NHTSA Complaint #10277550 — 2005 WORKHORSE W22

WORKHORSE HAS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES. MY MOTOR HOME IS PART OF THE RECALL. LAST WEEK MY BRAKES OVERHEATED AND I HAD NO BRAKES. I CALLED WORKHORSE AND THEY AGREED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE RECALL. HOWEVER,DURING THE REPAIR PROCESS THEY ARE SAYING CERTAIN PARTS ARE MAINTENANENCE PARTS AND ARE THE CUSTOMERS RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP. AN EXAMPLE IS THE BRAKE FLUID, WHICH BRAKES DOWN UNDER HIGH HEAT CONDITIONS. THEY SAY IT IS A MAINTENANCE ITEM BECAUSE THE BRAKES SHOULD BE BLED ONCE A YEAR (THIS IS NOT IN THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL). THIS PROCEDURE LOSES AN OUNCE OF BREAK FLUID AND DOES NOT REQUIRE A COMPLETE PURGE OF THE BREAK SYSTEM, WHICH IS REQUIRED WHEN THE BRAKE FLUID IS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. ALSO THE ROTORS ARE CONSIDERED A MAINTENANCE ITEM WHEN CHANGING THE BRAKE PADS. DURING THIS REPAIR PROCESS THE ROTORS ARE NOT COVERED, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE OBVIOUS DAMAGE, UNLESS THEY ARE STARTING TO DISINTEGRATE. I BELIEVE IF THESE ITEMS NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT DAMAGE THEY SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE RECALL AND NOT BE CONSIDERED MAINTENANCE ITEMS AND CUSTOMER RESOPNSIBILITY. I AM FULLY AWARE OF NORMAL MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES AND KEEP THE MAINTENANCE ON MY MOTOR HOME CURRENT. I JUST DON'T BELIEVE I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE ITEMS WHEN THEY FAIL DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR