NHTSA Complaint #10407696 — 2005 GULF STREAM SUN VOYAGER

ON 3/18/2011 WHILE TRAVELING ON US-65 AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE AUTO PARK BRAKE APPLIED ON OUR GULF STREAM COACH. THE PANEL RED LIGHT STARTING BLINKING AND A LOUD BEEPING NOISE ALSO. WE EXITED THE HIGHWAY VERY STARTLED, NOT KNOWING IF WE COULD STOP OUR COACH. WE NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND I INVESTIGATED. AFTER CONFIRMING WE HAD SERVICE BRAKES, CALLED WORKHORSE (WCC) FACILITY AND WAS TOLD THAT AUTO PARK BRAKE AND SERVICE BRAKES WERE ON 2 SEPARATE SYSTEMS AND SHOULD BE OK TO DRIVE HOME 300 MILES. BUT WE HAD NO PARK BRAKE ON OUR COACH, HAD TO BLOCK WHEELS WHEN PARKED. UPON TAKING RV TO AUTHORIZED WCC SERVICE CENTER IN TOLEDO OHIO WAS TOLD THAT PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY # W8001667 OVERHEATED WHEN IT SUDDENLY APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEED (FOR NO REASON) AND HAD TO BE REPLACED (COST OF APPROX. $2,300). THEY AND THE WCC DISTRICT REP WHO I SPOKE WITH HAD NO EXPLANATION WHY THIS HAPPENED. AND COULD NOT ASSURE ME THAT IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 13,700 MILES ON OUR 2005 GULF STREAM COACH W24 CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH J72 PARK BRAKE SYSTEM. AFTER SEVERAL SEARCHES ONLINE, I.E. IRV2.COM A SITE WHERE NUMEROUS RV OWNERS WITH WCC CHASSIS EXPRESSED AND DISCUSSED THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH SIMILAR CONCERNS AND FEARS. I COULD NOT BELIEVE ALL THE HISTORY OF THESE PROBLEMS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAD AND MOST CONSULTED WCC AND NHTSA. SOME OF WHICH WHEN THIS HAPPENED PUT THEIR FAMILY AND OTHERS IN DANGER. I AM QUITE FRANKLY CONCERNED AND WORRIED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN (WHEN PLANNING OUR NEXT RV TRIP). AFTER DISCUSSING PROBLEM AND LARGE EXPENSE WITH THE DISTRICT REP, WE WERE NOT HELPED WITH REPAIR COST OR COMFORTED KNOWING WHY THIS HAPPENED OR IF IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN PUTTING LIVES IN DANGER. SMITTY'S AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE IN TOLEDO OHIO IS THE AUTHORIZED WCC SERVICE FACILITY OF MY CHOICE WHICH I HAVE HIGH REGARDS AND COMPLETE CONFIDENCE. I AM REPORTING THIS B/C I'M CONCERNED AND WORRIED THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR