FREIGHTLINER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS M2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAT FAN WIRING HARNESS OVERHEATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE ON POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

THE METHODOLOGY/GASKETING/ WHATEVER IS SO INADEQUATE ON ROOFTOP AIR CONDITIONING UNITS THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE "SEMI-JOKINGLY" CALLED RAIN FORESTS DUE TO UNBELIEVABLY BAD AND CHRONIC AND DANGEROUS RAIN LEAKING THROUGH THE ROOF. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH ON "SPRINTER ROOF LEAK" BRINGS BACK MANY, MANY RESULTS -- INCLUDING YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF THE OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNT OF LEAKING. THE REAR PASSENGERS IN SOME SPRINTER VANS ARE GETTING A SHOWER THAT THEY DON'T EXPECT. THE REAR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS REPORTEDLY LEAKING IN SOME MODELS, AND OWNERS ARE BOILING MAD. A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED IN CALIFORNIA ALLEGING THAT MERCEDES KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND DIDN'T FIX IT. BAD SEALS AROUND THE ROOFTOP, REAR AIR CONDITIONER ON SOME SPRINTER 2500 AND 3500 MODELS ALLEGEDLY CAUSE THE LEAK. DRIVERS CLAIM THAT IT'S BAD ENOUGH TO SEEM LIKE IT'S RAINING IN THE VEHICLE, AND SOME OWNERS SAY THAT IT LEADS TO MOLD AND WATER DAMAGE AROUND THE HEADLINER. REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TRY TO REPAIR -- THE PROBLEM RE-OCCURS WITHIN MONTHS TYPICALLY. THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP THE RAIN-INFILTRATION ON MY VEHICLE IS TO COMPLETELY REMOVE THE ROOFTOP UNIT. HENCE, A UNIT THAT COSTS ~ $6,000 DOLLARS HAS BEEN REMOVED, ALSO REQUIRING REMEDIATION OF THE RESULTING 16 X 33 INCH HOLE IN THE ROOFTOP SHEET-METAL AND THE INTERIOR HEADLINER, WHICH ALONE COSTS ANOTHER $600 FROM MB PARTS DEPARTMENT. I HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH EXECUTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT MERCEDES BENZ CORPORATE TO LITTLE AVAIL, DESPITE THE FACT THAT MOST SPRINTER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, READILY ADMIT, THAT THIS IS A HUGE, RECURRING PROBLEM. IT REALLY IS A SHAME THAT THIS IS THE PRIMARY "ACHILLES HEEL" ON THIS VEHICLE, THAT OTHERWISE, IMPRESSES ME TIME AND AGAIN. *TR

I WAS DRIVING EAST ON I10 WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I THEN NOTICED THE DASH PANEL GOING IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THE ERROR CODE CAME UP AS J1939. TALKING WITH WINNEBAGO AND CUMMINGS ENGINE THEY BOTH STATED THIS WAS A CHASSIS PROBLEM AND CONTACT FREIGHTLINER. I CALLED THEM IN ORLANDO FLORIDA AND THEY STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF SOME PROBLEM WITH THE DASH INSTRUMENT PANEL OR ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL CONTROL BOARD. THEY ALSO STATED THERE COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS. I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND DID NOT LIKE PULLING OFF THE ROAD TO CHECK FOR PROBLEMS ON THREE OCCASIONS BETWEEN JACKSONVILLE FL. AND ORLANDO, FL. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ACTIVATED AND SHUT OFF, THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO BLINK. THE SIGNALS WOULD BLINK FIVE TIMES WHEN THE LEVER WAS BARELY TOUCHED. IN ADDITION, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS BURNED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES AND WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V099000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 426,000.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED REDUCED POWER AND WHOOSH SOUND. FOUND INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH CRACKS LEAKING EXHAUST FROM EGR RUNNER. MADE TEMPORARY REPAIR ON THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO SHOP. FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PART (2010-040002) BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET REPAIR FROM DAIMLER VANS USA. *TR

LOCATION OF CRUISE CONTROL ARM IS TOO CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND TURN SIGNAL ARM. ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATION IS LIKELY AND HAS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE BY EITHER ACCIDENTAL CONTACT OF THE LEFT HAND WHILE STEERING OR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THE TURN SIGNAL. THIS CONDITION IS COMPOUNDED BY THE ORIENTATION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL ARM, WHERE AN UP OR DOWN MANIPULATION WILL 'SET' OR 'RESUME' THE CRUISE SPEED, BOTH OF WHICH CAN ACTIVATE THE CRUISE SYSTEM. SUCH MANIPULATION (UP OR DOWN) IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR DUE TO THE CONTROL ARM'S RELATIVE POSITION TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND TURN SIGNAL CONTROL ARM. THIS CONDITION IS FURTHER COMPOUNDED BY THE LACK OF ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED. THERE IS ALSO NO SEPARATE CRUISE CONTROL ENABLE SWITCH FOR THE DRIVER TO BE AWARE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM MAY ACTIVATE. THE RESULT OF THIS CONDITION IS THAT THE DRIVER MAY ACCIDENTALLY AND UNKNOWINGLY ACTIVATE THE VEHICLE'S CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE BEHAVIOR OR POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL FROM UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT OF CRUISE CONTROL ARM WITH A DIFFERENT DESIGN TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND TURN SIGNAL CONTROL ARM. ALTERNATIVELY, CHANGING THE SWITCH ORIENTATION SO THAT UP/DOWN MANIPULATION CAUSES THE CRUISE SETTING TO 'CANCEL', WHICH IS A SAFER UNINTENDED ACTION (DEACTIVATE) THAN THE CURRENT 'SET' ACTION (ACTIVATE). *TR

I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IN 2006 BUT EVERY YEAR I HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR AND SOONER IF I RUN THE HEATER OR AIR CONDITIONER ON HI I HAVE TO REPLACE EVERY MONTH OR SO.THE GROUND WIRE GETS HOT AND THE MOTOR GOES BAD.A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THIS VEHICLE AND A NEW MODEL OF HEATER BLOWER MOTOR NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED.BECAUSE THE FRENCH MADE MODEL DON'T LAST VERY LONG AT ALL. *TR

THE VIN LAST 6: [XXX] ; ZF MERIT OR,12 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THE CENTER CARRIER BEARING WHICH SUPPORTS THE OUTPUT SHAFT AFTER THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT LAST MORE THAN 3 YEARS AND HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY. THE FIRST REPAIR INVOICE WAS ON 3/1/2012 AND THE MOST RECENT REPAIR WAS ON 4/28/2014. THE RUBBER COMPOUND USED IN THE CENTER CARRIER BEARING NEEDS TO BE REEVALUATED. ONCE THE CENTER CARRIER BEARING HAS PLAY IN THE Z DIRECTION, THERE WOULD BE EXCESSIVE VIBRATION THAT CAN FATIGUE OTHER COMPONENTS AND CAUSE FAILURE BY INITIATING A FATIGUE CRACK AND PROPAGATING DUE TO CYCLIC STRESSES. MERITOR SHOULD REEVALUATE THE RELIABILITY OF THEIR CENTER CARRIER ASSEMBLY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE ON GUARD COLLISION SAFETY SYSTEM ENGAGED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY STOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 225,546.