2004 National RV Seabreeze

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NATIONAL RV SEABREEZE RV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V059000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: SWITCHES:BRAKE WARNING) AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ROTORS WERE FRACTURED AND THE BRAKE PADS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO THE DEFECT OF THE CALIPERS, WHICH WERE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,776. UPDATED 12/28/2011 *LN

I WAS TAKING MY 2004 NATIONAL DOLPHIN RV TO BE SERVICED IN OCALA FLORIDA. IT HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE ON VEHICLE (12,800) AND WHILE ENROUTE, I FELT THE VEHICLE BEGIN SHAKING FROM THE CHASSIS AREA, SO I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER. I FOUND THAT I DID NOT HAVE ANY BREAKS, EVEN WHEN I PUMPED THE PEDAL. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN I GOT OUT TO CHECK ON WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, I COULD SMELL THE ODOR OF BURNT BRAKES AND THE FRONT HUB WAS SO HOT I COULDN'T TOUCH IT. AFTER A COOL DOWN REST, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT ON TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, SINCE THEY WERE ONLY ABOUT 3 MILES UP THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DISC BRAKE CALIPERS ARE LOCKING UP, CAUSING OVERHEATING OF BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE ABS SENSORS MELTED, ALL OF WHICH RESULTED IN THE INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE. ALTHOUGH NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, IT WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. THE REPAIRS WILL COST $3200, WHICH I DO NOT HAVE AND THEREFORE WILL HAVE TO LET IT SIT UNTIL I CAN AFFORD IT. HOWEVER, BASED ON FOLLOW UP RESEARCH, I FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE WORKHORSE W-22 CHASSIS AND BOSCH BRAKES. THEREFORE I WANT TO MAKE SURE I ADD MY NAME AND COMPLAINT TO THAT OF THE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE DONE SO. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ON A 2 LANE BACK ROAD AND NOT ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY OR WORSE, IN A CROWDED CITY AREA. THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS AS NOT ONLY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BUT ALSO A COSTLY ONE. WITH LESS THAN 13,000 MILES, I SHOULD NOT HAVE WORRY ABOUT SAFE BRAKES OR SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR WHAT I CONSIDER IS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN ERROR. THIS PROBLEM SEEMED TO PRETTY MUCH GO AWAY ONCE WORKHORSE CHANGED BRAKE SYSTEMS OR PORTIONS THEREOF. *TR

COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING WHILE DRIVING 2004 DOLPHIN MOTORHOME BUILD ON WORKHORSE W22 CHASSIS. MILEAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 34700. HAD TO USE GEARING AND EMERGENCY BRAKE TO CONTROL MOTORHOME. AFTER PARKING INSPECTED MASTER CYLINDER FOR FLUID AND FOUND BOTH RESERVOIRS FULL. COULD SMELL HOT BRAKES O REAR OF COACH. AFTER COOLING OVERNIGHT BRAKE FUNCTION RETURNED BUT HAD ABS LIGHT. MOTORHOME TAKEN TO LOCAL WORKHORSE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED BRAKE BINDING ON REAR AXLE FOR BOTH CALIPERS. THERE IS A RECALL FOR BOSCH SLIDE PIN CALIPERS BUT NOT CURRENTLY FOR MY VIN NUMBER 43382489 BUT THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL IS IDENTICAL TO MY PROBLEM. I HAVE WRITTEN WORKHORSE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND AM AWAITING A REPLY. SINCE THE BOSCH CALIPERS ARE THE SAME PART NUMBER FOR ALL FOUR WHEELS I BELIEVE THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED. THERE ARE SEVERAL BLOGS CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM INCLUDING A2006 MODEL W22. LOCAL WORKHORSE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL FOUR CALIPERS WHICH IS BEING DONE BEFORE I WILL DRIVE UNIT AGAIN. NO DOUBT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED FOR MANY MORE W22 CHSSIS VIN NUMBERS AND SHOULD BE FOR SAFETY REASONS. THESE BRAKES ARE HYDRAULIC WITH HYDROBOOST. MOTORHOME IS A DOLPHIN LX 6355. *TR

TOOK MOTORHOME (WORKHORSE W22 CHASSIS) TO GET GAS, APPROX 5 MILES. GOT GAS AND RETURNED. LITTLE TRAFFIC, FLAT ROAD, 45 MPH. UPON RETURN, BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE SMOKING. THIS FOLLOWS PREVIOUS FAILURES OF BOTH REAR BRAKES. MOTORHOME HAS LESS THAN 24,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, INCLUDING TWO COMPLETE REPLACEMENTS OF BRAKE FLUID. NOTIFIED WORKHORSE AND THEY RESPONDED THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOT INVOLVED IN ANY BRAKE RECALLS. *TR

POSSIBILITY OF OVER-WEIGHT PROBLEMS. 2004 NATIONAL RV, INC. LITERATURE STATES A DOLPHIN LX MODEL 6355 THAT THE 'MAXIMUM CARRYING CAPACITY' IS 2340 LBS AND 'CARGO CARRYING CAPACITY' IS 896 LBS., HOWEVER, THIS EVIDENTLY DOES NOT ADDRESS THE INSTALLATION OF A 'WASHER/DRYER COMBINATION' THAT THE MOTORHOME IS PLUMBED FOR NOR INSTALLATION OF THE FOLLOWING: SATELLITE DISH, TOW BAR, PERSONAL BELONGINGS, FOOD STORAGE, DRIVER AND PASSENGER, PETS ETC. I HAVE HAD MY MOTOR HOME WEIGHED 4 TIMES BOTH LOADED AND EMPTY AND ALL TIMES WITH A 'FULL FUEL, WATER AND 'LPG' TANK'. IT EITHER EXCEEDS OR BORDERLINE THE PUBLISHED WEIGHTS. (WEIGHT SLIPS ARE AVAILABLE) NATIONAL RV WEIGHED THE MOTOR HOME AND DISAGREES WITH THE 'CERTIFIED SCALE' WEIGHTS. BOTH 'WORKHORSE CHASSIS MANUFACTURING, AND ,MICHELIN TIRE MANUFACTURER' STATE OVERLOADING OF ANY KIND COULD AND PROBABLY WOULD 'VOID THE WARRANTY'. THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF THE 'STORAGE COMPARTMENTS' GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF AVAILABLE STORAGE CAPACITY. THIS IS A FALLACY. AT THE VERY LEAST, NATIONAL RV SHOULD CONTACT ALL 'MOTOR HOME' OWNERS AND SUPPLY LABELS FOR 'STORAGE COMPARTMENT DOORS' DETAILING THE POSSIBILITY OF OVER LOADING ISSUES. OVER LOADING OF A CHASSIS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO HANDLING PROBLEMS AND OVERLOADING OF THE TIRES CAN LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURE. THIS COMBINED WITH THE OVER-WEIGHT PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO A MAJOR ACCIDENT. NATIONAL RV HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT I AM FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DOLPHIN LX 6355 IS NOT IN THE NHTSA DATABASE. *JB

RE: VIN # [XXX] FLEETWOOD 2004 EXCURSION 39S CLASS A MOTOR HOME (PURCHASED 8/4/03) THE CHASSIS ON THIS RV COULD CAUSE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP ON THE ROAD AT LEGAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS.DRIVING WITH NO WIND TO SPEAK OF YOU ARE CONSTANTLY CORRECTING THE STEERING, WITH 10 MPH WIND, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. WHEN A TRUCK PASSES, IT HAS BLOWN ME OFF THE ROAD. THE MOTOR HOME CONTINUALLY ROCKS BACK AND FORTH FROM SIDE TO SIDE. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR