2014 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA Complaints

I PUT THE TRUCK IN THE SHOP ON 07/22/14 FOR SEVERAL REASONS ON THIS DAY BUT THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT REASONS WERE: 1) TRUCK LEANING VERY NOTICEABLY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND 2) TRUCK POPS UNDER THE FLOORBOARD BENEATH THE DRIVER (AND NOW ON PASSENGER SIDE AS WELL) WHEN HAULING A LOADED TRAILER. IT'S BEEN POPPING/TWISTING SINCE APRIL 2014. IT SOUNDS LIKE FRAME IS POPPING AND TWISTING. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN THE TRUCK WAS SITTING STILL, PARKED. I POINTED OUT TO THE FREIGHTLINER SERVICE WRITEUP THAT I NOTICED THAT A FRAME MOUNT WAS LOOSE AND SHOWED IT SPECIFICALLY TO HIM BUT THEY "SAY" THEY CHECKED IT OUT BUT I'M STILL HEARING THE POPPING/TWISTING WHEN CARRYING A LOADED TRAILER. THE FRAME MOUNT/BRACKET IS STILL LOOSE AND I'VE ACTUALLY TURNED THE BOLT IN THE MOUNT A COUPLE OF TIMES BY HAND. THE SAME EXACT MOUNT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS NOT LOOSE AND THE BOLTS SIT PROPERLY IN THE MOUNT GROOVES LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO WITH NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF LOOSENESS OR MOVEMENT AS OPPOSED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE. IT EVEN HAS A VISIBLE RUST TRAIL OF WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE WATER IS GETTING IN BETWEEN THE LOOSE PARTS. I'VE ALSO NOTICED SOME VERY UNUSUAL SIGNS OF TIRE WEAR ESPECIALLY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT STEER TIRE WHICH (IN MY OPINION) COULD POSSIBLY BE RELATED TO THE LOOSE FRAME MOUNT AND THE POPPING/TWISTING. FREIGHTLINER DID REPLACE A SPACER UNDERNEATH THE DRIVERS SIDE LEAF SPRING IN THE FRONT TO HELP CORRECT THE "LEAN" ON THAT SIDE BUT THE TRUCK STILL LEANS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE THE SAME AS WHEN I PUT IT IN THE SHOP WITH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. I DO KNOW ONE OR TWO PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MODEL, MAKE AND YEAR OF TRUCK THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING OF THE SAME POPPING/TWISTING SOUND WHEN LOADED AS WELL. I AM TRULY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY, AS WELL AS THE PUBLICS AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY I'M TAKING THE TIME TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS IN THIS MANNER. *TR

WITH MERITOR WABCO ONGUARD CRUISE CONTROL EQUIPPED FROM THE FACTORY. THE CRUISE CONTROL UNIT OFTEN TIMES SLAMS ON THE BRAKES AFTER ERRONEOUSLY DETECTING AN IMMINENT COLLISION. IT FREQUENTLY HARD BRAKES AFTER DETECTING ITEMS THAT ARE WELL OUT OF THE TRAVEL PATH OF THE VEHICLE. THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT PREDICTABLE TO EITHER THE DRIVER OR NEARBY VEHICLES, AND WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A CRASH OR A DANGEROUS SHIFTED LOAD. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS IN 4 DIFFERENT FREIGHTLINER CASCADIAS OF RECENT VINTAGE (2012 OR NEWER), ALL EQUIPPED WITH THE ONGUARD CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN A CASCADIA THAT DID NOT EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. *TR