2004 Workhorse CHASSIS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
34 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
17,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 28 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 24 of 34 complaints (70.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 28 | 82.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 5.9% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 2.9% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 2.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 24 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | 2 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
| Parking Brake | 1 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 24; Electrical System: 5; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper: 2; Engine: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Parking Brake: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (20). 6 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 16 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2004: 1; 2005: 3; 2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 4; 2009: 5; 2010: 16; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10082083 · 2004-08-16 (August 16, 2004)
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE WOULD GO INTO REDUCED POWER MODE WITH OUT WARNING. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY IN IDLE POWER. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2004. THE DEALER IS EXAMINING THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *NM *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10082083 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10119240 · 2005-05-23 (May 23, 2005)
RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V195000 CONCERNING WORKHORSE FMVSS 101 AND 105 INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET THE DEALER TO HONOR THIS RECALL SINCE MID FEBRUARY 2005. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE TOOL TO INSERT THE CORRECT DATA INTO THE IP CLUSTER. THE CONSUMER FOUND A DEALER WHO WAS ABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIRS. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10119240 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10138122 · 2005-09-29 (September 29, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 REXHALL MOTOR HOME WITH A WORK HORSE CHASSIS ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE OF THE STEEL WHEELS ON THE MOTOR HOME CRACKED, CAUSING LOSS OF TIRE PRESSURE. THE CONSUMER HAS HAD THREE WHEELS REPLACED. THE INSPECTION OF THE WHEELS DETERMINED THAT THE CRACK WAS DUE TO A DEFECT. THE CONTACT HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO IT BEING OUT OF STATE AND NO LONGER DEALT WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE, BUT REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CHASSIS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED WORK HORSE, AND THEY REPLACED …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10138122 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10138878 · 2005-10-05 (October 5, 2005)
CONSUMERS BRAKES WERE NOT RELEASING ALL THE WAY CAUSING MOTORHOME TO DRAG. *TS THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET THE MOTORHOME TO REACH 55 MPH SO HE COULD USE THE OVER DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING , THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE BAS LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER REALIZED THERE WAS A SERIOUS BRAKE PROBLEM WHEN HE HAD TROUBLE STOPPING AND THEN HAD TROUBLE PULLING AWAY FROM IT. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, HE NOTICED OIL RUNNING OUT OF THE RIGHT FRONT HUB AND ALL 4 BRAKES WERE SMOKING, THE BRAKES HAD LOCKED UP AND THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING TH…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10138878 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10148629 · 2006-01-10 (January 10, 2006)
CONSUMER WAS NOT INFORMED OF RECALL ON WORKHORSE CUSTOM CHASSIS. *TS THE CONSUMER REQUEST A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL WHICH WAS SENT ON DECEMBER 2004. THE RECALL WAS TO REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT PANEL (I/P) CLUSTER SOFTWARE (RECALL NUMBER 50402-C). *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10148629 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10202766 · 2007-09-12 (September 12, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKES WERE BURNING. THE CALIPERS BECAME SO HOT, THAT THE ABS SENSOR FAILED. THE CALIPER, ABS SENSOR, AND BRAKE PADS WERE ALL REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1,539.04. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. UPDATED 12-12-07. *KB UPDATED
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10202766 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10222296 · 2008-03-25 (March 25, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED AN ODOR. HE STOPPED AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT FOUND NO FAILURE. AS HE CONTINUED DRIVING, THE ODOR INTENSIFIED. THE CHASSIS WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE LOCKED AND CAUSED IT TO STICK TO THE ROTOR. THE FAILURE THEN CAUSED THE ROTOR TO OVERHEAT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTOR, BRAKES, CALIPER, AND DISC PAD SEAL HOSE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 13,880 AND FAIL…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,761 miles reported. Look up ODI 10222296 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10246247 · 2008-10-21 (October 21, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 WORKHORSE CHASSIS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A SMELL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES BEGAN LOCKING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKES WERE HOT. THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED REPEATEDLY EVER SINCE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING REPAIRED AND THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THERE HAS BEEN NO DEFINITIVE DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,9…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10246247 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V195000 · Electrical System
Reported: 2004-04-22 (April 22, 2004)
CERTAIN CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH ACTIA CORPORATE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NOS. 101 "CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS" AND 105 "HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRIC BRAKE SYSTEMS." IF THE BRAKE FAIL INPUT FALLS BELOW A VOLTAGE OF 1.5V, THE BRAKE FAILURE LAMP AND ALARM WILL BE ACTIVATED. ALSO ACTIVATION OF THE ABS TELL TALE WHEN THE ABS IS NOT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING DOES NOT ALWAYS OCCUR.
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Remedy: WORKHORSE WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPROGRAM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN JANUARY 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT WORKHORSE AT 1-877-246-7731.
NHTSA campaign record ↗