IllustrationABS LIGHT CAME ON BRAKES GOT VERY HOT. TOOK M/H TO DEALER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS AND LESS THAN 3 THOUSAND MILES THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED.. DEALER SAYS FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS AND CALIPERS RUINED AND VEHICLE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
2003 National RV Dolphin Lx
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Dolphin Lx years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
2 reportsI HAVE A 2003 NATIONAL DOLPHIN MOTORHOME WITH APPROXIMATELY 7,342 MILES. I EXPERIENCED THE LEFT REAR BRAKE HEATING UP AROUND APRIL 2007 AND TOOK IT TO A WORKHORSE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND A BRAKE SENSOR WAS REPLACED ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. THIS MONTH, JULY 2008, WE WERE DRIVING TO A LOCAL PARK AND, WAS TOLD THAT 3 CAL…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2003 NATIONAL DOLPHIN MOTORHOME WITH APPROXIMATELY 7,342 MILES. I EXPERIENCED THE LEFT REAR BRAKE HEATING UP AROUND APRIL 2007 AND TOOK IT TO A WORKHORSE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND A BRAKE SENSOR WAS REPLACED ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. THIS MONTH, JULY 2008, WE WERE DRIVING TO A LOCAL PARK AND, WAS TOLD THAT 3 CALIPERS CEASED, AFTER WE LIMPED BACK TO THE SAME DEALER. MY WIFE AND GRANDDAUGHTER WERE WITH ME WHEN THE BRAKES TIGHTENED UP AND I COULD NOT DRIVE THE MOTORHOME ANY FASTER THAN 35MPH. THEN THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND SEVERAL TIMES THE BRAKE PEDAL BOTTOMED OUT ON THE FLOOR CAUSING ME TO ALMOST REAR END SEVERAL VEHICLES. HAD A MOTORCYCLE OR PEDESTRIAN CROSSED IN FRONT OF ME THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY I COULD HAVE STOPPED. TODAY I WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $3500 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND THAT HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE "DEFECT". AFTER DOING AN INTERNET SEARCH ON WORKHORSE BRAKE PROBLEMS I'VE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED WORKHORSE TO INQUIRE WHAT COULD BE DONE AND WAS ADVISED THE FLORIDA REPRESENTATIVE, BILL O'NEAL, ONLY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I FOUND THAT A RECALL CAME OUT IN JANUARY 2005 LISTING SEVERAL VIN NUMBERS IN 2001, 2002, AND 2003 WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT THE NUMBERS STOPPED SHORT OF MY VIN NUMBER IN 2003. THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPT MANAGER TOLD ME I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALLS. NOW I HAVE AN OUTLANDISH BILL AND THE MOTORHOME IS STUCK IN THE SHOP BECAUSE THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS BECAME TOO HOT FOR IT TO BE DRIVEN. I AM VERY ANGRY THAT THIS DEFECT WAS NOT RECALLED, I'M STUCK WITH A $3500 BILL, AND THAT I ALMOST HAD 2 ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE WORKHORSE TO RECALL MY VIN, REGARDLESS OF WARRANTY, STAND GOOD FOR THE CHARGES, AND PERMANENTLY FIX THIS DEFECT SO NO ONE IS INJURED IN THE FUTURE. *TR
Official recalls
107V230000 · Equipment:recreational Vehicle/trailer
Jun 4, 2007
CERTAIN MOTOR HOMES EQUIPPED WITH A TWO-DOOR REFRIGERATOR, MANUFACTURED BY THE DOMETIC CORPORATION, MAY HAVE A DEFECT IN THE BOILER TUBE. PRESSURIZED COOLANT SOLUTION COULD BE RELEASED INTO AN AREA WHERE AN IGNITION SOURCE (GAS FLAME) IS PRESENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: RELEASE OF COOLANT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD IGNITE AND RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: NATIONAL RV WILL BE WORKING WITH DOMETIC IN ORDER TO REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS (PLEASE SEE 06E076). DOMETIC WILL REPAIR THESE REFRIGERATORS BY INSTALLING A SECONDARY BURN HOUSING, A THERMAL FUSE, AND A MELT FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. DOMETIC HAS RETAINED STERICYCLE INC. TO MANAGE THIS CAMPAIGN. STERICYCLE WILL ASSIST OWNERS IN LOCATING DEALERSHIPS OR SERVICE CENTERS AND WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH SCHEDULING OF APPOINTMENTS. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOMETIC/STERICYCLE AT 1-888-446-5157 OR NATIONAL RV AT 1-800-999-7260, EXT. 4335. THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA), AN AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT NATIONAL RV, INC. AND ITS HOLDING COMPANY, NATIONAL RV HOLDINGS, INC., HAVE FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY. NHTSA HAS BEEN ADVISED THAT OWNERS WHO WISH TO PURSUE CLAIMS RELATED TO SAFETY RECALL REPAIR WORK ON THEIR NATIONAL RV VEHICLES MAY FILE A PROOF OF CLAIM WITH THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE DIVISION. THE CASE NUMBER ASSIGNED TO THIS MATTER IS 07-17941. THE PROOF OF CLAIM FORM AND INSTRUCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THE COURT'S WEBSITE WWW.CACB.USCOURTS.GOV. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BANKRUPTCY AND ITS PROCEEDINGS MAY ALSO BE FOUND AT WWW.OMNIMGT.COM/NATIONALRV. NATIONAL RV'S PHONE NUMBER IS (951) 943-6007. INFORMATION ABOUT SAFETY RECALLS ON NATIONAL RV'S PRODUCTS MAY BE FOUND AT WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV. THE NHTSA WISHES TO ADVISE OWNERS OF RECALLED PRODUCTS THAT, IN THE INTERESTS OF THEIR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THE MOTORING PUBLIC, ALL SAFETY RECALL WORK SHOULD BE PERFORMED ON MOTOR VEHICLES AND ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.