FREIGHTLINER Complaints

THIS FREIGHTLINER M2 HAS BEEN MADE INTO A MOTORHOME BY DYNAMAX CORP. THE CRUISE CONTROL AND BRAKE SYSTEM ARE FREIGHTLINER. I NOTICED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT ALWAYS DISENGAGE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND I HAD TO SWITCH IT OFF MANUALLY. UPON FURTHER CHECKING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ALSO NOT COMING ON WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. I CHECKED THE RECALLS AND THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WAS UNDER RECALL #10V178000. THE LOCAL FREIGHTLINER DEALER SAID MY VEHICLE DID NOT COME UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE IT USED DIFFERENT SWITCH. MY SWITCH IS A FORD #3F2T-13480-CR, UNDER THE NUMBER IS THE WORD POLLAK. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND ABOUT $550.00 LATER THE CRUISE CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHTS WORK AS THEY SHOULD. I THINK THAT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER SINCE FREIGHTLINER OBVIOUSLY DID NOT IDENTIFY ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH THE FIRST RECALL. I HAVE THE SWITCH IF IT IS NEEDED FOR TESTING. *TR

I HAVE TWO 'GRIPES' ABOUT CRUISE CONTROL: 1. THE LACK OF A 'CRASH SWITCH' TO DUMP THE CRUISE CONTROL AGGRAVATED AN ACCIDENT I RECENTLY HAD IN A TRUCK. I REMEMBER YEARS AGO INSTALLING CC IN A CAR, AND THERE WAS A MERCURY SWITCH TO DUMP THE CRUISE CONTROL IF THE CAR WERE IN AN ACCIDENT. OCCASIONALLY, THERE WAS A FALSE DUMP ON A BUMP, BUT IT JUST SERVED TO REMIND ME THE SAFETY FEATURE WAS WORKING! 2. IN AN AUTO WITH AUTOMATIC AND SELECTIVE SPORT SHIFT, THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T DISENGAGE WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS MOVED. IN A MANUAL CAR, THE CC WOULD BE DISENGAGED WHEN DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH. I HAVE BEEN SURPRISED WHEN DOWNSHIFTING FOR A HIGHWAY EXIT, TO FIND THE CAR HOLDING SPEED AT THE REDUCED GEAR! AT 88FPS (30 YARDS/SEC) THIS DOESN'T LEAVE MUCH TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM AND DISENGAGE THE CC MANUALLY OR BY A TAP ON THE BRAKES BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE EXIT WITH EXCESS SPEED. I RELY ON CC TO HELP ME AVOID SPEEDING AND TO ACCLIMATE ME TO A CHANGE IN SPEED LIMIT. THE TWO GRIPES ABOVE ARE REAL, AND THEY ARE PERVASIVE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE/TRUCK INDUSTRY! HOW ABOUT A FIX? *TR

DURING OPERATION OF PICKING UP STUDENTS THE COOLANT OF FLOW CONTAINER BROKE AND LEAKED COOLANT ON THE ENGINE . I HAVE A FLEET OF THESE AND THIS PARTICULAR MODEL YEAR ALL HAVE FAILED RESULTING A BREAKDOWN OR ROAD CALL. *TR

WE WERE ASLEEP IN THE TRUCK WITH THE CURTAINS CLOSED. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS BLOWING COLD AIR. WE WERE AWAKENED BY SOMEONE POUNDING ON OUR DOOR. WHEN I OPENED THE CURTAIN, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD WAS A SHEET OF FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FLAMES WERE ALSO COMING OUT OF THE LEFT SIDE HOOD LATCH ACCESS HOLE AND COVERING THE LEFT SIDE WING WINDOW. WE EXITED THE TRUCK BY THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR AND TOOK A PICTURE OF THE FIRE WITHIN TWO MINUTES OF GETTING OUT. THIS PICTURE IS AVAILABLE. ANOTHER PICTURE WAS TAKEN BETWEEN 4 AND 6 MINUTES AFTER THE FIRST PICTURE. THIS PICTURE IS ALSO AVAILABLE. MY WIFE WAS DEEPLY ASLEEP, BUT I WAS SLEEPING LIGHTLY HAVING GONE TO BED SHORTLY BEFORE THE FIRE. MY WIFE AND I WERE BOTH AWAKENED BY LOUD VOICES OUTSIDE THE TRUCK. OUR DOG WAS ALSO AWAKENED BY THE LOUD VOICES. OUR DOG GAVE TWO SHARP BARKS OF WARNING, AND THE VOICES STOPPED. WE THOUGHT IT WAS A PARKING LOT ALTERCATION. WE ALL LAY OUR HEADS BACK DOWN TO RETURN TO SLEEP. OUR DOG IS QUITE FRIGHTENED OF FIRE, OR THE SMELL OF SMOKE. NONE OF US DETECTED ANYTHING AMISS AT ALL; NO ALTERATION IN THE ENGINE SOUND, VARIATION IN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AIR CONDITIONING, OR OTHER NOISES OR ODORS. IN THE COURSE OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE TRUCK BURNED, LITERALLY TO THE GROUND. PICTURES OF THE BURNED OUT CARCASS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. THE COMPANY'S INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH OF THE TRUCK LEFT FROM WHICH TO DRAW ANY FORENSIC CONCLUSIONS. *TR

AFTER DOING THE RUN, THE BUS WAS PARKED INSIDE THE SHOP FOR THE NIGHT. THE DRIVER LEFT AND WITHIN 10- 15 MINUTES LATER THE COMPLETE SHOP WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE INVESTIGATORS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE GRID HEATER AREA. THE SHOP AND TWO BUSSES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *TR

1. AT FIRST, I FELT THE VEHICLE HESITATE WHEN I UP-SHIFT. I GOT INTO THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISS GRADUALLY AND GETTING WORSE. I PULLED INTO A FREIGHT-LINER AND THE SAY THAT FUEL LINE IS CONTAMINATED BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP BROKE INSIDE. THEY SAID THEY HAVE TO FLUSH OUT THE LINES AND REPLACE THE FILTER, INJECTORS, FUEL PUMP AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINES. I JUST BOUGHT A FULL TANK OF DIESEL BEFORE THE INCIDENT. ALL THE FUEL WILL BE DUMPED AND FUEL TANKS WILL BE CLEANED. I HAVE THE ESTIMATED REPAIR TO COST OVER $10,000 DOLLARS. I CALLED DAIMLER CORPORATE OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP ME TO COVER SOME OF THE BILLS THEY DECLINED WITH THE EXCUSE THAT THE TRUCK IS 38,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT 2 MONTHS.THIS PROBLEM IS NOT MY FAULT, IT IS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. 2. THE BOTTOM SCREW HOLDING THE FUEL RAIL LEAKS OIL. THEY SEALED THE OIL IN WITH SILICON AND I JUST CHANGED AIR COMPRESSOR FOR OIL LEAK. I HAVE JUST BOUGHT THE TRUCK 6 MONTHS AGO. THE TRUCK MAY HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT BEFORE. WHEN I STEP HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, I HEAR A LOUD METAL KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BRAKE CHAMBER. AND THAT AFFECT THE STEERING. *TR

1. AT FIRST, I FELT THE VEHICLE HESITATE WHEN I UP-SHIFT. I GOT INTO THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISS GRADUALLY AND GETTING WORSE. I PULLED INTO A FREIGHT-LINER AND THE SAY THAT FUEL LINE IS CONTAMINATED BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP BROKE INSIDE. THEY SAID THEY HAVE TO FLUSH OUT THE LINES AND REPLACE THE FILTER, INJECTORS, FUEL PUMP AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINES. I JUST BOUGHT A FULL TANK OF DIESEL BEFORE THE INCIDENT. ALL THE FUEL WILL BE DUMPED AND FUEL TANKS WILL BE CLEANED. I HAVE THE ESTIMATED REPAIR TO COST OVER $10,000 DOLLARS. I CALLED DAIMLER CORPORATE OFFICE TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP ME TO COVER SOME OF THE BILLS THEY DECLINED WITH THE EXCUSE THAT THE TRUCK IS 38,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT 2 MONTHS.THIS PROBLEM IS NOT MY FAULT, IT IS A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. 2. THE BOTTOM SCREW HOLDING THE FUEL RAIL LEAKS OIL. THEY SEALED THE OIL IN WITH SILICON AND I JUST CHANGED AIR COMPRESSOR FOR OIL LEAK. I HAVE JUST BOUGHT THE TRUCK 6 MONTHS AGO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA TRACTOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND THE RACK AND PINION DETERIORATED AND FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V514000 (STEERING) AND 09V357000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS. WHEN DRIVING OVER 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE TWO RECALL REPAIRS DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ...UPDATED 03-11-15 *BF UPDATED 9/21/2017*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS EQUIPPED WITH KELLY CHARGER HPT TIRES, SIZE 275/70R/24.5 (NA). THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE TWO FRONT TIRES BLEW OUT. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I PURCHASED TRUCK 11/2010 TRUCK DROVE FINE FOR THE FIRST YR. PULLING VERY LIGHT FREIGHT ALWAYS THE TRUCK BECAME VERY HARD TO CONTROL. TRUCK DANCES, HOPS, BOUNCE ETC. I HAVE HAD SUSPENSION WORK DONE AND THE PROB HAS NOT IMPROVED. I DON'T GET IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR NO PHYSICAL SIGNS THAT CAN BE SEEN, JUST POOR PERFORMANCE. I WOULD NOT BUY ANOTHER ONE. THE ENGINE/ TRANS, NO COMPLAINTS, ONLY THE DRIVABILITY. *TR