2002 FLEETWOOD PACE ARROW — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

NOVEMBER OF 2008, I WAS DRIVING THROUGH LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA WHEN MY FRONT BRAKES ON MY 2002 PACE ARROW MOTOR HOME STARTED TO HEAT UP AND SMOKE. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THE BRAKES RED HOT AT THE STEER AXLE. WHILE DOING A INTERNET SEARCH FOR PARTS,I FOUND A RV BLOG SITE WITH OVER 80 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE W22 WORKHORSE CHASSIS WHICH I HAVE. I ALSO LEARNED ABOUT A RECALL BY WORKHORSE. AFTER CALLING WORKHORSE THEY TOLD ME THE UPDATE HAD BEEN DONE BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AT 12,000 MI. IT NOW HAS 17,000 MI. AND I SEE THE UPDATE DIDN'T WORK. I HAVE REPLACED THE WHEEL SEALS, OIL HUB CAPS, AND REBUILT THE CALIPERS ON BOTH STEER AXLES. JUDGING BY THE BLOGS THERE ARE A LOT OF ANGRY W22 WORKHORSE CHASSIS OWNERS NOT GETTING MUCH RESULTS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RESOLVED BEFORE PEOPLE GET INJURED OR KILLED. THE REPAIRS DONE SEEM TO BE A TEMPORARY FIX AS BEST AS MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD MULTIPLE BRAKE FAILURES. THE COST TO ME WAS ABOUT $400.00. I DO HAVE THE SOME OF THE OLD PARTS. I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SENSORS MELTED ALSO. I FEAR GOING BACK OUT ON THE ROAD THAT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE NEXT FAILURE WILL BE OR WHAT THE RESULTS WILL BE. I WAS LUCKY TO BE IN SLOW TRAFFIC , BUT WHAT ABOUT NEXT TIME? THANK YOU. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON DECEMBER 26,2007 WE FELT A DRAG ON THE UNIT AND WE WERE AWARE OF AN ODOR INDICATING SOMETHING WAS HOT. WE STOPPED AND CHECKED INTO A CAMPGROUND. AS WE BACKED INTO THE SITE AND PUT ON THE BRAKE IT WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKES. ENGINE AREA WE OBSERVED FLUID WAS SPLATTERED UNDER THE HOOD. BRAKE FLUID HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE TOP OF THE BRAKE FLUID CONTAINER. WE WERE ABLE TO GET INTO A GARAGE ON SATURDAY 29TH. AND ADVISED THE THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CALIPERS AND THAT WE NEEDED NEW BRAKE CALIPERS AND PROBABLY SHOULD REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER. IT WAS SATURDAY AND THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS NOT AVAILABLE SO ONLY THE CALIPERS WERE REPLACED. WE HAVE NO PICTURES BUT WE DO HAVE THE OLD CALIPERS. WE CONTACTED WORKHORSE BUT SENT A FORM LETTER TELLING US HOW TO USE THE BRAKES AND THAT THE COACH WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FURTHER REIMBURSEMENT. *TR

CUSTOMER CLAIM ABOUT RECALL CAMPAIGN WORK WHICH WAS NOT PROPERLY COMPLETED AND PUT HIM IN PRECARIOUS SAFETY SITUATIONS AND COST HIM MONEY. CUSTOMER WANTS CONCERNS REVIEWED**CC THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEFECT INVOLVED THE BRAKE CALIPER HANGING IN A PARTIAL APPLY POSITION, WHICH BECAME EXTREMELY HOT AND CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO BRAKE PARTS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE CONSUMER HAD BEEN TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THE ROTORS WERE CRACKED, ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE DRIVER SIDE SENSOR WAS LOOSE ALL OF WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. *JB

VEHICLE WAS BUILT WITH GAS GENERATOR. WHILE THE GENERATOR WAS ON THE METAL EXHAUST PIPE MAKE CONTACT WITH A PLASTIC STORAGE, CAUSING THE PLASTIC TO MELT. THIS COULD DEVELOP INTO A FIRE. *AK

THE UNIT IS "TOPPING OUT" AGAINST THE SHOCKS WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES OVER A SERIES OF BUMPS. IT SEEMS AS IF THE UNIT IS TOO LIGHT IN THE FRONT END. THERE IS A 14 FOOT OVERHANG FROM THE BUMPER TO THE CENTER-REAR AXEL. WHEEL BASE IS 228 INCHES AND THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE COACH IS 37'11". THE BRAKING SYSTEM SHAKES LIKE CRAZY AND DOESN'T SLOW THE UNIT DOWN. THIS FAILURE IS RANDOM AND THERE ARE NO CONSISTENT CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THIS FAILURE OCCURS. THE DEALER HAS INVESTIGATED THIS PROBLEM AND CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES.