2004 Workhorse W22 problems & reliability
92 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 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): 2004 Workhorse W22 vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 0 occupant deaths. 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 | 74 | 80% |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 4% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Air | 3 | 3% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 2 | 2% |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% |
| Parking Brake | 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 21,960 miles (middle 50% between 15,268 and 26,850 miles), based on 63 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2004 Workhorse W22. The contact stated that after the RV was stored for several years, the contact learned that the brakes had seized. The contact then became aware that the RV was included in a recall. The RV was taken to the dealer and repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V110000 (Service…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Jul 6, 2023
“The contact owns a 2004 Workhorse W22 RV. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the brakes heated up and seized. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and smelled a burning odor. The contact stated that he waited for over one hour for the brakes to cool…”
Service Brakes · filed Sep 28, 2022
“The contact owns a 2004 Newmar Kountry built on a 2004 Workhorse W22 chassis. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond as needed. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on four occasions where the brake pads were…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Sep 7, 2022
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
Safety recalls
The 2004 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 2004 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 21,960 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.