WORKHORSE Complaints

WE HAVE A 2001 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER CLASS A MOTORHOME ON A WORKHORSE W22 CHASSIS. I AM WRITING REGARDING THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM. IN AUGUST 2004, WHILE DRIVING, IT FELT LIKE THE RV WAS GETTING A FLAT TIRE. WE PULLED OVER AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF THAT. ALL THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS AND GAUGES WERE WORKING PROPERLY AND NO WARNING LIGHTS. ON CONTINUING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE, IT WOULD STEER TO THE RIGHT QUITE NOTICEABLY, AND THERE WAS ALSO A SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE LEFT FRONT CALIPER, THE MELTED ABS SENSOR AND THE CRACKED ROTOR DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. I CALLED WORKHORSE AND THEY HAD NO BRAKE, SENSOR OR ROTOR PROBLEMS REPORTED. WE USED OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $1,252.67. WARRANTY PAID $356.68 AND WE PAID $895.99. THE RV HAD 19,335 MILES. SINCE THEN WE HAVE READ OF A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR BRAKE SENSOR PROBLEMS, AND TALKED WITH A CAMPER WHO HAD REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKE PADS THREE TIMES IN LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS. I AM BEGINNING TO THINK THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THERE WAS EVIDENTLY SOME MALFUNCTION FOR THE ABS LIGHT NOT TO GIVE US A WARNING WHEN I CHECKED THE DASHBOARD. WE HAVE BRAGGED ON THE WORKHORSE CHASSIS TO SO MANY OF OUR FRIENDS AND HAVE BEEN REALLY PLEASED WITH ITS PERFORMANCE UP TO THIS POINT. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT WORKHORSE WOULD CHECK INTO THE PROBLEM AND REIMBURSE US AND THE WARRANTY CO.*AK

DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE BOSCH ZOPS BRAKE CALIPER 04V084000 RECALL REPAIRS BECAUSE THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR A MONTH.*AK

THE PARTS TO PERFORM THE BOSCH ZOPS BRAKE CALIPERS RECALL 04V084000 REPAIRS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A MONTH.*AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LOCKED UP WITHOUT INCIDENT. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND AS OF TODAY HAS NOT RECEIVED A RETURNED PHONE CALL. *AK

MOTORHOME 2002 WORKHORSE CHASSIS; AUTOBRAKE SYSTEM, 2 PRESSURE VALVES; ONE AT THE FLUID TANK, SECOND IS ATTACHED TO THE DRIVESHAFT BRAKE HOUSING. BOTH VALVES FAILED AT 24K AND 27K MILES RESPECTIVELY BY EXPLODING AND THE OTHER LEAKING FLUID TO THE ELECTRICAL OUT WIRES THUS SHORTING OUT THE SYSTEM. THIS RESULTS IN THE M/H BEING TOTALLY UNABLE TO MOVE [ LOCKED DRIVESHAFT] WITHOUT BE TOWED. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO OCCUPANTS AND OTHER TRAFFIC. *JB

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE WOULD GO INTO REDUCED POWER MODE WITH OUT WARNING. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY IN IDLE POWER. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2004. THE DEALER IS EXAMINING THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *NM *NM

HIGH NUMBER OF FAILURES OF BRAKING SYSTEM. *MR (IN RE: WORKHORSE SYSTEM) WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE DRIVER COULD FEEL THE TIGHTENING OF THE CABLES AND THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PADS AND DRUMS. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH FAILURE AND AN OIL LEAK. THE OIL HAD SPILLED ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CAUSING SMOLDERING. THE CONSUMER SUGGESTED THAT IF THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING, THE OPERATOR WOULD NOT REALIZE THE FAILURE, AND UPON PARKING AND SETTING THE PARK BRAKE AND OR EMERGENCY BRAKE, THE DRIVER WOULD NOT KNOW THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKING CAPABILITY. (2000 GEORGETOWN MOTORHOME ON A WORKHORSE CUSTOM CHASSIS 1999) *SC *JB

AUTOMATIC PARK WARNING LIGHT CAME ON ON DASHBOARD OF MY 2000 WORKHORSE P-32 CHASSIS MOTORHOME. DROVE TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS A FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE SWITCH, PART NUMBER 15961566. TOTAL FAILURE CAUSES LOCK UP OF BRAKE AND IMMOBILIZES THE VEHICLE. PART REPLACED BY DEALER (AT MY EXPENSE), FIXING THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM.*AK

WE HAVE A 2001 DUTCHSTAR CLASS A MOTORHOME, BUILT ON WORKHORSE CHASSIS NUMBER 28321. I AM WRITING FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. THE FIRST BEING THAT I AM REQUESTING INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE RECALLS THAT INCLUDE THIS UNIT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE TWO CAMPAIGNS FOR THE 2001 WORKHORSE CHASSIS, NHTSA # 04V084000, HAVING TO DO WITH SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC AND # 01V317000, HAVING TO DO WITH SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:U-BOLT, LEAF SPRING TO AXLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER OUR UNIT IS INCLUDED AND IF SO, WHY WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE SECOND REASON I AM WRITING HAS TO DO WITH THE ABS BRAKE SENSORS ON THE FRONT WHEELS. IN OCTOBER OF 2003, WE HAD TO HAVE THE RIGHT BRAKE SENSOR REPLACED AFTER IT HAD BURNED UP WITH ONLY 13,523 MILES ON THE UNIT. ON JULY 6, 2004, BOTH FRONT ABS BRAKE SENSORS BURNED UP AND REQUIRED REPLACING WITH ONLY 16,367 MILES. LUCKILY, WE WERE TRAVELING AT A LOW SPEED AS THE LACK OF THE SENSORS APPARENTLY CAUSED BOTH FRONT BRAKES TO LOCK UP, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HAD WE BEEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY INSTEAD OF A CITY STREET. WHILE I REALIZE THAT THE UNIT IS OUT OF THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY, THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT WHEN THE SAME UNITS BURN UP WITHIN 3000 MILES. I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN TO A FRIEND THAT HAS A 2002 W22 CHASSIS AND SHE HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, CAUSING HER TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT SENSORS. THESE SENSORS SHOULD BE DESIGNED TO LAST A LOT MORE THAN 16,000 MILES AND CERTAINLY MORE THAN 3,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT WORKHORSE SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REIMBURSE US FOR THE COST ($365.35) OF THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH ABS BRAKE SENSORS. *LA

MY ONE-MONTH-OLD 2001 WORKHORSE/CHEVROLET 18,000 GVW CHASSIS MOTORHOME HAD PARTIAL FAILURE OF ITS AUTOPARK BRAKING SYSTEM. THERE WERE VERY UNSETTLING NOISES WHILE DRIVING. MY INSPECTION REVEALED LEAKING BRAKE/TRANS FLUID. PERSONALLY PERFORMED A TEMPORARY FIX BY ATTEMPTING TO TIGHTEN FITTINGS AND CONTINUALLY TOPPING OFF QUARTS OF ATF FLUID IN BRAKING SYSTEM UNTIL ABLE TO GET TO A REPAIR AGENCY IN ANCHORAGE, AK. NOW I HAVE COME TO REALIZE HOW LUCKY WE WERE THAT THE SYSTEM DID NOT LOCK UP AND CAUSE AN UNEXPECTED AND DANGEROUS STOP ON THE HIGHWAY. A SEAL WAS REPLACED AND THE SYSTEM HAS WORKED OK SINCE,BUT I WISH TO EXPRESS SERIOUS CONCERN OVER THE DESIGN AND DURABILITY OF THIS (MOST UNUSUAL AND UNNECESSARILY COMPLEX) "SYSTEM"! I NO LONGER DRIVE WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN THIS SYSTEM'S DURABILITY.