2002 Workhorse W22 problems & reliability
67 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Workhorse W22, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2002 Workhorse W22 vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 62 | 93% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% |
| Suspension | 2 | 3% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 1% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% |
| Power Train | 1 | 1% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 26,293 miles (middle 50% between 15,743 and 38,294 miles), based on 43 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2002 Workhorse W22 Chassis. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal went to the floorboard while depressed. Additionally, the ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V110000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Mar 23, 2023
“We just purchased this motorhome and during my investigation for various repairs found there were 2 recalls on this coach. Only 1st of the 2 of the recalls was addressed with the 2nd recall being a more intense modification of the 1st. I am now trying to find out how to get the 2nd recall implemented since navistar…”
Service Brakes · filed Jan 28, 2021
“1) the manufacture, winnebago industries, equipped the driver "cockpit" of the vehicle with thermopane windows with an identified weakness. The seals in the windows are inadequate to maintain seal integrity, thus allowing air infiltration. Said air infiltration caused fogging of the glass, and an accumulation of…”
Visibility/wiper · filed Aug 2, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- OVERHEATING DISC BRAKE CALIPER
Engineering Analysis EA07016 · opened Nov 16, 2007 · closed Aug 19, 2009 · led to recall 09V217000
- OVERHEATING FRONT AND REAR BRAKES
Engineering Analysis EA03003 · opened Apr 9, 2003 · closed Mar 3, 2004 · led to recall 04V019000
Safety recalls
The 2002 Workhorse W22 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Workhorse W22?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 26,293 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.