2003 Workhorse Chassis Problems
- Complaints
- 22filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 20,311miles, 20 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Workhorse Chassis (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints for the 2003 Workhorse Chassis. The part named most often is brakes, with 16 complaints (73% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (3) and suspension (2). 20 of the complaints include a mileage, and 95% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 20,311 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 2 technical service bulletins for this model year.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes16 73%
- Suspension2 9.1%
- Equipment1 4.5%
- Other or unknown1 4.5%
- Steering1 4.5%
- Body and structure1 4.5%
Example complaints
Brakes: “On a recent trip to the florida keys the anti-lock brake light came on. I checked the brakes and they seemed alright for the rest of the trip. I made an appointment to correct this condition in jan '08. The repair facility advise that all the brakes had been overheated, found calipers seizing up damaged wheel speed sensors. They replaced calipers, rotors, pads and wheel speed sensors also drilled and installed a grease fitting on the service brake pedal bell crank to prevent future seizing and damage new brake components. I have the damaged parts.”
NHTSA complaint #10226637, filed 2008-05, 23,500 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “While driving my rv I began to lose power. I parked and found the engine compartment very hot and smelled of burning material. I noticed the front wheel covers were too hot to touch. I called the selling dealer and was advised to call the Chassis manufacturer who in turn advised to call the authorized workhouse dealer in town who then advised me to contact a transmission company in nearby corpus christi and not drive the unit but have it towed. I was told the transmission had locked down for some reason and not to drive it further. I had the unit towed. …”
NHTSA complaint #10246031, filed 2008-10, 20,622 milesSuspension: “While driving at any speed, the vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The mechanic informed the driver that the shock absorbers needed to be replaced. However the problem still occurs. The ABS light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The cause has not been determined at this time. Please provide further details.”
NHTSA complaint #10113576, filed 2005-03Equipment: “Brake began to get hot and loose power, then began to pull toward the right. I got out and looked under the rv and saw a small fire . The caliper got so hot that it caught on fire. And then I called road service. They toad me to rv repair center. They said that caliper had gone bad and so I got them to put a new one on. Repair man said that the caliper had rust in it and did not let the piston retract. Causing the brake to get so hot that it caught on fire. This happened in july of 2008. After this was corrected. I was traveling to another city and stop for a break and smelled a burning smell. …”
NHTSA complaint #10257518, filed 2009-02, 23,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
95% of the 20 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 12,003 and 29,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
- 04V195000Apr 22, 2004Electrical systemCovers: Workhorse Chassis 2003–2004
Certain chassis equipped with actia corporate instrument clusters fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard nos. 101 "controls and displays" and 105 "hydraulic and electric brake systems." if the brake fail input falls…
Recall details for the 2003 Workhorse Chassis → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 2 on record; the latest 2 are shown.
- 10202062Sep 3, 2021Engine cooling. As communicated previously, an issue discovered in DiagnosticLink version 8.14SP1 was fixed with the release of 8.14SP3 on August26. The issue related to incorrect parameter data being sent to the…
- 10017409May 1, 2005Engine cooling. Oil leak under extreme cold temperatures (-34 degrees c) (-30 degrees f) or colder).
Other model years of the Workhorse Chassis
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 34 | 17,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2003 | 22 | 20,311 | 1 | — | — | — | Falling |
All Workhorse Chassis model years
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Workhorse Chassis have?
NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints for the 2003 Workhorse Chassis as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2003 Workhorse Chassis is reported most often?
Brakes is named most often, in 16 complaints (73% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 3.
Has the 2003 Workhorse Chassis been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Workhorse Chassis reported?
Among the 20 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 20,311 miles and the middle half falls between 12,003 and 29,000 miles; 95% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.