2004 Winnebago Sightseer

THIS MAY PERTAIN TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN EA07016. 2004 WINNEBAGO SIGHTSEER 35 N WITH WORKHORSE W22 (NOT SURE OF CHASSIS YEAR)CHASSIS. WHILE UNDERWAY NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A LOSS OF POWER, STEERING WHEEL PULLING TO THE LEFT. NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS HAPPENING ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN/STOP COACH. PEDAL WAS NOT FIRM AND AT ONE POINT I THOUGHT I HAD LOST BRAKING. BURNING (SLIGHT) ODOR WAS NOTICED INSIDE THE COACH WITH WINDOWS CLOSED. STOPPED TWICE TO LOOK UNDER COACH FOR ANY EVIDENCE OF FLUID LEAKS (DARK OUT NO LIGHT) NO OBVIOUS LEAK. LEFT FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS WARMER THAN OTHERS. THIS WAS ALL HAPPENING RELATIVELY QUICKLY. I PROCEEDED WITH CAUTION FOR ABOUT 10 MILES WHERE I FOUND A SHOPPING CENTER, STOPPED (NOW DAYLIGHT) CHECKED MASTER CYLINDER LEVEL AND FOUND THE DRIVERS SIDE NEEDING FLUID (RUBBER DIAPHRAGM UNDER CAP HAD EXPANDED) ADDED AT LEAST 3 MAYBE FOUR 9 OUNCE PAPER CUPS ABOUT 1/3 FULL AND RESERVOIR STILL HAD ROOM. NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKING. AFTER ABOUT 45 MIN. CONTINUED FOR ABOUT 100 MILES NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. BRAKES WORK BUT COULD BE BETTER. I STOPPED OVER NIGHT AT A FRIENDS HOUSE FOR 2 NIGHTS. HE WAS A SCHOOL BUS MECHANIC AND SUGGESTED THAT WE RAISE THE COACH (DID THAT WITH COACH JACKS) FIRST THE FRONT WHEELS AND FOUND THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL CALIPERS TO BE STICKING. WE EXERCISED THE PISTONS SEVERAL TIMES, ALSO FOUND THE PADS TO BE STICKING ON THE CALIPERS. A SMALL AMOUNT OF NEVERSEIZE WAS APPLIED BETWEEN THE PADS AND THE CALIPER CASTING SLIDING SURFACE. RAISED THE REAR OF THE COACH, AND REAR WHEELS SEEMED OK. HAVE CONTINUED ABOUT 200 MILES WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENCE. HAVE AROUND 23,500 ON COACH I AM ORIGINAL OWNER. I HAVE ABOUT 1100 MILES TO GO TO RETURN TO MY HOME. *TR

MAKE: WINNEBAGO SIGHTSEER MODEL: 2004 WFD30B SERIAL NO: [XXX] (WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES) CHASSIS VIN: [XXX](WORKHORSE CUSTOM CHASSIS) DELIVERY DATE: JAN. 24, 2004 (PURCHASED NEW) CURRENT MILEAGE: 14,000 1. GAS TANK LEAK ~RIGHT SIDE OF GAS TANK LEAKING FUEL; NOTICED FUEL POURING FROM REAR OF TANK WHEN FILLING UP AT STATION 2. SAFETY RECALL ~SEAT BELTS (WINNEBAGO ISSUE NOT CORRECTED, WAITING FOR PARTS)3. SWAY BAR ~BOLTS FELL FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING (APRIL 2005) 4. SAFETY RECALL ~INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (APRIL 2005) 5. AIRBAG ~RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG IN SUSPENSION SYSTEM DEFLATED AFTER ONLY 49 DAYS OF USE (AUGUST 2005) 6. DIFFERENTIAL ~DEFECT CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK FROM AXLE TUBE IN REAR-END (AUGUST 2005) 7. SHOCK BRACKET ~MANGLED AND TWISTED, CAUSING SHOCK TO FALL (AUGUST 2005) UNDETERMINED CAUSE; NOT A ROADHAZARD 8. DASH AIR ~BLOWS HOT AIR WHEN SITTING IN TRAFFIC OR AT IDLE; OVERHEATS AND LEAKS ANTIFREEZE REQUIRED NUMEROUS REPAIR ATTEMPTS: FOUR IN 2004 AND THEN AGAIN FOUR IN 2005 TOTAL DAYS IN SHOP FOR THIS DEFECT ALONE: 45 (26 IN 2004 AND 19 IN 2005) WORKHORSE REPS STATED TO ME THAT "CERTAIN MODELS" OF MOTORHOME HAVE "FLAWS IN THE SYSTEM" THAT THE ENGINEERS OF BOTH CORPORATIONS REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. THEY KNOWINGLY SELL A PRODUCT THAT IS EXPECTED TO FAIL. SINCE MOST OF THEIR CUSTOMERS ARE ELDERLY (RETIRED) AND COMPLACENT, THE COMPANY BANKS ON NOT HEARING FROM THEM. WHEN THEY DO, THE CUSTOMER IS FORCED TO NEGOTIATE REPAIRS. WORKHORSE REPS EXCUSE POOR PERFORMANCE OF SYSTEMS ON THEIR CHASSIS BY STATING THAT IT IS NOT DESIGNED FOR MOTORHOME USE; YET THEY SELL THEIR PRODUCT TO MOTORHOME MANUFACTURERS. THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND COMPROMISES THE SAFETY OF NOT ONLY THEIR CUSTOMERS AND FAMILIES BUT EVERYONE SHARING THE ROAD WITH THEIR VEHICLES. UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM