FREIGHTLINER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL COLUMBIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH IN ICY CONDITIONS, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH SLACK AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO REACH THE TRAILER BRAKE AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL AND ROLLOVER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED 3 BROKEN RIBS AND A CRACKED SHOULDER BLADE. THE TRUCK WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,560. UPDATED 6/10/14*CN

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

ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 24, 2013 THE DRIVER OF THE 2006 FREIGHTLINER M2 106 NOTICED A BURNING SMELL FOLLOWED BY SMOKE WHILE HE WAS OPERATING THE TRUCK. THE DRIVER INDICATED THE SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM THE SEAM WHERE THE COWL AND HOOD MEET, OFFSET RIGHT OF THE CENTER OF THE TRUCK. THE DRIVER SAID THE SMOKE QUICKLY TURNED TO FIRE WHICH HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL AND MINUTES LATER AUTHORITIES ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. MY COMPANY WAS ASKED TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION OF THE TRUCK FOLLOWING THE FIRE AND FOUND EVIDENCE SUGGESTING THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE COWL OPENING FOR THE HVAC SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD IN SECURE STORAGE AND WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN INSPECTION TO SEE IF THE EVENT MAY BE RELATED TO AN ON-GOING INVESTIGATION BY YOUR OFFICE INTO SIMILAR CLAIMS REGARDING THIS MODEL TRUCK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TIE ROD END HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V357000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 488,541.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE J-BRAKE AND TRAILER BRAKE ERRONEOUSLY ENGAGED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKES INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO RESPOND TO DECELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ON GUARD SYSTEM HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 265,000. UPDATED 7/31/14*CN *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V514000 (STEERING) AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS REVERSING WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 666,640.

2008 CATERPILLAR ACERT C13 CRANKCASE BREATHER FILTER CLOGGED BECAUSE OF DESIGN. CAUSED TRUCK TO SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC CREATING A SAFETY INCIDENT. *TR

AFTER HAVING THE TOW TRUCK FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS, THE DASH OF THE TOW TRUCK BEGAN TO BREAK EVERYWHERE UP TO SPLIT IN SEVERAL PLACES OF THE SAME. A FEW MONTHS AGO THE FUSE BOX FELL OFF CAUSING THE IMPACT TO THE FOOT OF A CUSTOMER WHO WAS MOUNTED ON THE TOW TRUCK AT THE TIME. THERE IS ANY CHANCE THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION IN PARTICULAR OF THE TOW TRUCK. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO WITH THIS SITUATION RELATED TO THE DASH BECAUSE THE SITUATION IS NOT ALONE WITH MY TOW TRUCK AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OTHERS STERLING WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AND WHEN YOU GO TO THE DEALERS ALL THEY SAY IS THAT THEY CAN NOT DO ANYTHING. THE CABLES INSIDE THE DASH HAVE BEEN PEELING, THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE DASH. WHEN PEELED GONE CABLES CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITS IN THE SYSTEM AND THIS IS WORRYING BECAUSE IN THE WAKE OF THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE INSIDE THE TOW TRUCK. *TR

2005 FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER VAN 2500 WITH NO SIDE DOOR OR REAR DOOR GLASS. THE DRIVER MUST USE THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS TO MERGE IN TRAFFIC. THE OUTSIDE MIRRORS THAT ARE NOT HEATED WILL FOG UP WHEN DRIVING IN DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS CAUSING THE DRIVER TO BE BLIND. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHERE ALL FULL SIZE COFFIN VANS WITH NO SIDE OR REAR GLASS SHOULD HAVE HEATED OUTSIDE MIRRORS FROM THE FACTORY, THIS APPLIES TO ANY MAKE FULL SIDE COFFIN VANS, CARGO VANS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FREIGHTLINER FLD120 DUMP TRUCK EQUIPPED WITH DUNLOP DYNATRAC TIRE, SIZE 425/65/R22.5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, HE REALIZED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BECAME FLAT FROM THE SIDEWALL AREA. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE SIX MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. THE VEHICLE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600,000.