2003 Workhorse W22

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE CHASSIS W22. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKE UNIT BEGAN OVERHEATING AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY A SOLUTION OR PROVIDE A REMEDY. AS OF AUGUST 6, 2008, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,130.

THE FIRST INCIDENT WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO FLORIDA. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE DOWN A STEEP GRADE IN TENNESSEE. I APPLIED THE BRAKES HARDER THAN USUAL AND FELT A RUMBLE IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY, THE RUMBLE WAS GONE. I PROCEEDED TO FLORIDA AND PARKED MY RV FOR 2 WEEKS AND THEN MOVED TO ANOTHER RV PARK FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON JANUARY 1, 2008 I MOVED THE RV TO ANOTHER RV PARK ABOUT 35 MILES AWAY. WHILE I WAS DRIVING I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES HARDER THAN USUAL BECAUSE OF A SIGNAL LIGHT CHANGE. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I SMELLED A HOT SMELL AND FELT THE RUMBLE IN THE BRAKES WHILE BRAKING, AS IN THE FIRST INCIDENT. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AT A SERVICE STATION TO ASSESS THE PROBLEM AND MY REAR BRAKE WAS SMOKING. AFTER EXAMINING THE BRAKE AREA I DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE WAS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. BY THIS TIME I WAS ONLY ABOUT A MILE FROM THE RV PARK SO I FREED UP THE BRAKES AND LET THEM COOL BEFORE PROCEEDING. THE SERVICE PERSON THAT REPAIRED MY BRAKES STATED THAT THE CALIPERS WERE RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT THEY STUCK WHEN APPLIED HARD. WHILE AT THE RV PARK, ANOTHER RV PULLED IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HE ALSO HAD THE SAME CHASSIS AS I HAVE. SO AFTER RETURNING HOME FOR THE SUMMER I WENT ON TO THE RV.NET SITE AND READ THEIR FORUM REGARDING BRAKE ISSUES AND WAS ASTOUNDED AS TO THE NUMBER OF OWNERS THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE AS I HAD. I HAVE OWNED MANY RV'S IN MY DAY AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS KIND OF ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE REGARDING THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE CHASSIS W22. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CALIPERS IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM OVERHEATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V084000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY $3,000 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE HIS YEAR WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,000. THE PROBLEM WOULD ALSO LEAD TO WHEEL LOCK-UP UPDATED 06/25/08

FRONT BRAKES HAVE LOCKED UP TWICE ON THIS WORKHORSE W22 CHASSIS. THE FIRST TIME THEY WERE PATCHED UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE CALIPERS WERE NOT REPLACED AND THEY FAILED AGAIN ONE YEAR LATER. WORKHORSE REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW FROM THEIR PAST EXPERIENCE THAT ALL THE CALIPERS THEY USED OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS ARE BAD. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND HAD I NOT RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND STOPPED THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR FIRE IN THE MOTORHOME IN WHICH MY WIFE AND I WERE RIDING. THEIR FAILURE TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A CURRENT NHTSA INVESTIGATION, SEEMS ALMOST CRIMINAL. IS SOMEONE GOING TO HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY ARE FORCED TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKES. EARLIER IN THE LIFE OF THIS RV THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE PADS DID INDEED CATCH ON FIRE BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND EXTINGUISH THEM BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS BURNED. I WOULD LIKE FOR WORKHORSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PROBLEM AND REPAY ME THE $1,177.37 THAT I HAD TO PAY TO FIX THEIR PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE W22. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, THEY WOULD DRAG AFTER BEING RELEASED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKES WOULD SQUEAK AND GRIND AND BECAME WORN DUE TO RELEASING IMPROPERLY. WORKHORSE CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V084000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE PURCHASE DATE, ENGINE SIZE, AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

RAPID (EXCESSIVE) BRAKE PAD WEAR BY 32,000 MILES AND MOSTLY INTERSTATE DRIVING. EVIDENCE OF DRAGGING CALIPER AS SEEN BY THE UNEVEN OUTER PAD WEAR ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. OVERHEATING AND SURFACE CRACKING ON ROTORS. TOO FREQUENT ABS SENSOR REPLACEMENT. INSPECTION AT AUTHORIZED WORKHORSE SERVICE CENTER DISCOVERED ROTORS SEVERELY CRACKED THROUGH. GIVEN TYPE OF DRIVING AND LEVEL OF MOTOR HOME OWNER EXPERIENCE, BRAKE PARTS SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO WEAR EVENLY AND LAST CONSIDERABLY LONGER THEN MILEAGE POSTED ABOVE. GIVEN NUMBER OF INTERNET BASED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, I BELIEVE ROOT CAUSE OF MALFUNCTION OF BRAKE SYSTEM WAS NOT IDENTIFIED AND ADDRESSED. CALIPERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND WEREN'T. LOW MILEAGE OR LACK OF USAGE CANNOT BE ARGUED IN THIS CASE , AS WORKHORSE CONTENDS IS A MAJOR FACTOR. *TR