FREIGHTLINER Complaints

WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT OUR VEHICLE NEEDED $13,887.363 IN ENGINE REPAIRS DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN OF THE ORIGINAL FUEL INJECTORS. THE ORIGINAL INJECTOR PROBLEM CAUSED EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD UP AND VALVE WEAR. THIS RESULTED IN THE NEED TO REPLACE THE HEAD AND THE ITEMIZED REPAIRS ON THE ATTACHED FILE "FREIGHTLINER INJ.PDF"

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FREIGHTLINER FLD. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS INDEPENDENTLY OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT FELL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO BOTH SHOULDERS AND BACK, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOORS WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE CABIN AND WOULD TO BE REPLACED WITH THE RIGHT SIZE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000.

BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH DEFECTIVE: UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ACTIVATE TO WARN FOLLOWING MOTORISTS. THE BRAKE LIGHTS ONLY WORK ON A HEAVY PEDAL APPLICATION. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE CRUISE CAN BE SET AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES WILL NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE. THE BRAKES ARE FIGHTING THE ENGINE UNTIL THE DRIVER TURNS OFF THE CRUISE AT THE SWITCH. AN INSPECTION INVOLVES PULLING DOWN THE INDEPENDENT CONTROL LEVER ON THE DASH FOR THE BRAKES WHICH IS THE SAME AS A HEAVY BRAKE APPLICATION AND THEN WALKING AROUND VEHICLE TO VERIFY IF THE BRAKES AND LIGHTS ARE WORKING. HOWEVER, THIS INSPECTION CONCEALS THE FLAW TO BOTH MECHANICS AND DRIVERS BECAUSE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS THE BRAKES ARE NOT APPLIED THAT HEAVILY. OF THE 300 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIAS IN THE FLEET, I AM RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A POOL OF 30 OF WHICH I HAVE CONFIRMED THIS DEFECT IN 8 TRACTORS FROM OCTOBER 2016 TO JANUARY 2017. DRIVERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION SINCE THE TRUCKS WERE NEW BUT WE ARE NOW AWARE THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE THE FAULT OF THE CRUISE CONTROL DEFECT. *TR

THIS COMPLAINT PERTAINS TO ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (ACC), FORWARD CRASH AVOIDANCE (FCA) AND LANE DEPARTURE WARNING SYSTEMS (LDWS). I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE BUT IT WILL PERTAIN TO ALL VEHICLES WITH THESE SYSTEMS. THE ACC AND FCAS BECAUSE OF ITS STRAIGHT LINE OF SIGHT IS MISINTERPRETING THE DATA ON APPROACH TO BRIDGES, OVERPASSES AND OVERHEAD SIGNS AND WILL INITIATE A HARD BRAKING EVENT ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN NO BRAKING IS REQUIRED CAUSING THE POTENTIAL TO LOSE CONTROL AND FOR A FOLLOWING VEHICLE TO CRASH. THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE INTENSIFIED ON WET, ICY AND SNOW COVERED ROADS. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED A HARD BRAKING EVENT ON INTERSTATES ON APPROACH TO A CURVE IN THE ROAD WHERE VEHICLES AHEAD WILL ALREADY BE IN THE CURVE IN ANOTHER LANE AND THE DATA IS MISINTERPRETED AS A CRASH AND BRAKES HARD BECAUSE THE OTHER VEHICLES ARE DIRECTLY IN THE LINE OF SIGHT. AGAIN, NO BRAKING WAS REQUIRED. ON APPROACH TO A VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY READY TO MOVE INTO ANOTHER LANE TO EXECUTE A PASSING MANEUVER THE VEHICLE IS BRAKED FORCING A LOSS IN VEHICLE MOMENTUM WHEN NO BRAKING WAS REQUIRED. IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, RAIN, SNOW, FROST AND FOG THE SENSORS BECOME UNABLE TO SEE WHICH IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN AND THE ONLY WAY TO DISABLE IT THAT I KNOW OF. THESE EVENTS OCCUR EVERY SINGLE DAY ON MY TRIPS. I AM A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER WITH 35 YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN COMMERCIAL VEHICLES AND 40 IN A CAR. I DRIVE 570 MILES A NIGHT. THESE TECHNOLOGIES IN THEIR CURRENT STATE HAVE NO PLACE IN VEHICLES ON THE PUBLIC HIGHWAY SYSTEMS. WITH WINTER COMING I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THAT OF THE MOTORING PUBLIC AND WANT A RECORD OF MY COMPLAINT ON FILE. TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH THE DETROIT ASSURANCE 2.0 SYSTEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY. THE WHEELS SEPARATED FROM THE AXLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE RIGHT AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL FRACTURED, BUT DID NOT DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING ROD SNAPPED AND BECAME LOOSE FROM THE HUB. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED THE ROAD AND THE REAR OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER SWERVED AND DID A U-TURN, WHICH CAUSED THE CAB TO CRASH AND LAND ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND INTO A TREE LINE. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT OF THE CAB DISINTEGRATED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER DIED ON IMPACT. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER DIED EIGHT HOURS AFTER THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

BRAND NEW PURCHASED HANKOOK TIRES FOR 6X2 TRUCK HAD CHUNKS PEELING OFF WHILE THE DRIVER WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS IN REAR POSITION (THE TIRE CANNOT SPIN). CHUNKS OF THE TIRE FLEW ON THE HIGHWAY AS THE DRIVE WAS HAULING A CONTAINER TO THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COOLANT RESERVOIR HAD CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SURGE TANK HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 398,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DAIMLER HAS NO AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITY WITHIN MY STATE. THE CLOSEST REPAIR LOCATION IS IN AUSTIN, TX, 900 MILES AWAY, ONE WAY!! THERE ARE TWO AUTHORIZED SPRINTER REPAIR LOCATIONS WITHIN 10 MILES OF MY LOCATION THAT HAVE PERFORMED MECHANICAL/ENGINE REPAIRS IN THE PAST. CAN THEY BE AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS TO THE AIRBAGS?

JUST BOUGHT THIS TRUCK FROM HUBBARD TRAILERS, IN ARIZONA, WITH A RECEIPT FROM HAVING BOTH REAR BRAKES REDONE. DROVE IT HOME THEN TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL FL DEALERSHIP (NAMPA, ID) TO GET AN OFFICIAL INSPECTION. ON INSPECTION THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ON. WORK WAS DONE, AND I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE ON THE TRUCK RE:BRAKES. I DROVE IT HOME, ABOUT 30 MILES AND NO PROBLEM. FIRST TIME I TRIED TO TAKE IT OUT ON A TRIP, THE REAR CALIPER LOCKED UP. CALLED NAMPA FREIGHTLINER, MULTIPLE TIMES, WHILE STOPPED ON SIDE OF ROAD. THEY ADVISED TO BLEED THE BRAKES, WHICH I DID. STARTED OFF AGAIN, REAR CALIPER LOCKED UP, PULLED TRUCK OVER AND FOUND FIRE IN THE REAR UNDERCHASSIS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR AND INSTRUMENTAL PANEL LIGHTING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT WATER PENETRATED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED THE SAMCAP MODULE TO FAIL. THE MODULE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,081.