2003 Workhorse W20: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
11 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
18,940 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 10 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 11 complaints (63.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 11 | 100.0% |
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 | 7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 1 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 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 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 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 (6). 1 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 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 3 |
2004: 1; 2007: 2; 2008: 5; 2009: 3
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 11 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 10056768 · 2004-02-08 (February 8, 2004)
BRAKES FAILED AT BELOW FREEZING TEMP.EXTREME PRESSURE HAD TO BE APPLIED TO GET MINIMAL BRAKE PRESSURE AFTER WHICH I HAD TO PULL BRAKE PEDAL UP BY HAND. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS FROZE TO THE TOP. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 7,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056768 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10201867 · 2007-09-04 (September 4, 2007)
BRAKE FAILURE. REAR BRAKES OVERHEATED AND BOILED THE BRAKE FLUID. COACH WAS TOWED TO CAMPING TIME RV IN OAKWOOD, GA. IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR OVER A MONTH AWAITING PARTS. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. REAR HUBS TOO HOT TO TOUCH AND BOILED THE BRAKE FLUID.*JB UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE. UPDATED *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 21,880 miles reported. Look up ODI 10201867 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10205270 · 2007-10-09 (October 9, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DAMON WORKHORSE (NA). WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS FLAGGED DOWN BY ANOTHER MOTORIST AND ADVISED TO PULL OVER. ONCE HE PULLED OFF THE ROAD, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED. HE STOPPED THE VEHICLE WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. WHEN THE WHEELS WERE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE SHOES WERE FINE, HOWEVER, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE CALIPER TO BOIL THE BRAKE FLUID. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE CALIPERS AND BRAKE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE C…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205270 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10213573 · 2008-01-03 (January 3, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 WORKHORSE W20. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AS FAST AS IT NORMALLY WOULD. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING SMELLING COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CALIPERS CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY REPLACED THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR BRAKE CALIPERS. THERE IS AN OPEN DEFECT INVESTIGATION FOR THE SERVICE BRAKES: HYDRAULIC (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA07016). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,000. UPDATED 02-06-08. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED A…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10213573 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10220759 · 2008-03-11 (March 11, 2008)
REAR BRAKES OVERHEATING. NO COMPLETE FAILURE. ONLY CAUSED LOSS OF RV VACATION AND MAJOR INCONVENIENCE. PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD TO ALLOW COOL DOWN. DELIVERED TO MECHANIC FOR FLUID CHANGE AND CHECKING AND LUBRICATING OF CALIPERS. THIS SAME THING HAPPENED 10 MONTHS LATER. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 27,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10220759 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10225639 · 2008-04-24 (April 24, 2008)
WE HAVE A 2003 MOTORHOME WITH A W20 WORKHORSE FRAME. I HAVE LOST THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES DUE TO THE FLUID BOILING TWICE DURING NORMAL DRIVING ON LEVEL ROADS (NO HILLS OR MOUNTAINS) BOTH TIMES THE HEAT DESTROYED THE ABS WHEEL SENSORS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 27,684 miles reported. Look up ODI 10225639 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10233626 · 2008-07-09 (July 9, 2008)
WHILE MY 2003 FLEETWOOD SOUTHWIND MOTOR HOME ON A WORKHORSE CHASSIS WAS IN FOR A RECALL ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (ABS) I WAS INFORMED THAT MY BRAKE FLUID HAD OVER HEATED AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM REQUIRED REPLACEMENT (CALIPERS, PADS, ROTORS). ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE FLUID OVERHEATED, TURNED TO A JELLY AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PISTONS TO RETRACT AFTER THE BRAKES HAD BEEN APPLIED. WORHORSE WAS CONTACTED BY DEALER AND THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES. I RETAINED 2 OF THE BRAKE CALIPERS AFTER REPAIRS WERE COMPLETE. R…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,962 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233626 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10239439 · 2008-08-23 (August 23, 2008)
PARTIAL LOCKUP OF REAR CALIPERS ON A 2003 WORKHORSE W-20 CHASSIS ON A 2004 FLEETWOOD FLAIR 33R MOTORHOME AFTER TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES ON RELATIVELY FLAT HIGHWAY ENTERING TRAFFIC WITH STOPLIGHTS. AFTER ABOUT 10 MILES IN THE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, A SLIGHT 'BRAKE SMELL' WAS NOTICED. THIS WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES FROM HOME. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED THE WHEELS AND BOTH REAR WHEELS WERE HOT TO THE TOUCH. AT APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE FROM HOME THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I PUMPED THE PEDAL A FEW…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,681 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239439 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.
09V110000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Reported: 2009-04-03 (April 3, 2009)
NAVISTAR IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR MY 2001-2008 WORKHORSE W20, W21 AND W22 CHASSIS AND CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 THROUGH 2011 MONACO RV ADMIRAL, ARISTA, MONARCH, AND RIPTIDE RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AXLES THAT INCLUDE BOSCH ZOPS OR ZOHT PIN SLIDE HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES. WHEN COMBINED WITH OCCASIONAL OR SEASONAL VEHICLE OPERATION MAY EXPERIENCE CALIPERS STICKING IN THE APPLIED POSITION. THIS CAN RESULT IN ABNORMAL HEAT GENERATION AT THE WHEEL END CAUSING BRAKE DRAG. THE DRIVER WOULD NORMALLY HAVE WARNING OF THE BRAKE DRAG IF UNDETECTED BY THE DRIVER.
Consequence: THE TEMPERATURE INCREASE AT THE WHEEL END CAN EVENTUALLY LEAD TO SOFT PEDAL CONDITIONS DUE TO BRAKE FLUID BOIL, AND POSSIBLE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: WORKHORSE DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL FOUR BOSCH BRAKE CALIPER ASSEMBLIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT WORKHORSE AT 1-877-246-7731.
NHTSA campaign record ↗