Total Complaints
1 filings
WORKHORSE R20 · model year
2008 WORKHORSE R20
1 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008WORKHORSER20 carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 R20 is service brakes, hydraulic with 1 filings. Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2008 R20. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
Recalls (1)
10V31400006/07/2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
NAVISTAR IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 WORKHORSE R20 CHASSIS MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 5, 2007 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 24, 2008, EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR C7 ENGINES. THE #5 AND #6 FUEL LINES MAY CRACK AT THE FASTENING POINT TO THE COMMON FUEL RAIL AND CAUSE A FUEL LEAK.
Recent Complaints
20101011SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
DRIVING TO WORKHORSE SERVICE CENTER (JIM PRICE CHEVY TRUCK CENTER, CHARLOTTESVILLE VA) FOR A DIFFERENT MATTER THE DASH WARNING LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING FOR BRAKES, ABS, ATC AND PARKING BRAKE. SERVICE CENTER HOOKED UP COMPUTER AND DETERMINED THAT THE MERITOR/WABCO HYDRAULIC COMPACT UNIT (HCU) WHICH IS THE MAJOR PART OF THE HYDRAULIC POWER BRAKE (HPB) SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. I LEARNED THAT THESE UNITS ARE ON MANY INTERNATIONAL BRAND SCHOOL BUSES AS WELL AS MY WORKHORSE UFO CHASSIS RV AND OTHER VEHICLES AND THAT THE HCU IS FAILING ON A REGULAR BASIS ON THESE AND OTHER VEHICLES AND THAT MERITOR/WABCO HAS REDESIGNED THE INTERNALS AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON SAME. WORKHORSE ARRANGED TO HAVE A REDESIGNED UNIT FROM MERITOR/WABCO OVERNIGHTED AND INSTALLED THE NEXT DAY. HOWEVER, SINCE IT IS A CRITICAL BRAKE PART WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL BY MERITOR/WABCO? OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE AT RISK! PLEASE INVESTIGATE IMMEDIATELY. THE NEWSPAPERS WOULD LOVE TO GET THIS FIRST. PLEASE GET OUT IN F
Mileage: 16,500
Compare 2008WORKHORSER20 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2008 WORKHORSE R20 have?▼
The 2008 WORKHORSE R20 has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 WORKHORSE R20?▼
Yes, the 2008 WORKHORSE R20 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 WORKHORSE R20?▼
The most-complained component for the 2008 WORKHORSE R20 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2008 WORKHORSE R20 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.