WORKHORSE Complaints

SINCE TAKING DELIVERY IN APRIL 2004, PERIODICALLY INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILS FOR SHORT PERIODS. ALL GAUGES GO TO ZERO AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND REMAIN IN THIS STATE FOR 5 - 45 SECONDS. MY WIFE PANICKED THE LAST TIME AND ALMOST CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. WORKHORSE REPROGRAMMED COMPUTER MODULE TWICE (THERE WAS A RECALL INVOLVING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT). THEY THOUGHT THIS WOULD FIX MY PROBLEM, BUT IT DID NOT. THEY HAVE REPORTED TO ME FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON A FIX. DATE IS LAST INSTANCE, BUT IT HAPPENS ON EVERY TRIP AT LEAST ONCE. AT A RECENT GATHERING OF OWNERS ABOUT 20 PEOPLE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY ARE HAVING THE PROBLEM. *NM

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

FOR THE 3RD TIME IN ONE YEAR, THE AUTOMATIC PARKING BRAKE HAS LOCKED ON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ANYWHERE FROM 30-65 MPH. THIS RESULTS IN RAPID DECELERATION AND THEN LEAVES YOU STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY. IN THE LAST CASE, LAST MONTH, THE DECELERATION WAS SO QUICK THAT MY SON HIT HIS FACE ON THE DINING TABLE OF THE RV AND CUT HIS LIP OPEN. *NM

FRONT ENGINE GASOLINE POWERED MOTORHOME WAS IN SERVICE SHOP FOR LEAKING REAR AXLE HUB. AFTER THAT WAS FIXED, SHOP OWNER WAS MOVING UNIT WHEN SIGNIFICANT FUEL WAS OBSERVED LEAKING FROM ENGINE AREA (FRONT OF UNIT) ONTO THE GROUND. FUEL ALSO SOAKED THE CARPET NEAR THE DRIVER AND DRIVER'S FOOT BECAME WET WITH GASOLINE. FUEL LEAKED DUE TO RETAINING CLIP FAILURE ON FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LOCATED ON TOP OF ENGINE ON DRIVER'S SIDE. AS A RESULT, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL FROM FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS ALLOWED TO FLOW FREELY OVER THE ENGINE AND SPRAYED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MOTORHOME WITH SOME FUEL ENTERING THE MOTORHOME WHERE THE ENGINE COVER MEETS THE FLOOR OF THE MOTORHOME. FUEL REGULATOR AND RETAINING CLIP REPLACED. ADDITIONAL DETAILS CAN BE VIEWED HERE: HTTP://IRV2.INFOPOP.CC/GROUPEE/FORUMS/A/TPC/F/8626012545/M/9871080422/P/1. *NM

UPON PURCHASING OUR MOTOR HOME AND PUTTING ON ABOUT 17000 MILES WE EXPERIENCED A MAJOR BRAKE PROBLEM WITH OUR VEHICLE. THE PARKING BRAKE AND OR PARK SHIFT LEVER WITCH BOTH ACTIVATE THE BRAKE AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT ACTIVATED AS WE WERE TRAVELING ON A TWO LANE ROAD. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP WITH THE BRAKES ACTIVATED AND NO WAY TO DISCONNECT OR FREE THE VEHICLE TO MOVE IT. LUCKILY BEING 10 MILES FROM HOME WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN HOME AND PURSUE REPAIRS. AFTER TALKING TO WORKHORSE, THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CHASSIS ,THEY SAID TO HAVE IT FIXED AND SEND THEM A LETTER EXPLAINING THE REPAIRS AND COSTS IN WITCH WE DID ALONG WITH THE PAID REPAIR BILL. THE PROBLEM WAS EXPLAINED TO ME BE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A WORKHORSE DEALER AS FOLLOWS: A PRESSURE SWITCH LEAKED AND THE RESEVOIR BECAME LOW WITCH ACTIVATED THE BRAKE SYSTEM. IN TURN THIS CAUSED THE BRAKE SHOES TO BE WORN THIN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION TAIL SHAFT SEAL AND SWITCH PUMP AND VALVE ASSEMBLY. THIS WAS A VERY COSTLY AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER CONTACTING WORKHORSE AGAIN THEY STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR US. THIS PROBLEM STEMS FROM A BAD SWITCH AND IS RECOGNIZED AS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS CHASSIS. WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN HOME SAFELY AND MAKE REPAIRS BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROBLEM! *JB

ON 9 MAR 2006 I WAS TRAVELING ON LA HIGHWAY 128 ENROUTE TO WINNSBORO, LA IN MY 24' 2004 WINNEBAGO MOTORHOME BUILT ON A WORKHORSE CHASSIS. TIME OF DAY WAS AROUND 7:30 AM, ROAD WAS DRY AND FLAT. TEMPERATURE WAS PROBABLY IN HIGH 60'S (DEG F) TO LOW 70'S. I HAD ENGAGED CRUISE CONTROL AT 50 MPH AND OVERDRIVE WAS ENGAGED. WITHOUT WARNING THE STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE, THE ALLISON 1000 TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF OD INTO 3D GEAR AND THEN IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED INTO 2D GEAR. CRUISE CONTROL REMAINED ENGAGED. ENGINE SPEED REMAINED AT ABOUT 1500-1800 RPM BUT ROAD SPEED DROPPED TO NEARLY 0 MPH. AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE DOWN I SMELLED AN ODOR OF HOT METAL. I INSPECTED THE COACH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE BUT DID NOT FIND ANY VISIBLE SMOKE OR FLAME. I RETURNED TO THE COACH, RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AND PROCEEDED WITHOUT FURTHER DIFFICULTY. DURING THE ABOVE DESCRIBED ACTION THE COACH DID NOT PULL EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT, AND THERE WERE NO ALARMS, EITHER VISUAL OR AURALLY FROM THE DISPLAY LANEL. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT DISK BRAKES CLOSED ON THE ROTORS EQUALLY, CAUSING THE COACH TO COME TO A STRAIGHT-LINE STOP. I HAVE READ OF PREVIOUS MODELS (2002 AND PERHAPS 2003) OF THIS SAME CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH CALIPERS HAVING BRAKE PROBLEMS RESULTING IN FIRES AND OTHER SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. I NOW BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS SURFACING ONCE AGAIN, THIS TIME IN THE 2004 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. A CALL TO THE MANUFACTURER RESULTED IN NO OFFER OF A POSSIBLE CAUSE, OR OTHER ADVICE.*JB

CONSUMER WAS NOT INFORMED OF RECALL ON WORKHORSE CUSTOM CHASSIS. *TS THE CONSUMER REQUEST A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL WHICH WAS SENT ON DECEMBER 2004. THE RECALL WAS TO REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL (I/P) CLUSTER SOFTWARE (RECALL NUMBER 50402-C). *NM

DRIVING I70 IN MOUNTAINS GOING EAST BOUND ON WEST SIDE OF FLOYD HILL. THE TRANSMISSION MISS SHIFTED AND DROPPED INTO SECOND AT 65 MPH AND WE WERE ALMOST REAR ENDED BY 18 WHEELER TOOK IT WORKHORSE AND THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG BUT THUS WAS THE THIRD THIS HAPPENED THIS IS A P32 WORKHORSE. *JB

CONSUMERS BRAKES WERE NOT RELEASING ALL THE WAY CAUSING MOTORHOME TO DRAG. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET THE MOTORHOME TO REACH 55 MPH SO HE COULD USE THE OVER DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING , THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE BAS LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER REALIZED THERE WAS A SERIOUS BRAKE PROBLEM WHEN HE HAD TROUBLE STOPPING AND THEN HAD TROUBLE PULLING AWAY FROM IT. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, HE NOTICED OIL RUNNING OUT OF THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND ALL 4 BRAKES WERE SMOKING, THE BRAKES HAD LOCKED UP AND THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING THE MOTORHOME OFF THE ROAD. THE LACK OF POWER THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED WAS DUE TO THE BRAKES NOT RELEASING. THE CONSUMER CALLED A TOW TRUCK, WHEN THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER DISCONNECTED THE DRIVESHAFT HE DISCOVERED WHY THE ABS LIGHT HAD COME, THE SENSOR AND WIRE WERE COMPLETELY MELTED. THE MECHANIC FIXED THE RESULT OF THE MALFUNCTION, BUT NOT THE MALFUNCTION. AFTER GETTING THE RV BACK,THE CONSUMER FELT A LOSS OF POWER AND COULD SEE A DROP IN GAS MILEAGE. THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE, BUT WHEN HE TAPPED THE BRAKES THE NOISE WENT AWAY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS EITHER THE BOOSTER PUMP OR BOOSTER PUMP SWITCH STICKING WHICH WAS PREVENTING THE BRAKES FROM RELEASING ALL THE WAY. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 REXHALL MOTOR HOME WITH A WORK HORSE CHASSIS ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE OF THE STEEL WHEELS ON THE MOTOR HOME CRACKED, CAUSING LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. THE CONSUMER HAS HAD THREE WHEELS REPLACED. THE INSPECTION OF THE WHEELS DETERMINED THAT THE CRACK WAS DUE TO A DEFECT. THE CONTACT HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO IT BEING OUT OF STATE AND NO LONGER DEALT WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE, BUT REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CHASSIS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED WORK HORSE, AND THEY REPLACED TWO WHEELS AFTER THEY CRACKED. THE CONTACT WAS WRITING A LETTER TO WORK HORSE TO INFORM THEM OF THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. *AK