2002 Workhorse W20

THE EA WAS OPENED TO GAIN A TECHNICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE CAUSES FOR ONE OR MORE DISC BRAKE CALIPERS ON A SUBJECT VEHICLE TO SUFFER SEVERE OVERHEATING. THE OVERHEATING CAUSED BRAKE DRAG, MELTING ABS SENSORS, SMOKING, BRAKE LINING FIRES, AND IN SOME CASES BOILING BRAKE FLUID RESULTING IN DIMINISHED STOPPING CAPABILITY.BASED ON TESTING, WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT DATA ANALYSIS, FIELD TRIPS AND INTERVIEWS WITH OWNERS, MECHANICS AND SERVICE MANAGERS, ODI BELIEVES THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT IS WATER SWELL OF THE PHENOLIC CALIPER PISTON AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE PISTON TO FULLY RETURN AFTER THE PEDAL IS RELEASED.A TECHNICAL REPORT IS ATTACHED WITH FULL DETAILS.

ON JUNE 25, 2007, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED OVERHEATING DISC BRAKE CALIPERS AND POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2000-2005 WORKHORSE CHASSIS RECREATIONAL VEHICLES.CURRENTLY ODI IS AWARE OF 651 SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (ODI AND WORKHORSE COMPLAINT POPULATION).ODI ANALYSIS OF THE WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT DATA FURNISHED BY WORKHORSE ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2007, IN RESPONSE TO ODI'S INFORMATION REQUEST INDICATES A DRAMATIC DROP IN BRAKE RELATED COMPLAINTS AFTER THE MAY 2004 BUILD DATE.AT THAT TIME, WORKHORSE INCORPORATED INTO PRODUCTION ZERK FITTINGS AND GREASING OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER'S BELL CRANK LINKAGE.ODI IS ALSO AWARE OF 3,782 UNIQUE WARRANTY COUNTS RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN THE SUBJECT POPULATION.A REVIEW OF THE WARRANTY CLAIMS REVEALS THAT OF THE CLAIMS FILED, ONLY 88 WERE SUBMITTED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER THE MAY 2004 PRODUCTION LINE CHANGE (ADDITION OF ZERK FITTINGS).ODI INTENDS TO OBTAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THERE ARE SEEMINGLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE COMPLAINT DATA AND WARRANTY CLAIMS BEFORE AND AFTER THE MAY 2004 DESIGN CHANGE AND THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE PRE-CHANGE DESIGN. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-016) FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS DERIVED FROM INFORMATION GATHERED DURING PE02-046, BOSCH DISC BRAKE CALIPERS.THIS INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER, NEWMAR.SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE THOSE BUILT WITH A HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM INCORPORATING THE BOSCH ZERO OFFSET PIN SLIDE (ZOPS) CALIPERS.ODI'SCONCERN WASEXCESSIVE WHEEL END HEAT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A WHEEL END FIRE.DURING THE INVESTIGATION, ODI DISCOVERED TWO SPECIFIC NEWMAR VEHICLE MODELS, THOSE BUILT ON NEWMAR CHASSIS AND THOSE BUILT ON A WORKHORSE CHASSIS. AS A RESULT OF THE AGENY'S INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER, ALL NEWMAROWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED (04V-019) AND THE REMEDY WILL BE APPLIED TO THEIR VEHICLES. SOME NEWMAR VEHICLES (1,795) BUILT ON THE WORKHORSE CHASSIS ARE BEING RECALLED BY WORKHORSE (04V-084).THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.FURTHER DETAILS ARE PROVIDED ON PAGES 2, 3, AND 4.COPIES OF BOTH SAFETY RECALLS ARE ATTACHED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 WINNEBAGO ADVENTURER WITH A WORKHORSE W20 CHASSIS MOTOR HOME (RV). THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKES LOCKED AND THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND WAITED FOR THE BRAKES TO COOL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TIMES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE BRAKES WERE BLED AT EACH FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V084000 (SERVICE BRAKES) AND CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V110000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN EITHER RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,392 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,944.

NHTSA ID

10339361

Incident

Oct 19, 2004

Mileage

15,392 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 WORKHORSE CHASSIS W20. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SPONGY WHEN HE DEPRESSED IT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL 09V110000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BECAUSE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD BE CHARGED FOR IT. WHEN THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, HE WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE COMPANY WAS OUT OF BUSINESS AND THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,000.

NHTSA ID

10324026

Incident

May 27, 2008

Mileage

13,500 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 WORKHORSE W20. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MOTOR HOME CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE CALIPERS EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL # 04V084000. THE BRAKES OVERHEATED AND DESTROYED THE REAR SPEED SENSOR. THE REAR BRAKES WERE CLEANED AND ADJUSTED AND THE SPEED SENSOR ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP AND THE MOTOR HOME HAD TO E TOWED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE REAR CALIPER WAS FROZEN. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE BRAKES SEIZED AND THE ABS SENSOR BURNED OUT. THE LEFT FRONT CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE LEFT FRONT WHEELS SPEED SENSOR AS WELL AS THE HUB SEAL. UPDATED 02/09/09 *CN UPDATED 02/10/09. *JB

NHTSA ID

10252092

Incident

May 17, 2006

Mileage

6,000 mi

TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER AND HAD CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V019000 COMPLETED ON 10-26-04. NOW LESS THAN 10,000 MILES SINCE THEN, IT IS BACK AT THE SERVICE CENTER AFTER BRAKE FIRE AND PEDAL LOSS. VEHICLE IS IN NEED OF ROTORS, CALIPERS AND WHEEL SPEED SENSOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239616

Incident

Aug 17, 2008

Mileage

23,239 mi

WE HAD A BRAKE RECALL DONE ON OUR 2002 ITASCA SUNCRUISER MOTORHOME (W20 CHASSIS IN JAN 2005, MILEAGE 9141. WHILE ON VACATION IN JULY 2005, THE BRAKES OVERHEATED AND REPAIRS WERE AUTHORIZED BY WORKHORSE AT NO CHARGE AT MILEAGE 9,687. EXPERIENCED OVERHEATING AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER 2007 AT MILEAGE 28819. REPAIRS DONE AT OUR EXPENSE - REPLACE REAR ROTOR, WHEEL SEAL AND BRAKE PADS, ABS RING, REAR ABS SENSOR. AFTER 249 MILES, REAR BRAKE OVERHEATED AT MILEAGE 29,068, CHECKED FOR DAMAGE DUE TO OVERHEATING BUT THERE WAS NONE. HAD TO PAY FOR LABOR TO MAKE THIS DETERMINATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233082

Incident

Sep 10, 2007

Mileage

28,819 mi

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED HAD RECALL BRAKE WORK DONE WITH 31260 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPAIRED ONLY THE FRONT BRAKED UNDER THE RECALL AND NOT THE REAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS FOR BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES, AND HE STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKES. HE THEN TOOK THE RV BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DID NOT HONOR THE RECALL TO FIX THE REAR BRAKES. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY TOLD HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO LARRY'S RV WHERE THE RECALL CLAIM WAS DENIED AS WELL, BECAUSE HE WAS NOT THE FIRST OWNER. *AK UPDATED 1/31/2007 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10177222

Incident

Dec 27, 2006

Mileage

31,260 mi