Workhorse W20
Owners filed 33 complaints across 9 model years of the Workhorse W20. The 2003 drew the most (11); the 2008 the fewest (0).
Model years9
Complaints33
Recalls15
Fires1
Deaths0
Every Workhorse W20 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2007 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2006 | 3 | 2 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Routine | |
| 2005 | 3 | 2 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Routine | |
| 2004 | 7 | 2 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Routine | |
| 2003 | 11 | 1 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Routine | |
| 2002 | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Routine | |
| 2001 | 2 | 3 | — | — | Electrical System › Ignition › Switch | Routine | |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Parking Brake › Driveline › Hydraulic | Routine |
Which Workhorse W20 years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2003 is the weakest year on record, with 11 complaints concentrated in the service brakes, hydraulic. It carries 1 recall.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.