2003 Workhorse Chassis

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE FAILED. THE BRAKE CALIPER SEIZED WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKE TO OVERHEAT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TOT HE FLOOR AND THE ALARM SOUNDED AND THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AT THAT TIME. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING AT 10 MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE NEXT DAY, EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. THE CONTACT DROVE THE RV HOME SLOWLY AND DIDN'T NOTICE ANY PROBLEMS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AS OF 11/19/12 THE RV HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. UPDATED 12/10/12 *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE W22 CHASSIS WITH 24,000 MILES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 09V110000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC. THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE FRONT BRAKES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED ON THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BECAUSE OF THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE P32 CHASSIS RV. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE LEFT BRAKES LOCKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE ROAD AND ALLOW THE BRAKES TO COOL. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING TO HIS DESTINATION WITHOUT BRAKES. AN AUTHORIZED WORKHORSE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HIS VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,940. UPDATED 08/03/10. *LJ UPDATED 08/04/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. THE BRAKE CALIPERS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE SEEMED TO OCCUR AT ALL SPEEDS WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT DUE TO THE PARTS BEING UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,000.

THIS LETTER IS TO COMMUNICATE MY DISAPPOINTMENT IN MY WORKHORSE CHASSIS. ON JANUARY 1, 2008 WE WERE MOVING OUR MOTOR HOME TO A NEW RV PARK FOR THE MONTH. I STARTED TO SMELL A BAD ODOR WHILE DRIVING IN MODERATE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I PULLED THE COACH INTO A SERVICE STATION TO DISCOVER A SMOKING AND STUCK HOT BRAKE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR. I UNHOOKED MY TOW VEHICLE AND BACKED UP MY COACH AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE BRAKE TO RELEASE. I CONTACTED A WORKHORSE SERVICE CENTER FOR AN APPOINTMENT. AT THAT TIME THEY INFORMED ME THEY ONLY DO WARRANTY WORK ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS. I THEN CONTACTED A SERVICE PERSON TO COME TO MY COACH AS I DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE THE UNIT. AT THAT TIME THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES AT A COST OF $ 1,989.19. ON OCTOBER 31, 2008 WE EXPERIENCED A THUMPING VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN IN TENNESSEE. AFTER WE GOT DOWN, I STOPPED THE COACH TO CHECK FOR HOT BRAKES. THEY SEEMED TO BE OK SO WE PROCEEDED TO MOVE ON TO BRADENTON, FLORIDA WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON NOVEMBER 5, 2008 WE HAD THE FRONT BRAKES REPAIRED AT A COST OF $339.63 FROM A WORKHORSE SERVICE CENTER. THEY ASSURED ME THE BRAKES WERE OK AT THAT TIME. SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING HOME FOR THE SUMMER I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL 50901-C BUT FELT THERE WAS NOTHING TO DO BECAUSE OF THE ABOVE REPAIRS. ON OCTOBER 30, 2009, WE WERE DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON OUR WAY TO GULF SHORES, AL. MUCH TO MY DISMAY WE ARRIVED AT THE RV PARK AND SMELLED SOMETHING HOT AGAIN. I STOPPED TO INSPECT THE COACH AND FOUND THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT BRAKE WAS OVERHEATED. WE WAITED FOR THE BRAKE TO COOL BEFORE MOVING TO OUR SITE. THE PAST SUMMER I STORED MY UNIT INSIDE AND DROVE IT ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH WHEN I EXERCISED MY GENERATOR. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE WORKHORSE CHASSIS! AT THIS POINT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO TO FEEL SAFE ON THE ROAD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING AND THE BRAKES WERE BURNING. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER AND INSPECTED THE HUBS OF THE TIRES TO SEE IF THEY WERE HOT. AFTER INSPECTING THE HUBS, HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SEEMED NORMAL. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND, APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES LATER, THE STEERING COLUMN JERKED OUT OF HIS HANDS TO THE RIGHT. HE MADE A U-TURN TO RETURN THE VEHICLE TO THE STORAGE YARD, BUT WHEN HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. HE STOPPED AT A BRAKE SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 20,000.

WHILE DRIVING MY RV I BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. I PARKED AND FOUND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT VERY HOT AND SMELLED OF BURNING MATERIAL. I NOTICED THE FRONT WHEEL COVERS WERE TOO HOT TO TOUCH. I CALLED THE SELLING DEALER AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE CHASSIS MANUFACTURER WHO IN TURN ADVISED TO CALL THE AUTHORIZED WORKHOUSE DEALER IN TOWN WHO THEN ADVISED ME TO CONTACT A TRANSMISSION COMPANY IN NEARBY CORPUS CHRISTI AND NOT DRIVE THE UNIT BUT HAVE IT TOWED. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION HAD LOCKED DOWN FOR SOME REASON AND NOT TO DRIVE IT FURTHER. I HAD THE UNIT TOWED. THE TRANSMISSION COMPANY LATER ADVISED NOTHING WAS WRONG BUT THAT SOME LOOSE BATTERY CABLES WERE TIGHTENED. THEN A MONTH LATER WHILE DRIVING MY RV I NOTICED THE UNIT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND I AGAIN FOUND THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL COVER WAS HOT. I CONTACTED THE AUTHORIZED WORKHORSE DEALER IN TOWN AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY DID NOT DO BRAKE WORK BUT REFERRED ME TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND ASK THAT THE FRONT BRAKES BE DISMANTLED, INSPECTED, CLEANED, AND GREASED. THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED AND NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT HE WAS NOT SURE IF THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED BUT ONLY TIME WOULD TELL. HE DOES NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE REMAINS SOME KIND OF HYDRAULIC PROBLEM WITHIN THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM. IN SUMMARY, TOTAL COST EXPENDED TO DATE AMOUNTS TO $750. AND I AM NOT SURE IF THE UNIT IS SAFE TO DRIVE AS THE PROBLEM MAY RESURFACE, THE UNIT FAIL TO STOP, OR CATCH ON FIRE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET FINDS A HOST OF COMPLAINTS PINPOINTING THE BRAKES ON A WORKHORSE CHASSIS. THESE COMPLAINTS INCLUDING SOME DIRECTED TO NHTSA APPEAR TO DOCUMENT MY CURRENT PROBLEM. I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THE MANUFACTURER VIN NUMBERS MAY PINPOINT THE RANGE OF PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION BUT MAY NOT RULE OUT THE MANUFACTURER USING UP INVENTORY OF DEFECTIVE PARTS TO COMPLETE THEIR WORK BEFORE CHANGING TO NEW IMPROVED PARTS. REFERENCE: NHTSA ACTION NO. EA07016, NHTSA COMPLAINT NO.S 10160192, 10209084, 10215202, 10226637, AND 10237100. *TR

BRAKES OF A WINNEBAGO BRAVE 2003 BOUGHT BRAND NEW, WERE SMELLING IN 2006. HAD THEM CHECKED AT A WORKHORSE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE BRAKES WERE FINE. WENT ON A TRIP AND AFTER 5 MILES, THE BRAKES SMELLED AWFUL AND DIDN'T WORK. LIMPED TO A REPAID PLACE WINNEBAGO SALES RECOMMENDED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WORKHORSE WITHIN 50 MILES & COULDN'T DRIVE WITHOUT BRAKES, THE MILEAGE IS 29,114. THE FRONT BRAKES CALIPERS FROZE AND OVERHEATED AND BURNED UP THE BRAKES, GOT THE BACK BRAKES CHECKED AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. SPOKE TO WORKHORSE AND WAS TOLD THEY DON'T MAKE THINGS AS GOOD AS BEFORE. THE MAN SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOTHING HE COULD DO, ALSO THE DASH AIR COMPRESSOR WENT BAD AFTER WE HAD THE A/C FIXED TWO OTHER TIMES. I SPOKE TO WINNEBAGO AND THEY POINTED TO WORKHORSE AND WORKHORSE POINTED TO WINNEBAGO. NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH ALL THESE BILLS AND I AM SO AFRAID TO GO ANYWHERE IN THIS MOTORHOME WHICH COST $114,000 NEW. I FOUND A LOT OF PROBLEMS LIKE THIS ONLINE WITH WORKHORSE. I HAVE A EXPENSIVE DUD NOW AND WANT MY REPAIR MONEY BACK AND ASSURANCE THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN OVER AND OVER. IF I HAD MADE IT TO THE INTERSTATE WITH NO BRAKES, I WOULD HAVE HAD A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. I SEE THAT NHTSA IS INVESTIGATION (PE07032) IS INVESTIGATING WORKHORSE CUSTOM CHASIS SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, IS THERE ANY RECALL ON THIS? I HAVE OWNED MOTORHOMES SINCE 1976 AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. ROBERT WILLIAMS. *TR

ON A RECENT TRIP TO THE FLORIDA KEYS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED THE BRAKES AND THEY SEEMED ALRIGHT FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION IN JAN '08. THE REPAIR FACILITY ADVISE THAT ALL THE BRAKES HAD BEEN OVERHEATED, FOUND CALIPERS SEIZING UP DAMAGED WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. THEY REPLACED CALIPERS, ROTORS, PADS AND WHEEL SPEED SENSORS ALSO DRILLED AND INSTALLED A GREASE FITTING ON THE SERVICE BRAKE PEDAL BELL CRANK TO PREVENT FUTURE SEIZING AND DAMAGE NEW BRAKE COMPONENTS. I HAVE THE DAMAGED PARTS. *TR