NHTSA Complaint #10264267 — 2004 ITASCA SUNCRUISER

WHILE TRAVELING IN FLORIDA DURING FEBRUARY OF 2008, IN MY 2004 ITASCA SUNCRUISER MY RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CALIPER LOCKED UP AND CAUSED MY MOTOR HOME TO PULL TO RIGHT. THE WHEEL BEGAN TO SMOKE AND BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND CONTACT THE WINNEBAGO MOTOR HOME COMPANY. THEY INFORMED ME THE ISSUE WAS A WORKHORSE CHASSIS ISSUE AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT THEM. THEY THEN GAVE ME THE LOCATION OF THE NEAREST WORKHORSE CHASSIS REPAIR CENTER TO MY LOCATION. I CONTACTED THE FACILITY AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO REPAIR THE BRAKE. MR. DAVID NICHOLS OF NICHOLS DIESEL ENGINE SERVICES IN EUSTIS, FLORIDA INFORMED ME THAT THE RIGHT FRONT CALIPER HAD FAILED AND HAD DESTROYED THE WHEEL ROTOR. HE CALLED MR O'NEIL, THE FLORIDA REPRESENTATIVE FOR WORKHORSE BECAUSE THE MOTOR HOME HAD ONLY 11,200 MILES AND WAS A LITTLE OVER A MONTH OUT OF THE THREE YEAR WARRANTY. MR O'NEIL STATED THAT WORKHORSE WOULD ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. NICHOLS DIESEL REPLACED BOTH THE FRONT CALIPERS AND ROTORS AT A COST OF $800.00, AND INFORMED ME THAT WORKHORSE STATED THAT THE SLIDE PINS ON THE CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE LUBRICATED ONCE A YEAR. WHILE TRAVELING IN ALABAMA DURING DECEMBER OF 2008 MY LEFT REAR CALIPER LOCKED UP CAUSING THE BRAKE TO OVER HEAT. THE MOTOR HOME IS SCHEDULED TO HAVE THE BRAKES SERVICED AGAIN AT WARD TRUCK IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. A FRIEND RECENTLY INFORMED ME THAT WORKHORSE W20 AND W22 CHASSIS FROM 2000 TO 2005 WITH BOSH CALIPERS WERE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR A HIGH NUMBER OF BRAKE FAILURES AND THAT I SHOULD FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE REVIEWING AGENCY, NHTSA. IF THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS BRAKE SYSTEM I HOPE IT IS IDENTIFIED AND RECTIFIED BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT . I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY RVERS WHO HAVE THIS CHASSIS AND MODEL YEARS IN QUESTION, AND MANY HAVE STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD BRAKE FAILURES IN THE W-22 CHASIS WHICH IS THE SAME AS MINE. *TR