FREIGHTLINER Complaints

THIS IS A FOLLOW-ON TO NHTSA COMPLAINT # 10525935 WHICH YOU CAN READ IN THE RECORD.......SINCE MAKING THAT FILING EVERY ENTITY CONNECTED WITH THIS COMPLAINT HAS EITHER DENIED RESPONSIBILITY OR IGNORED RESPONSE TO FINANCIAL CLAIMS. THE MANUFACTURER, THROUGH CORPORATE COUNCIL HAVE DENIED RESPONSIBILITY AS "THERE WAS NO INVESTIGATION" CONDUCTED. IN FACT THE MANUFACTURER CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION IN EARLY 2013 AT THE SITE WHERE THE REMAINS OF THE TRACTOR ARE STORED. THEY DID THIS WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR WHO REPORTED THAT DURING THIS INVESTIGATION HE NOTED RETAINING BOLTS MISSING ON THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER CORPORATE COUNCIL ALSO CLAIMED THAT SINCE LESSER LEASING COMPANY PRESENTED THE VEHICLE FOR RE-LEASE WITHOUT DISCLOSING THAT IT HAD BEEN IN A COLLISION OUTBOARD OF THE FUELS CONTROL COMPONENTS (MANUFACTURER CLAIMED) THAT "THE PROBLEM IN SUCH INSTANCES WERE ALWAYS RELATED TO UNREPORTED COLLISIONS ". IN OTHER WORDS "NOT OUR PROBLEM". THE LEASING COMPANY MADE TOKEN PAYMENT ON THE CLAIMS MADE; SOUGHT AND RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLES FROM THE FREIGHTLINER DEALER WHO SOLD THE VEHICLE AND TRANSFERRED THOSE PAYMENTS TO THE LEASEHOLDER WITH AN EMPTY "CALL US IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY (THEY ARE SELF INSURED) . INSURER HAS SINCE DECLINED RESPONSE TO LEASEHOLDER CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THEIR INSURANCE CARRIER/PROCESSOR SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO COVERAGE FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY. THIS, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE CLAIMS WERE NOT FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY BUT FOR LOST REVENUE AND REPLACEMENT COSTS. THE POINT HERE IS NOT TO ATTEMPT TO HAVE NHTSA CONDUCT DISCOVERY BUT, IN THE SITUATION WHERE MANUFACTURER IS CLAIMING THAT NO INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED, AND THAT THEY HAD CONDUCTED SAME, THAT NHTSA HAS EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE SAME JUST A MANUFACTURER DID THEMSELVES THIS YEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FREIGHT LINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V514000 (STEERING) AND STATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NUT PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 482,000.

A COMMERCIAL TRUCK VEHICLE MAINTENANCE VIOLATION, WAS ISSUED DURING A ROAD SIDE INCEPTION BY A CERTIFIED DOT INSPECTOR, FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE HOSE CHAFFING. A VIOLATION OF 393.45B2. OUR INVESTIGATION PROVED BEYOND ANY QUESTIONS THAT THIS IS THE WAY FREIGHTLINERS BUILD IT'S TRUCK FOR THE PAST DECADE AND STILL DOES. WE HAVE OBTAINED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT OUR CLAIM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK, AS COMPROMISING THIS HOSE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIR PSI NEEDED FOR SEPARATING OF THE BRAKE SHOE FROM THE DRUMS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER. ON A SEPARATE INCIDENT WHILE DRIVING IN WINNIPEG, M.B, THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY CAUGHT FIRE!. *JB FURTHER MORE, 393.45 SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCT AN EOM HOW TO BUILD SUCH LINE AND PROHIBITED THE CHAFFING @ TIME OF MANUFACTURING . WE KNOW THAT FREIGHTLINERS ARE AWARE OF THE FACT, AND KNOWINGLY SET IT'S COSTUMER TO FAIL @ A GREAT RISK TO OTHERS THAT SHARE THE ROADS. ALL OF OUR EVIDENCE CAN BE EMAILED. ANYONE CAN WALK INTO ANY FREIGHTLINER DEALERSHIP, LIKE WE DID, LOOK ON THAT HOSE, AND FIND IT TO BE IN VIOLATION OF 393.45. WE HAVE GONE A LONG WE TO OBTAINED OUR EVIDENCE, CONTACTED FREIGHTLINER, LEO'S, MANY DOT INSPECTORS, AND THE ONES THAT TRAINED THOSE INSPECTORS. WE ARE NOW CERTAIN THAT MOST OF ALL FREIGHTLINERS TRUCKS ON THE ROAD ARE IN FACT IN VIOLATION OF 393.45, @ GREAT RISK. ALL OF OUR EVIDENCE CAN BE E-MAILED. AND WE ARE WILLING TO HELP BY ANY MEANS TO HELP EXPLAIN OR SOLVE THIS RISK. *JB

STEER TIRE PEALED APART, 3 MONTHS OLD APPROXIMATELY 5K MILES, ON A 2006 FREIGHTLINER 3 AXLE TRACTOR. THREE OTHER TIRES ON THREE OTHER TRACTORS WITH THE SAME BRAND TIRE ALSO PEALED APART. SHOULD BE RECALLED EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

THIS TRUCK ATTEMPTED TO TRANSPORT A BOAT. IT ARRIVED AND WAS IN COMPLETE POOR CONDITION AND WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE SERVICE I PAID FOR. THE THEY REFUSED TO REFUND MY MONEY AND LEFT. THEIR EQUIPMENT NEED TO BE INSPECTED. THEY POSE A GRAVE DANGER TO VESSELS, MOTORIST AND PEOPLE AROUND. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FREIGHT LINER M2 BUSINESS CLASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, GASOLINE LEAKED FROM THE TRUCK AND ONTO THE UNDER CARRIAGE. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE HIGHER PRESSURE FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRUCK WAS REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000....UPDATED 09/18//13 *BF

I AM AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR TO CR ENGLAND. WHILE SOUTHBOUND ON I-77 TOLL ROAD 000.2 MILES SSW OF GALLAGHER WV APPROX. 20:54:00HRS I SMELLED HEAVY EXHAUST GASSES WHEN PAUSED BACK AT THE TOLL BOOTH. I ATTRIBUTED THIS TO A VEHICLE IN FRONT THAT WAS OUT OF TUNE AND CONTINUED SOUTH. THE ODOR DID NOT GO AWAY SO I PULLED OVER TO THE HARD SHOULDER TO INVESTIGATE. AS I MOVED INTO THE SHOULDER THE DASH LIGHTS LIT UP AND FLASHED. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND OPENED THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR TO CHECK THE CRACKLING NOISE COMING FROM BEHIND THE FIREWALL. SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM BENEATH THE BODY BETWEEN THE DRIVER SIDE FUEL TANK AND DOOR. I IMMEDIATELY CLOSED THE DOOR, SHOUTED TO MY SLEEPING STUDENT TO GET OUT WE ARE ON FIRE. HE BEGAN TO GATHER HIS THINGS BUT I TOLD HIM TO GET OUT NOW WHICH HE DID IN HIS UNDERWEAR AND A BLANKET. I FOLLOWED HIM OUT THE PASSENGER DOOR, PAUSED AND REACHED IN TO GET MY PHONE. I LOOKED UP AND SAW BILLOWING BLACK SMOKE FILLING THE TOP OF THE CAB SPACE AND DESCENDING DOWN RAPIDLY. WE WALKED TO THE END OF THE 53 FT TRAILER AND 10 MORE FEET ON THE PASSENGER FUEL TANK EXPLODED AND THE REST OF BOTH VEHICLES QUICKLY WERE ENGULFED AND LOST. NO BODY COULD EXPLAIN WHY THIS HAPPENED UNTIL I BECAME AWARE OF THE RECALL 12C (?), APRIL 2013, ON THE FUEL FEED ASSEMBLY FROM THE FUEL PUMP THROUGH TO THE INJECTORS VIA THE INDIVIDUAL INJECTOR LINES. I ASSUME THAT THESE WERE OVER-TIGHTENED EITHER IN ASSEMBLY IN SALTILLO, MX OR, IN SERVICE OR OTHERWISE AT COMPANY SHOP OR DURING CONTRACT SERVICE. THESE LINES WERE RUPTURED AT THAT TIME AND OVER TIME RELEASED FUEL ONTO THE BACK OF THE MOTOR. WHAT I HAD SMELLED WAS THE LIQUID FUEL HEATING ,EVAPORATING AND REACHING FLASH POINT. ONCE I STOPPED THE BLOW BY CEASED AND THE POOLED FUEL FLASHED. I INCURRED A FIVE FIGURE LOSS IN ADDITION TO THE VEHICLES. WHERE SHOULD I SEND MY CLAIM? CRE HAS THE VIN # *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FREIGHT LINER BUSINESS CLASS M2 TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE BEING DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 690,000. *TR

FULLY LOADED TRUCK RUNNING DOWN I 57, TRUCK STOPPED RUNNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER. TOWED BACK TO TAG TRUCK CENTER IN SIKESTON MO. UPON DIAGNOSIS THE TRANSMISSION HAD LOST ALL IT'S FLUID DUE TO TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES LEAKING. TRUCK WAS BUILT WITH A CLAMP THAT DID NOT FULLY SUPPORT THE LINE, AT THE FACTORY A PIECE OF PLASTIC LOOM WAS INSTALLED WITH THE CLAMP TO POSSIBLY TAKE UP THE SLACK BETWEEN THE METAL PART OF THE LINE AND THE CLAMP. THESE SAME CLAMPS WERE USED IN THE PAST TO SUPPORT ALTERNATOR WIRING; THEY CAUSED THE SAME PROBLEM BY CUTTING INTO THE ELECTRICAL CABLES DISABLING THE VEHICLE. THIS PART NUMBER IS DK 016 0010. FREIGHTLINER IN APRIL OF 2009 QUIT USING THESE CLAMPS AND STARTED USING A BETTER CLAMP, P/N 23-13687-000. AN INFORMATIONAL ONLY SERVICE BULLETIN WAS PUT OUT STATING "INFORMATIONAL ONLY, NO WARRANTY APPLIES" THAT THERE WAS A CHANGE IN CLAMPS. NOTHING ABOUT CHECKING OR MONITORING THE OLD STYLE CLAMPS. I FILED A WARRANTY CLAIM ON ANOTHER UNIT AFTER THIS INCIDENT ON THESE CLAMPS THAT FREIGHTLINER PAID, NOTHING IS CONSISTENT. THAT SAME WEEK WE HAD THE EXACT FAILURE ON A SIMILAR BUILT TRUCK VIN [XXX]. PARENT COMPANY, DAIMLER BENZ HAS SHERKED ALL RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS MATTER. BOTH UNITS UNEXPECTEDLY SHUTDOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR BATTERIES FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THE STARTER PREVIOUSLY FAILED AND THE FAILURE MAY BE RELATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 263,175.