2003 Winnebago Brave Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Brave years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Winnebago Brave. That ranks 2nd out of 23 Brave model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (4 complaints, 33%), typically at around 26,306 miles. Complaints mention 2 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 12owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Winnebago Brave problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 33% | 26,306 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 25% | 16,225 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 8% | 70,462 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 8% | 10,800 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 8% | 55,018 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 8% | 27,631 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 8% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Winnebago Brave recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment
Problem: Winnebago is recalling certain recreational vehicles equipped with 1200-series norcold refrigerators. The population of refrigerators being addressed contains either a sensing algorithm or thermal switch to shut off power to the refrigerator when high temperatures are detected in order to prevent a potential fire. The response times of the sensor algorithm and thermal switch devices to stop power are not sufficient.
Risk: The sensing algorithm or thermal switch installed to shut off power to the refrigerator when high temperatures are detected due to a possible hydrogen gas leak may not shut off in sufficient time to prevent a fire.
Fix: Winnebago is working with norcold to identify and notify any affected owners. Owners will be instructed to contact norcold dealers to receive the remedy free of charge. Please see norcold's defect report 10e-049 for additional information. The recall began during december 2010. Owners may contact norcold at 1-800-767-9101 or winnebago at 1-641-585-3535.
Equipment
Problem: Winnebago is recalling 1,547 model year 2001-2003 recreational vehicles equipped with norcold model 1200lrim refrigerators, manufactured from march 1, 2001 to december 31, 2002, with serial numbers between 1273701 and 1536607, non-consecutively. A fatigue failure in the section of the cooling unit which contains the refrigerant could allow the liquid solution to slowly leak. If a leak occurs and the refrigerator continues to be operated after solution circulation has ceased the heat source could generate very high temperatures. At such high temperatures, the cooling unit could rupture.
Risk: If a leak occurs and the unit is continues to operate, hydrogen gas may be expelled and can be ignited, resulting in a fire, possibly causing serious injury or death.
Fix: Winnebago is working with norcold and norcold will notify owners and the vehicle's refrigerator will be repaired free of charge (please see 09e-027). Owners may contact norcold's recall center at 1-800-767-9101.
Fuel system, diesel:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Winnebago is recalling 2,331 my 2002-2004 brave and itasca sunrise my 2005 2006 winnebago voyage, adventurer, itasca sunrise and suncruiser motor homes. The propane tank mounting bracket may have an incomplete or improper weld.
Risk: Should the weld fail, the propane tank can tip or fall, possibly releasing propane which has the potential to ignitea fire, resulting in personal injury and/or vehicle and property damage.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and properly weld the bracket free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2009. Owners may contact winnebago at 800-537-1885.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: On certain motor homes built on a 20,700 gvwr or greater workhorse chassis, there may not be sufficient clearance in the area where the fuel line crosses the frame cross member.
Risk: Without clearance, a condition could develop where the cross member may wear into the fuel line and a fuel leak may develop. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will repair these motor homes by providing clearance between the fuel line and frame cross member. The fuel line will be inspected and, if necessary, replaced. The recall began january 7, 2005. Owners should contact winnebago at 1-800-537-1885.
Equipment:recreational vehicle/trailer
Problem: On certain motor homes equipped with samsung microwave ovens, these units were produced with a defective panel. An electrical short can occur between circuit patterns on the membrane panel, especially overlapped by a "jumper" or jump wire. This may cause the oven to activate without pressing any key pads.
Risk: An electrical short can occur causing the oven to activate without pressing any key pads. This could result in excessive heat, smoke, or possibly a fire.
Fix: Samsung will notify customers and repair the panel free of charge. In the meantime, consumers should unplug their microwave, if possible. If the consumer is unable to unplug the microwave, they should leave the door ajar until the panel is replaced. Consumers should never use the microwave oven for storage or leave any towels, paper, cloth or other products in the microwave after use. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact samsung at 800-932-3837 or winnebago at 641-585-3535.
Service brakes, hydraulic:brake fluid low warning: lamp
Problem: Certain motor home chassis fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 105,"hydraulic and electric brake systems." the brake system warning indicator may not function as required by the standard.
Risk: In some of the affected vehicles, the brake system warning indicator will not illuminate when the ignition is in the start position or for a low brake fluid condition, if the body builder relied solely upon ford's ivm compliance statement for the system warning indicator.
Fix: Dealers will repair these vehicles. Owner notification began april 25, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact winnebago at 1-641-585-3535.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 2003 winnebago only has 9800 miles on it and is kept under shelter. Obviously it has had little use. There is a windshield leak on the passenger side, with rust particles falling on the dash. According to information on the internet, this is a common issue with the winnebago/ itasca class a…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 winnebago brave. While driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle began to shudder and hesitate before suddenly stalling and shutting off. During the incident, an electrical burning odor was present inside the cabin. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was…
Tl* the contact 2003 winnebago brave class a. The contact stated that after parking his vehicle he applied the parking brake. After exiting the vehicle he noticed that it started to roll backwards. He immediately got back into the vehicle and depressed on the brakes. The vehicle was later taken to…
I purchased a new winnebago brave motorhome in 2003 with a workhorse chassis. In october of 2006 i began feeling the steering wheel shake when i applied the brakes to the motorhome. I removed the front wheels and discovered huge cracks in the disc brake rotors. I replaced the front disc brake…
While driving my 2003 winnebago on a workhorse chassis through austin texas on a high traffic evening i had a bad overheating problem in the front brakes to the point that both wheels were smoking. I pulled off the road and waited hours for the brakes to release so that i could proceed to my…
Other Winnebago Brave years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Brave | 0 | 1 |
| 2017 Brave | 0 | 2 |
| 2016 Brave | 0 | 3 |
| 2015 Brave | 2 | 4 |
| 2014 Brave | 0 | 2 |
| 2013 Brave | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 Brave | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 Brave | 0 | 1 |
| 2009 Brave | 0 | 1 |
| 2008 Brave | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 Brave | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 Brave | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 Brave | 0 | 3 |
| 2004 Brave | 7 | 5 |
| 2003 | 12 | 6 |
| 2002 Brave | 16 | 5 |
| 2001 Brave | 6 | 7 |
| 2000 Brave | 9 | 6 |
| 1999 Brave | 4 | 1 |
| 1998 Brave | 4 | 1 |
| 1997 Brave | 3 | 1 |
| 1996 Brave | 0 | 3 |
| 1995 Brave | 3 | 2 |
See all Winnebago Brave problems by year, every Winnebago model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Winnebago models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Winnebago Brave?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, equipment, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Winnebago Brave?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Winnebago Brave a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Brave model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.