISTER CAUSING EXPLOSION & THE FLUIDS THEN SPILLED ONTO MANIFOLD CAUSING FIRE. AUTO PARK BRAKE ASSEMBLY REPLACED. ORIGINAL PART SENT TO WORKHORSE FOR EVALUATION. WE WERE SHOWN THE METAL CANISTER HAD HEATED UP SO MUCH THE METAL TURNED RAINBOW BLUE. WE WERE TOLD MH WAS REPAIRED & SAFE TO DRIVE. NOTICED TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON DASH. HAD SERVICE MANAGER TAKE FOR TEST DRIVE SINCE WE DID NOT FEEL THE MH WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. HE DROVE IT & FELT TRANSMISSION WAS BLOWN. HE TOOK IT TO ALLISON TRANSMISSION AUTH REPAIR SHOP FOR EVALUATION. TECH FOR ALLISON WAS UNDER MH TRYING TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM, SOMETHING INTERNALLY SLIPPED CAUSING MH TO ROLL DOWN AN INCLINE. THE TECH WAS DRAGGED FOR A DISTANCE AND PULLED OUT FROM UNDER MH BEFORE IT RAN OVER HIM. HE WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. MH CRASHED INTO ANOTHER TRUCK WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BACK QUARTER OF MH. MH AT ALLISON TRANS DEALER BODY SHOP. TRANSMISSION IN MH. ESTIMATE MIN 4 WEEKS FOR REPAIRS. *JB
Official recalls
410V525000 · Equipment
Oct 26, 2010
WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING CERTAIN RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1200-SERIES NORCOLD REFRIGERATORS. THE POPULATION OF REFRIGERATORS BEING ADDRESSED CONTAINS EITHER A SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE RESPONSE TIMES OF THE SENSOR ALGORITHM AND THERMAL SWITCH DEVICES TO STOP POWER ARE NOT SUFFICIENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SENSING ALGORITHM OR THERMAL SWITCH INSTALLED TO SHUT OFF POWER TO THE REFRIGERATOR WHEN HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE DETECTED DUE TO A POSSIBLE HYDROGEN GAS LEAK MAY NOT SHUT OFF IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PREVENT A FIRE.
Remedy: WINNEBAGO IS WORKING WITH NORCOLD TO IDENTIFY AND NOTIFY ANY AFFECTED OWNERS. OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT NORCOLD DEALERS TO RECEIVE THE REMEDY FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE SEE NORCOLD'S DEFECT REPORT 10E-049 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING DECEMBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NORCOLD AT 1-800-767-9101 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.
09V113000 · Fuel System, Diesel:storage:tank Assembly
Apr 8, 2009
WINNEBAGO IS RECALLING 2,331 MY 2002-2004 BRAVE AND ITASCA SUNRISE MY 2005 2006 WINNEBAGO VOYAGE, ADVENTURER, ITASCA SUNRISE AND SUNCRUISER MOTOR HOMES. THE PROPANE TANK MOUNTING BRACKET MAY HAVE AN INCOMPLETE OR IMPROPER WELD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THE WELD FAIL, THE PROPANE TANK CAN TIP OR FALL, POSSIBLY RELEASING PROPANE WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IGNITEA FIRE, RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND PROPERLY WELD THE BRACKET FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 800-537-1885.
06V250000 · Steering
Jul 5, 2006
CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES BUILT ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH INCORRECT STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS. THE STEERING COULD BECOME LOOSE AT THE STEERING BOX DURING TIGHT STEERING MANEUVERS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS STEERING CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: WORKHORSE IS CONDUCTING THIS RECALL (PLEASE SEE 06V148000) AND WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WORKHORSE AT 1-877-294-6883 OR WINNEBAGO AT 1-641-585-3535.
05V573000 · Structure:body
Dec 28, 2005
ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH KWIKEE BRAND ELECTRIC STEPS, THE STEPS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH DEFECTIVE STEP CONTROL UNITS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DEFECTIVE CONTROL UNITS COULD DEVELOP AN ELECTRICAL SHORT ALLOWING FOR THE POTENTIAL OF THE PLASTIC CASE TO IGNITE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE KWIKEE STEP AND REPLACE THE STEP CONTROL UNIT, IF NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 23, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WINNEBAGO AT 1-800-537-1885.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE10048 · Hitch Receiver Fracture
Opened Dec 7, 2010 · Closed Dec 3, 2013
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Trailer Hitches
During this investigation, ODI identified 29 reports of cracked and/or fractured hitch receiver assemblies installed on the subject vehicles.The majority (27 of 29) of the reported hitch incidents occurred prior to the initiation of PE10-048 in December, 2010.This investigation has been characterized by (1) Scant forensic samples available for inspection and review since most of the reported incidents occurred prior to ODI?s investigation and pertinent material has been scrapped; (2) Uncertainty regarding the contributory role of issues such as unintended hitch contact with road surfaces, use of hitches with offsets that exceed Winnebago recommendations; and (3) Other usage factors.Based on reported failures, the indicated failure rate for detected and reported cracking /fracture incidents associated with the estimated population of subject vehicles was found to be 0.10% after the vehicles had been in service for between 6 and 8 years.Reports were higher in calendar year 2007 (9 reports) than in succeeding years 2008-2010 (3-5 reports per year) and 2011 (2 reports) and appear likely to decline further due to diminished use associated with vehicle aging.ODI is aware of only one consumer complaint (ODI# 10368002) in its files describing a hitch receiver malfunction in Winnebago-Itasca vehicles.As of September 2013, Winnebago has reported that there have been no additional incidents of cracked or fractured hitch receivers reported since the most recent incident reported in May 2011.A safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.For more detailed information, see the attached closing report.