NHTSA Complaint #10261744 — 2004 NATIONAL RV SEABREEZE

I WAS TAKING MY 2004 NATIONAL DOLPHIN RV TO BE SERVICED IN OCALA FLORIDA. IT HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE ON VEHICLE (12,800) AND WHILE ENROUTE, I FELT THE VEHICLE BEGIN SHAKING FROM THE CHASSIS AREA, SO I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AND PULL OVER. I FOUND THAT I DID NOT HAVE ANY BREAKS, EVEN WHEN I PUMPED THE PEDAL. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN I GOT OUT TO CHECK ON WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, I COULD SMELL THE ODOR OF BURNT BRAKES AND THE FRONT HUB WAS SO HOT I COULDN'T TOUCH IT. AFTER A COOL DOWN REST, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT ON TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, SINCE THEY WERE ONLY ABOUT 3 MILES UP THE ROAD. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DISC BRAKE CALIPERS ARE LOCKING UP, CAUSING OVERHEATING OF BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE ABS SENSORS MELTED, ALL OF WHICH RESULTED IN THE INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE. ALTHOUGH NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, IT WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION. THE REPAIRS WILL COST $3200, WHICH I DO NOT HAVE AND THEREFORE WILL HAVE TO LET IT SIT UNTIL I CAN AFFORD IT. HOWEVER, BASED ON FOLLOW UP RESEARCH, I FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE WORKHORSE W-22 CHASSIS AND BOSCH BRAKES. THEREFORE I WANT TO MAKE SURE I ADD MY NAME AND COMPLAINT TO THAT OF THE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE DONE SO. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ON A 2 LANE BACK ROAD AND NOT ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY OR WORSE, IN A CROWDED CITY AREA. THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS AS NOT ONLY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BUT ALSO A COSTLY ONE. WITH LESS THAN 13,000 MILES, I SHOULD NOT HAVE WORRY ABOUT SAFE BRAKES OR SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR WHAT I CONSIDER IS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN ERROR. THIS PROBLEM SEEMED TO PRETTY MUCH GO AWAY ONCE WORKHORSE CHANGED BRAKE SYSTEMS OR PORTIONS THEREOF. *TR