2004 ITASCA SUNCRUISER — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

BRAKE FAILURE, HAPPENED TWO TIMES SO FAR. IT IS CONNECTED TO THE SAFETY RECALL 50901-C. WORKHORSE BRAKE CALIBER HANG UP. COMPANY FAILING TO ACT TO REPAIR W-20, W-22 CHASSIS. WORKHORSE CLAIMS THE HAVE NOTED THE PROBLEM, AND HAVE STARTED TO PRODUCE CALIBERS, THIS WAS STARTED BACK IN 2009. IF THIS COMPANY IS STILL BUILDING THESE CHASSIS'S HOW CAN THE SAY THAT THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ITASCA SUNCRUISER RV. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE STICKING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALL OF THE CALIPERS WERE REPLACED BY THE MECHANIC. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE ROTOR AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE ROTOR WERE REPLACED, IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE BRAKE PADS. THE ENTIRE REPAIR COST $3,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,555.

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 WINNEBAGO ITASCA SUNCRUISER . WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HAD TO DOWNSHIFT IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ABS BRAKE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND HE DROVE INTO A PARKING LOT IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED A TOWING COMPANY TO TAKE HIM TO A REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE HE WAS TOO SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT IT BEING INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. THE REPAIR SHOP HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE REAR BRAKING SYSTEM. THEY ALSO SERVICED THE FRONT BRAKES. THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE THE NEXT DAY AND THE FRONT BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE REPAIR SHOP WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THEY COMPLETELY REBUILT THE FRONT BRAKES AGAIN, EXCEPT FOR THE ROTORS. THE TOTAL COST TO REPAIR THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WAS $2,500. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO FILE A CLAIM WITH WORKHORSE BECAUSE THEY MADE THE CHASSIS, WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT YET HEARD BACK FROM WORKHORSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. UPDATED 11/07/08 *BF UPDATED 11/07/08. 8JB

THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS A 2004 ITASCA SUNCRUISER 35 FOOT MOTORHOME BUILT ON A WORKHORSE W22 CHASSIS. IT WAS PURCHASED ON JUNE 30, 2004. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW WITH 1911 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND HAD 11391 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. ON SEP 6, 2007 WHILE TRAVELING FROM THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA TO KISSIMMEE, FL, I NOTICED THE RV PULLING TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKING AS WE APPROACHED KISSIMMEE. WHEN WE PULLED INTO THE CAMPGROUND, I SMELLED ?HOT? FLUID AND NOTED LIQUID DRIPPING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ONTO THE TIRE. THE WHEEL COVER WAS VERY HOT. WHILE MOVING TO OUR CAMPSITE, THE BRAKES WERE VERY SPONGY, ALTHOUGH THEY DID STOP THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE WORKHORSE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND WAS REFERRED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER IN THE AREA. I CALLED THEM AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THE NEXT MORNING. THEY WERE ABLE TO EXAM THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND FOUND BOTH RIGHT SIDE ROTORS SCORED, WITH EVIDENCE THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS HAD SEIZED. THE FLUID ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS DISCOVERED TO BE GEAR OIL, MOST LIKELY FROM THE HUB OVERHEATING. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER PROCEEDED TO REFACE THE RIGHT SIDE ROTORS AND REPLACE THE BRAKE CALIPERS WITH THE ONLY TWO NEW CALIPERS HE HAD AVAILABLE. BRAKE PADS AND OTHER SEALS, GASKETS, ETC WERE REPLACED AS REQUIRED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE TWO LEFT SIDE CALIPERS REPLACED ALSO, AS THEY WOULD PROBABLY FAIL SHORTLY. UNFORTUNATELY, PARTS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WERE ON BACKORDER. HE ALSO INDICATED THERE WASN'T ANYTHING I COULD DO TO PREVENT FAILURE, OTHER THAN WATCHING THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ROTORS ARE NOT DESTROYED IF AND WHEN THE CALIPERS DO SEIZE. UPON RETURNING HOME AND DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT WORKHORSE HAS A HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE CALIPERS. THIS GOES ALONG WITH THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THEM ALL THE TIME. HE SHOWED ME A LARGE PILE OF CALIPER CASTINGS WAITING TO BE RETURNED FOR CORE CREDIT. *TR