FREIGHTLINER Complaints

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A 2010 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA TRUCK EQUIPPED WITH A SO-CALLED HARD BRAKING DETECTION SYSTEM. I AM ENGINEER MYSELF AND, AFTER A WHOLE YEAR I CAME TO A CLEAR CONCLUSION THAT THE SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK ON ROAD WITH POOR CONDITIONS LIKE BUMPY OR SLIPPERY. THE REAL PROBLEM IS THAT TRUCK DRIVERS TAKE THE BLAME FROM THEIR COMPANY FOR THIS AND IT IS RISKY. TRUCK DRIVING IS BY ITSELF IS VERY STRESSFUL, AND IT BECOME A REAL HAZARD WHEN THEY DON'T WANT TO HIT THE BRAKE BECAUSE OF A HARD BRAKING SYSTEM THAT PUT THEM INTO TROUBLE WITH THEIR BOSS. AS RESULT WE WILL HAVE CRASHES THAT COULD BE AVOIDED. WHAT I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT WHEN YOU TRY TO SLOW DOWN ON BUMPY OR SLIPPERY ROAD THE ABS SYSTEM GETS ACTUATED, THE IT RECORDS A HARD BRAKING EVENT, WHICH IS WRONG. THE SYSTEM NEEDS BETTER JUDGMENT WITH POOR ROAD CONDITIONS. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IT WILL NEED MORE SENSORS AND A SOFTWARE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE HERE. IF THE SYSTEM WAS NOT AIMED AT SCARING DRIVERS I THINK IT SHOULD BE CORRECTED BEFORE IT KILLS MANY AMERICANS. I PERSONALLY KNOW SAFE DRIVERS WITH MILLION MILE ACCIDENT FREE WHO REQUESTED TO HAVE THEIR TRUCK SWITCHED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND I AM SURE A SURVEY AMONG DRIVERS WILL CONFIRM MY CONCLUSIONS. THANK YOU. *TR

I HAVE A FREIGHTLINER M2 BUSINESS CLASS HAULER WITH 60000 MILES IN AUG 2010 THE LEFT REAR CALIPER LOCKED UP OVER HEATING AND BURNING OUT THE ABS SENSOR, PADS AND ROTOR HAD TO BE TURNED. THIS WORK WAS DONE BY THE LOCAL FREIGHTLINER DEALER. ON 12-31-10 THE RIGHT REAR CALIPER LOCKED UP AND AGAIN BURNED OUT THE ABS SENSOR AND OVER HEATED THE BRAKES. I AGAIN TOOK MY TRUCK TO THE FREIGHTLINER DEALER FOR REPAIR. THEY CONTACTED THE FREIGHTLINER CO AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE CALIPERS WERE STICKING AND THAT THEY BOTH SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE ABS SENSOR WAS REPLACED, BOTH CALIPERS WITH NEW PADS WERE REPLACED AND THE RIGHT ROTOR WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. FREIGHTLINER WAS UNABLE TO TELL ME ANYTHING REGARDING THE STICKING CALIPERS. TOTAL COST TO ME WAS JUST UNDER $4000.00. *TR

2006 FREIGHTLINER SEMI, WAS DISABLED ON THE BERM WITH IT'S HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND A PATROL CAR BEHIND IT DUE TO LOSING A SET OF TRAILER TIRES. UPON COMING TO A STOP AT THE 148.4 MILE POST. UNIT 2'S BRAKE DRUM FELL OFF AND ROLLED INTO TRAFFIC. UNIT 1 STRUCK THE BRAKE DRUM AND CONTINUED ON A LITTLE FURTHER BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE DRIVER WAS ASKED TO MOVE HIS OUT FIT A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AWAY FROM TRAFFIC AND AS HE DID, THAT IS WHEN THE OFFICER NOTICED THE BRAKE DRUM HAD FALL FROM THE TRUCK. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0902-90)*JB UPDATED 02/15/11 *BF

2007 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL, UNIT 1 AND 2 WERE TRAVELING WESTBOUND. A REAR TIRE ON UNIT 1 BLEW AND THE DEBRIS FROM IT STRUCK THE FRONT OF THE UNIT 2. UNIT 1 CONTINUED ON AND DID NOT STOP. *BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0786-90)*JB UPDATED 01/14/11 *BF

I HAD MADE AN OBSERVATION THAT THE RS STEER TIRE WAS WEARING VERY FAST AND WORE A NEW TIRE DOWN TO THE WEAR BARS IN 2 MONTHS. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO A FREIGHTLINER FACILITY FOR AN ALIGNMENT. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE RACK IN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING MECHANISMS WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY DO NOT MAKE THIS PART ANY LONGER AND HAVE NO SERVICE PARTS. THERE IS NO REMEDY. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS PART WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL TO THE POINT WHERE IT BECOMES UNSAFE. I AM NOT A MECHANIC BUT I AM SURE THAT IF IT WEARS A TIRE DOWN IN 2 MONTHS THEN IT IS NOT SETUP PROPERLY AND SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THAT AT THE CURRENT TIME IT IS SAFE. I WILL CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE RS STEER TIRE AND HAVE IT INSPECTED REGULARLY UNTIL EITHER FREIGHTLINER COMES UP WITH A RESOLUTION OR THAT THE NHTSA LOOKS INTO THIS PROBLEM AND DETERMINES IF THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A RECALL THAT WILL FORCE FREIGHTLINER TO FIX IT. *TR

2008 FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER 3500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A SAFETY CONCERN WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ORIGINAL POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PRACTICALLY NEW WITH 9,741 MILES. THE PUMP WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW WITH LESS THAN 13,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE NEW PUMP HAS ALSO FAILED. *JB

IT APPEARS THAT A LEAK IN THE WINDSHIELD HAS CAUSED THE COMPUTER/ELECTRONICS TO GO HAYWIRE WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM. WIPERS WOULD STOP WORKING, ENGINE SHUT DOWN LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND OFF, WINDSHIELD WASHERS JUST STARTED SHOOTING FLUID ONTO THE WINDSHIELD, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND DIDN'T GO OFF. SEVERAL OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS STOPPED WORKING. THE COMPUTER AND FUSE BLOCK WAS REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE MAJOR PROBLEMS THEY TRIED TO REPAIR THE LEAK 4 TIMES. THE 5TH TIME THEY THOUGHT THEY FOUND THE LEAK IN A MARKER LIGHT ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD HOWEVER THAT MAY HAVE BEEN JUST ANOTHER LEAK BECAUSE THE LEAK IS STILL THERE AFTER DRIVING IN A STORM YESTERDAY. *TR

2002 FREIGHTLINER SEMI, TIRE CAME OFF. UNIT 1 CHANGED LANE AND STRUCK A TIRE THAT WAS IN THE ROAD BELONGED TO UNIT 2 WHO WAS STANDING BY TO TRY AND RETRIEVE IT. BF

I HAVE A 2007 SPORTCHASSIS (FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS M2) WITH 8000 MILES, WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT CALIPER LOCKED UP AND CAUGHT FIRE, I WAITED FOR TRUCK TO COOL DOWN AND DROVE HOME. NEXT TIME I TOOK THE TRUCK OUT, ABT A WEEK LATER, THE LEFT CALIPER DID THE SAME THING. I CHECKED THE CALIPERS ARE FINE, THE BRAKE FLUID IS ALSO OK. I HAVE TRIED CONTACTING FREIGHTLINER SPORTCHASSIS IN OKLAHOMA WHERE THE TRUCK WAS MANUFACTURED 4/2006. I HAVE BEEN TOLD SEVERAL "FIXES" BY THE LOCAL FREIGHTLINER DEALER HERE IN MIAMI FL BUT ITS VERY COSTLY ABT $5000 TO FIX. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS THE PROBLEM THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING DEFECTIVE FOR THE CALIPERS TO LOCK UP & CATCH FIRE UNDER MY TRUCK, INTURN DAMAGING ALL THE PARTS THAT NOW NEED TO BE REPLACED @ ABT $5000. I DON'T DRIVE THE TRUCK OFTEN, IT'S A "TOY" THAT I OWN. PURCHASED BRAND NEW 1/2007 TO DATE HAVE 8000 MILES. *TR

2002 FREIGHTLINER SEMI TIRE CAME OFF AND TWO OTHER VEHICLES STUCK THE TIRE. *BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0598-90)*JB