Community Forums

Helen & Ray Siso · 04-24-2005, 02:05 PM

Of course , my first thought was to say that my coach is only a year old, but then I think wait, it sat on the dealers lot for 6 1/2 months before I bought it. Also I recently found out it is on a 2003 chassis from Workhorse. So presuming I get it back in the next two days as promised I will do just that, check for ground lugs etc. That makes sense even if they don't need service now it would be nice in the future to know where they are.

Thank you.

edgray · 04-24-2005, 06:51 PM

H&R SISO : The tenth digit of your WCC VIN # is the model year indicator. Don't be concerned about your's being a year "older". It is caused by the OEMs introducing their newest models earlier each year. WCC model year does not change to keep up with any particular OEM year. You can see how that would be a mess, as each OEM is different. ED

JB Driver · 04-27-2005, 05:29 PM

For your information I had a similiar problem in June of 2004. The powerplant is a GM 8.1 vortex engine on a 2004 Workhorse chassis.

1. Thursday, 3 June 2004

At 2:30 PM, while travelling Northbound on Interstate Highway #15, approaching exit #27, in Las Vegas, NV, the motorhome stopped accelerating at highway speed. The engine service light came on. The power steering and the brakes were still operative. There was no power to accelerate. The announcator on the speedometer indicated, "Reduced Engine Power" mode. I was able to safely coast vehicle off the freeway and stop in a safe location. This incident occurred after traveling from Riverside, California for approximately four (4) hours and the fuel tank indicated one half full.

Contacted Workhorse who in turn called Wheeler RV Service in Las Vegas. I was within half mile of the service facility. The time was now 2:50 PM and the motorhome was able to start. Drove motorhome to service facility. The service facility tech reported; No trouble codes. No warning lights, trans fluid level is in full normal range. No problem found at this time. Possible intermittent problem.

2. Monday, 7 June 2004

At 2:10 PM, while travelling Southbound Highway 30 approaching Interstate #10 in Redlands, CA. the motorhome stopped accelerating at highway speed once again. This incident happened just like the prior incident on Thursday – 3 June 2004. I was able to safely coast vehicle to the side of the freeway. This incident occurred after traveling from Las Vegas, NV. after four hours of travel and the fuel tank indicated one half full.

A call ws placed to Workhorse Roadside Service Center. Service Tech who reported that this incident was a fuel starvation problem that Workhorse is aware of. Service Tech asked if I could start the motorhome. I was able to start it and drove off the freeway. Service Tech stated to allow the engine to cool down for an hour and attempt to continue with travel. I waited the aforestated time period and drove the motorhome without further incident returning home 25 miles from Redlands.

I did a search of this problem and found that it has occurred to other folks in the RV community. My questions are:

1. How prevalent is this problem?

2. What has Workhorse Chassis folks done to negate it?

3. Has this problem been reported to the National Highway Administration folks? It is a big safety issue since the vehicles quits without warning. If so, what is being done?

I took the coach to an authorized Workhorse Service Facility for repairs and the following is the outcome of that visit.

After two weeks in the shop. The technician and the Workhorse folks came up with a failure of the TAC module (throttle activation control). It was a burnt diode in the module. The good news it that they found the problem, the bad news is that they do not know what caused the spike in the module to burn the diode. According to the tech there is something in the electronics that is causing a spike and the tac module is unable to determine what the engine should do next so it goes into idle mode and you only have power to run the power steering and the brakes, but no power to get off the highway or street.

Also the workhouse folks are looking at the way the motorhome manufacturers are making the interface connections between the chassis and the coach components. Also the tech found that the #1 cylinder plug was never attached properly. Unknown if that was a cause of not, the tech does not think so since the coach was running great on only seven cylinders.

This incident took place at approximately 3,200 miles on the coach and it was seven month old. The coach now has 16,000+ and it now is a year and half old and there has been no further probkem with motorhome. The coach is running great.

04-27-2005, 08:41 PM

.....try the ignition switch on the colume....short in the connection....geofkaye

Rich R · 05-23-2005, 11:25 AM

2000 Fleetwood Storm 30" 7.4 Vortex. I am having this same problem. Just yesterday I was driving on I-8 just west of El Centro CA (112 degrees outside) and the engine shut down. Waited 10 minutes and it fired up again. I have had this happen several times recently and they can never find anything. I am going to take it in and demand they look at the TAC. I seem to remember a burn electrical smell when the first year I had it. Let me know if you have any other ideas. I have another trip in 2 weeks and need to get this resolved. Seems to happen going up the grade or just at the top. Never a problem in the cooler temps. Engine temp is fine. It does exactly what you said when it fails.

Rich R · 05-23-2005, 11:27 AM

Forgot to mention I already had them change the ignititon switch after it had done this previously and it did nothing to fix the probelm.

Rich R · 05-27-2005, 12:07 PM

Guess I cannot go for the TAC as being the issue as I am throttle by cable not by wire. Talked to the Workhorse tech guy on the phone and we came up with the idea of putting heat shielding on the fuel input and return lines especially in the engine compartment and near any exhaust. Speculating with the gas so hot in the tank it maybe in too much of a vapor state for the injectors to spray it into the cylinder. BTW my generator will not start during these hot times as well. With the fuel so hot in the tank it likely is vapor locking as it is carbuerated. A potential reason for this happening a few years after purchase is some of the fuel flex lines could be getting harder which may allows heat to transfer more easily onto the fuel lines then into the fuel itself more easily. BTW we talked about it being the fuel pump failing the only thing is you would have to wait a much longer period of time for the pump to cool down if that was the issue especially in a hot gas tank. We checked the fuel pressure while driving in NON hot conditions and it was with in spec. Changed fuel filters as well.I'll put the heat wrap on the fuel lines where I think they will warm up and go on my trip. Will let you all know what the results are.

Helen & Ray Siso · 05-29-2005, 06:38 PM

Rich,

Just this evening Helen & I returned from a trip of just under 3500 miles. We did not experince any further problems with the Limp mode of loss of powe action. We did climb several mountains on the Eastern Seabord and ourJeep was easily outpulling his pickup truck.

Rich R · 07-27-2005, 06:44 AM

Ray,

Glad to hear you had no problems. Well I think I may have solved my problems as well. I have been making trips to the Colorado River (in Yuma AZ) every other weekend from San Diego, CA. This trip requires you to go over the coastal mountains then into the desert valley. Recently the temps were between 110 and 115 outside. Two Trips ago I got under the coach and found an interesting issues. The return fuel line coming down from the engine had a kink in the flex line before it went down the hard chassis lines back to the fuel tank. I unkinked the line. Also I added heatshield wrap around all the fuel lines from the chassis to just where the lines go into the fuel rail on the engine. Basically all the fuel lines except for the fuel rail itself in the engine compartment. In such extreme temps the engine compartment gets very hot (well above the engine temp which has been running about 150-160 degrees). I wrapped both return and pressure side fuels lines. Also I have been filling my fuel tank just before I get back on the road on the way back home.Seems letting 75 gallons of fuel rise to ambient temperature (110-1154 degrees) could also have contributed to the problems on the way home. I am speculating the lines were getting so hot in the engine compartment that the fuel was boiling in the line before it got to the injectors. Well I have made 2 trips so far in extreme heat since I made these adjustments and the coach has not had any problems (knock on wood). I also noticed during my troubled times the generator had a tough time running in the heat as well. What I do is run the generator 5-10minutes before I leave San Diego and when I get in the desert it starts just fine. Before if I tried cold starting it in the desert heat it would not run. Pretty sure that was vapor lock. It is 5.5 KW Onan generator with over 1000 hrs. It sees plenty of use. Hope these tips may help others out there. Just a reminder I have a 2000 Fleetwood Storm with a 1999 Workhorse Chassis 7.4L. The workhorse has plenty of power and it is running great now.
Rich

garygff · 08-09-2005, 01:39 PM

I have had engine shutdown problems with my 2003 Gulstream Sunvoyager W-22 of which I am still trying to get a solution on. In all cases the failure has occurred in the higher altitudes usually in New Mexico and Arizona in a 5000 to 7000 feet range. It will just shut down and go into limp mode. There have been cases where I was lucky to get off the highway. Has anyone had failure of this nature. This has happened to me in 2004 and 2003 making my way either to AZ or Home to Mo in those instances. From what I gather the TAC module seems to be very suspect. However, when it happened going to AZ in 2004 I had the coach checked for codes of which there is none. My biggest problem seems to be getting someone to acknowledge there is a problem. It never happens in the lower altitudes so is very difficult to get a local svc center to understand the problem. I do have an appmt with Reliable RV in Springfield on Aug 11 and have been in contact with workhorse. My biggest concern is the safety issue and of course the warranty issue of which I am about to run out of. Any feedback would be much appreciated

DriVer · 08-09-2005, 04:46 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by garygff:
I do have an appmt with Reliable RV in Springfield on Aug 11 and have been in contact with workhorse. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Fred, the service manager will take good care of you. He comes highly recommended by Chris Christy himself.

They worked on my coach a few months back and they did very well. You should have a good service expereince with them if they find anything to fix.

Good luck and we'll see you perhaps down the road. We'll be in Branson on or about the 25th for a few days on our way to Myrtle Beach. I plan on getting our motorhome serviced when we go through Springfield. It's time for a LOF.

Teach · 08-09-2005, 06:12 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by garygff:
have an appmt with Reliable RV in Springfield on Aug 11 </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Gary, Harold is now the rv service manager at Reliable RV and I have had several dealings with him. I've found him to be straight forward, honest and above all willing to go the extra mile to find and fix any problems. I hope they can get your problem fixed.

BKFMS · 10-24-2005, 03:58 PM

2004 w-22 same problem, 10000 miles, cool rainy day, 65 mph on hill, no throttle response, shut ign off and restarted ran ok but check engine light on. Tach and speedo also were not working after restarting but ran ok. Stopped at next rest area,restarted after about five minutes,everything worked normally rest of trip. Sure does get your attention on a expressway in heavy traffic though !! Sure sounds like a TAC problem to me, makes me wish it still had a throttle cable.

"007" · 10-24-2005, 04:38 PM

BKFMS, A cool rainy day in a Newmar coach will cause this problem with water in thru the air intake tube thru filter to senser in back of air filter, cutting engine power down by 1/2. When pulling a hill you are really sucking up the air. Go to Find above and type in "water in air intake" you may find some answers to your problem. "007"