Complaint 782989

Complaint Summary

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Owner Narrative

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE BRAKES ON MY 2004 FLEETWOOD PACE ARROW MOTORHOME (WORKHORSE CHASSIS)WILL PERIODICALLY NOT RELEASE AFTER BEING USED TO SLOW OR STOP THE MOTORHOME. THIS CAUSES SEVERE OVERHEATING AT THE EFFECTED BRAKE AND NECESSITATES TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, LET THE BRAKE COOL, AND HOPE IT RELEASES. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED AROUND APRIL 2009 AND I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS DUE TO STOP AND GO TRAFFIC BUT I WAS SUSPICIOUS OF THE SMELL OF BURNING BRAKES. I RECEIVED THE FIRST SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM WORKHORSE IN APRIL OF 2009, BUT NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAD BEEN ADVISED BY A WORKHORSE SERVICE CENTER THAT IF I TAP ON THE OVERHEATED BRAKE WITH A HAMMER IT MAY RELEASE SOONER (NORMAL COOL-DOWN TIME WOULD BE ABOUT 1 TO 1 1/2 HOURS . THE FOURTH INCIDENT OCCURRED IN EARLY OCT 2009 AND WAS QUITE SEVERE. WHEN I TAPPED ON THE BRAKE WITH A HAMMER, BURNING EMBERS FELL FROM THE BRAKE. I LET IT COOL AWHILE AND THEN BEGAN TO POUR WATER ON IT. I COOLED IT WITH WATER FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR AND FINALLY IT RELEASED. TOTAL TIME OFF THE ROAD WAS AROUND 2 1/2 HOURS. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED MY LOCAL AUTHORIZED WORKHORSE SERVICE CENTER (KELLEY CHEVROLET) AND MADE AN APPT.. UPON EXAMINING THE PROBLEM, KELLEY DETERMINED THAT THE VISIBLE CRITERIA ON THE BRAKE DID NOT MATCH THE CRITERIA FOR THE RECALL. KELLEY CALLED THE WORKHORSE REP WHO SUGGESTED TO LUBRICATE THE SLIDERS, WHICH KELLEY DID. (MY $200 EXPENSE) I PUT THE MOTORHOME IN STORAGE IN MID OCT 2009. I RECEIVED AN INTERIM RECALL NOTICE FROM WORKHORSE DECEMBER 2009 STATING THE PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. I RE-ACTIVATED THE MOTORHOME EARLY APRIL 2010 TO PREPARE FOR MY APRIL 16 TRIP. THE NORMAL 2 1/2 HOUR TRIP TOOK ABOUT 4 1/4 HOURS AS I WAS OFF THE ROAD POURING WATER ON THE BRAKES. I CALLED WORKHORSE WHO SAID THEY CAN ONLY AUTHORIZE WORK PER THE RECALL. I TOOK THE RV BACK TO KELLY APRIL 19. I AM IN CONSTANT FEAR OF A FIRE OR LOOSING BRAKES ALTOGETHER CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. LEGAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IF NEED. *TR

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.