2003 Workhorse Chassis

BRAKES ON MOTORHOME VERY POOR, NEVER SURE IT WOULD STOP. IT WOULD SLOW DOWN, JUST KEPT ON PUSHING THE PEDAL AND THE MH KEPT ON MOVING, FINALLY, IT WOULD STOP. COMPLAINED MANY TIMES TO DEALER. JUST SPENT OVER $1700 TO HAVE BRAKES REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT TRUCK GARAGE MECHANIC. HE SAID IT WAS THE POOREST BRAKING SYSTEM HE EVER SAW AND HE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE PARTS HE HAD TO REPLACE WOULD HOLD UP. I HAVE COPIES OF ALL SERVICE AND RECALLS DONE ON THE MH. *TR

(1) ON MY FIRST TRIP IN MY 2003 WORKHORSE CHASSIS R.V. ABOUT 31 MILES INTO THE TRIP IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC I NOTICED ON A SLIGHT UP GRADE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCELERATING LIKE NORMAL. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT UPSHIFTING. (2) I PULLED OVER AND THEN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE . I TOLD THE PASSENGERS TO GET OUT . THE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT AND REAR TIRES,THE TIRES AND WHEELS WERE VERY HOT! ! AFTER GETTING UNDER THE CHASSIS I COULD SEE THE ROTOR WAS SMOKING HOT . I FELT THE HEAT OF THE CALIPERS FROM A COUPLE FEET AWAY . AFTER LETTING THE BRAKES COOL FOR 20 MINUTES I MOVED THE VEHICLE BACKWARDS A FEW FEET ON A SLIGHT GRADE I STILL HAD TO THROTTLE UP TO GO DOWN HILL. SO I LET IT SIT 30 MINUTES MORE .DURING THIS TIME I CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES TO SEE IF IT WOULD MOVE DOWN HILL IN NEUTRAL ,WHEN IT MOVED ON ITS OWN I DROVE TO THE NEAREST EXIT AND STOPPED ON A HILL ,WITH IT IN NEUTRAL IT WOULD ROLL DOWN HILL ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE SMELLED BAD INSIDE. THE TRIP WAS OVER! AFTER IT COOLED DOWN AND ROLLED ON ITS OWN I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 10 MILES WITHOUT BRAKING THEN I STOPPED TO CHECK TO SEE IF ANYTHING WAS STILL HOT OR ANY BRAKE DRAG, AND THERE WAS NONE . SO I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND IT IS STILL THERE NOW.THE PARTS TO REPAIR ARE IN EXCESS OF 3 THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND THIS FAILURE HAPPEND WITH ONLY 6,300. MILES ON IT !! *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES FAILED TWICE WITHIN 60,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHERE THE ABS SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED AND A BRAKE TUNE UP WAS PERFORMED. NEITHER REMEDY FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE BRAKE FUEL HEATS UP TO A BOILING PASTE CONSISTENCY AND CREATES AIR IN THE BRAKE LINE WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKES TO STICK. THERE IS A RECALL, 04V195000, FOR THIS PROBLEM HOWEVER THE REMEDY ALSO DID NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 7/18/2006 - *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE SHOCK ABSORBERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THE ABS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB