NHTSA Complaint #10463952 — 2005 ITASCA SUNCRUISER

WHILE DRIVING MY ITASCA SUNCRUISER MOTORHOME TO COBB & SON RV REPAIR I NOTICED I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN NORMAL SPEED. ARRIVED AT COBB AND EXPLAINED TO RITCHIE COBB THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING. RITCHIE HAD A TECH MEASURE THE HEAT AT THE BRAKES AND THEY WERE AT 900 DEGREES. INFORMED RECALL FROM WORKHORSE REGARDING A BRAKE ISSUE AND THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED WORKHORSE DEALER FOR REPAIR (100 MILES AWAY). RITCHIE EXPLAINED THIS COULD NOT BE DONE AS THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THERE WOULD BE SERIOUS RISK OF INJURY AND EVEN FURTHER DAMAGE AS THE PADS WERE WORN AND CRYSTALLIZED, CALIPERS BAD, AND THE BRAKE FAILURE HAVE CREATED SERIOUS GROOVES IN THE ROTORS. ADDITIONALLY THE BRAKES HAD ALREADY GONE INTO LOCKING UP MODE. RITCHIE SAID THE REMEDY WAS REPLACEMENT OF ALL THIS PARTS ON ALL 4 BRAKES BECAUSE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE RECALL ISSUE. ASTOUNDED THAT WORKHORSE SAID I WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THEIR DEALER FACILITY(100 MILES AWAY), I PERSONALLY CALLED WORKHORSE. I GOT THE SAME ANSWER FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEN THE HEAD OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEN THIRDLY FROM CARL DAHL THEIR REGIONAL MANAGER. I REFUSED TO RISK DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AT MY EXPENSE AS WORKHORSE REFUSED TO DO SO. MY NEXT SURPRISE WAS THAT WORKHORSE WOULD NOT REPLACE ROTORS, PAD, ETC., EVEN THOUGH THEIR RECALL ISSUE CAUSED ALL THE DAMAGE. A POLICY TO TELL SOMEONE TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND THEN THEY WOULD TOW IT WHEN I BREAK DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IS INSANE AND IRRESPONSIBLE. FURTHER THEY ARE IGNORING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR ALL THE DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THEIR RECALL. I HAVE NOW HAD TO PAY OVER $1,100 TO RESTORE MY BRAKES, PAY FOR TOWING, AND DRIVE 200 MILES TO PICK UP MY MOTORHOME. I NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE TO PERSUADE WORKHORSE TO DO THE ETHICAL AND HONORABLE THING AND REIMBURSE ALL THE MONEY I HAVE SPENT. *JS