Total Complaints
2 filings
WORKHORSE W20 · model year
2001 WORKHORSE W20
2 NHTSA complaints, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001WORKHORSEW20 carries 2 consumer safety complaints 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 2001 W20 is electrical system:ignition:switch with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (1). 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 3 active recall campaigns, 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 2001 W20. 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.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
Recalls (3)
04V08400018/02/2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
ON CERTAIN MOTORHOME CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH ZOPS, THE PADS CAN DRAG ON THE ROTOR SURFACE DUE TO THE PIN SLIDE.
01V31700004/10/2001
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:U-BOLT, LEAF SPRING TO AXLE
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MOTOR HOME AND COMMERCIAL CHASSIS. THE REAR AXLE U-BOLTS MAY NOT BE TIGHTENED CORRECTLY DUE TO RANDOM FAILURE OF PRODUCTION TOOLING IN THE SPECIFIED TIME SPAN.
09V11000003/04/2009
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
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 W
Recent Complaints
20070319SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 WINNEBAGO. THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, AND STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE DRAGGING. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, AND ABS. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED A BRAKE REPAIR KIT ON 11/4/04, BUT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME BRAKE FAILURE AND BURNING SMELL. THE CONTACT HAS THE REPAIR INVOICE FROM THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41000. *AK UPDATE 4/19/2007 *TR
Mileage: 41,000
20050914ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I OWN A 2001 SAFARI TREK, BUILT ON A 17000 GVW WORKHORSE CHASSIS. I WAS TRAVELING AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT (70 MPH) IN THE CENTER LANE OF HIGHWAY 99 IN FRESNO CA. MY CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED (THE FIRST SIGN) AND I RESET IT. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, THE GAUGES FAILED, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CAME ON. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE MOTORHOME TO A COMPLETE STOP, ALL THE WAY OFF THE ROAD. AS IT TURNS OUT, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED INTERNALLY, CAUSING EXCESSIVE RESISTANCE AND HEAT IN THE PINK POWER WIRE WHICH FEEDS THE CHASSIS PART OF THE VEHICLE. THE MAIN PROBLEM, BESIDES SUDDENLY LOOSING POWER, IS THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE COMES ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THEN VEHICLE IS PUT INTO PARK. WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED, THE POWER TO THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED, AND IT CAME ON, FULL FORCE, AT SEVENTY MILES AND HOUR! IF I HAD BEEN TIRED, OR THE ROAD CONDITIONS BEEN RAINY, CURVY, ICY ETC, THINGS MAY HAVE TURNED OUT VERY, VERY BAD. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING SLOWER, OR HAD A L
Mileage: 35,888
Compare 2001WORKHORSEW20 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 WORKHORSE W20 have?▼
The 2001 WORKHORSE W20 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 WORKHORSE W20?▼
Yes, the 2001 WORKHORSE W20 has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 WORKHORSE W20?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 WORKHORSE W20 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.
Is the 2001 WORKHORSE W20 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.