NHTSA Complaint #10260267 — 2003 WINNEBAGO BRAVE

I PURCHASED A NEW WINNEBAGO BRAVE MOTORHOME IN 2003 WITH A WORKHORSE CHASSIS. IN OCTOBER OF 2006 I BEGAN FEELING THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKE WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO THE MOTORHOME. I REMOVED THE FRONT WHEELS AND DISCOVERED HUGE CRACKS IN THE DISC BRAKE ROTORS. I REPLACED THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS AND THE DISC PADS ON 10-31-2006 (I HAVE RECEIPT). I ALSO DISCOVERED, WHILE REPLACING THE BRAKE PARTS, THAT THE CALIPERS WERE BINDING AT THE SLIDE PIN. I CLEANED THE PINS AND APPLIED SOME WHITE LITHIUM GREASE SO THE CALIPERS WOULD MOVE SMOOTHLY AGAIN. APPROXIMATELY 1 AND A HALF YEARS LATER I DISCOVERED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS AND BINDING OF THE REAR CALIPER. ON 03-10-2008, I REPLACED THE REAR ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS. I ALSO LUBRICATED THE REAR CALIPER PINS. THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE APPROXIMATELY $600(I DID THE LABOR MYSELF). LAST WEEKEND (02-22-2009) I SAW THAT THE LEFT REAR CALIPER WAS LEAKING FROM THE PISTON BOOT. I CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN AND ASKED THEM FOR A PRICE OF A CALIPER REBUILD KIT. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CALIPERS COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW CALIPERS. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD GELLED FROM THE EXTREME HEAT OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. AT THIS POINT I WAS COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM OF THE MOTORHOME. ALMOST EVERY PART WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. I LOOKED UP MY PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH WORKHORSE CHASSIS BETWEEN 2001-2005 I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CHASSIS, "WORKHORSE" AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRODUCT. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BRAKE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY MOTORHOME DID NOT HAVE A VIN # THAT WAS PART OF THEIR RECALL. EVEN THOUGH IT FELL IN THE 2001-2003 YEAR. THE TECH MANAGER AT WORKHORSE, GREG DID NOT WANT TO HELP ME WITH THE REPAIR OF MY MOTORHOME AND DID NOT WANT TO DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING OTHER MOTORHOMES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR