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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2003 Workhorse W20 Recalls & Complaints

The 2003 Workhorse W20 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 11 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Workhorse dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2003 Workhorse W20. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2003 Workhorse W20 owner complaints

Owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Workhorse W20, describing incidents dated January 6, 2004 to March 18, 2009.

Most-cited components

  • Service Brakes 11 complaints

Newest complaints

  • ODI #10262913 · Filed

    2ND OCCURRENCE OF BRAKE STICKING / DRAG DURING THIS TRIP. R REAR BRAKE DID NOT RELEASE AFTER BRAKING CAUSING DRAG & OVERHEATING. THIS (AND THE PREVIOUS REPORTED INCIDENT) OCCURRED AFTER GOING THROUGH A SECTION OF IN-TOWN STOP & GO TRAFFIC & STOP LIGHTS. THIS OCCURRENCE WAS RECOGNIZED QUICKLY AND WAS…

  • ODI #10262068 · Filed

    BRAKE FAILURE - LOCKUP OF FRONT BRAKE CALIPER / ROTOR CAUSING OVERHEATING AND BRAKE FAILURE. NO SERIOUS INJURY RESULTED. CAUSED TRIP DELAY AND SIGNIFICANT COST TO REPAIR REPLACE BRAKE COMPONENTS AFFECTED. DEALER INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED SIGNIFICANT OVERHEATING AND CRACKING OF THE FRONT ROTORS AND…

  • ODI #10259068 · Filed

    LTR FROM CONGRESSMAN BISHOP ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE AN UPDATE ON AN INQUIRY HE PREVIOUSLY SUBMITTED RE W20 AND W22 CHASSIS BRAKES. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS OVERHEATED. THE BOILING BRAKE FLUID ALSO LEAD TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. *JB

Read all 11 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2003 Workhorse W20 in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

OVERHEATED BRAKE CALIPERS/BOSCH/WORKHORSE

NHTSA #09V110000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA notice

Reported April 3, 2009 · NAVISTAR, INC

Potentially affected: 48,876 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign 50901-C & 51101-C · Owners notified September 16, 2010 · Vehicles built July 24, 2000 – December 19, 2007 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

WORKHORSE RECALL NO. 50901-C AND 51101-C.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

Other Workhorse W20 model years

Check your 2003 Workhorse W20 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Workhorse W20 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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