Workhorse W21 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
3 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
5,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 to 2008 model years. Data snapshot: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 3 complaints (66.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 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 | 2 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 2; Service Brakes: 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 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 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: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 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 (2). 0 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 |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
2010: 2; 2015: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 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.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10762010 · 2015-09-07 (September 7, 2015)
THE BRAKES BECAME SPONGY AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. I COULD SMELL THE HOT BRAKE FLUID. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON.
Owner-reported narrative. 29,854 miles reported. Look up ODI 10762010 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10354417 · 2010-09-08 (September 8, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 WORKHORSE W21. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V110000, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC. SINCE THE RECALL WAS ISSUED HE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER IN ORDER TO ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. HE WAS TOLD CONTINUOUSLY THAT THE PARTS NECESSARY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,580.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10354417 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
2001: 1; 2002: 1; 2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2005: 1; 2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 1