FREIGHTLINER Complaints

2006 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA LEFT FRONT MUDFLAP BROKE OFF VEHICLE AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. *KB OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0023-90 UPDATED LETTER 04/29/10 *BF

I HAVE A FREIGHTLINER STEP VAN AND I WORK FOR FEDEX. I BOUGHT THIS VAN BRAND NEW ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO AND EVER SINCE I STARTED DRIVING IT I NOTICED THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS TERRIBLE. THE VEHICLE PUSH AND PULLS ALL OVER THE ROAD, THE FRONT END MAKES NOISES LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE, AND IT SWAYS ALL OVER THE ROAD. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH CORPORATE FREIGHTLINER AND THEY DID CHANGE THE FRONT LEAF SPRINGS(SO CALLED FLAT STYLE LEAF SPRING). IT MADE A LITTLE IMPROVEMENT, BUT THE NOISES STILL PERSIST AND IT STILL IS ALL OVER THE ROAD. THIS VAN DOES THINGS THAT I NEVER THOUGHT A VAN COULD DO. THE VAN ALSO HAS A WOBBLE TO IT SINCE THE BEGINNING AND THE FRONT END SHAKES AT AROUND 50MPH. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES, BUT I AM TOLD THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. I HAVE OFFERED CORPORATE FREIGHTLINER A CHANCE TO SPEND A DAY WITH ME AND HAVE ONE OF THEIR ENGINEERS DRIVE IT, BUT WAS NEVER TAKEN UP ON THE OFFER. I HAVE SAID TO CORPORATE, THAT THIS VAN IS A NIGHTMARE. I HAD A P1000(MT55) BEFORE THE P700(MT45) THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE NOW SO I KNOW HOW THESE VEHICLES RIDE. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM FOR TWO YEARS AND I REALLY FEEL THAT FREIGHTLINER KNOWS THE TRUE REASON FOR MY HEADACHES. MY FEELING IS THAT I THINK THAT THE PUT THE WRONG LEAF SPRINGS ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE OTHER MT45 AT THE TERMINAL. WHEN THIS VAN ARRIVED IT LOOKED LIKE A DRAG CAR(THE FRONT WAS NOTICEABLY LOWER THAN THE BACK). I WAS RIPPING DOWN FRONT TIRES AND GOING FOR WHEEL ALIGNMENTS PER FREIGHTLINER AND THE ALIGNMENTS CAME BACK FINE, BUT MY TIRES WERE BEING CUT DOWN. I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS WITH MANAGEMENT AT OUR TERMINAL AS WELL AS THE REGIONAL SAFETY DIRECTOR AT FEDEX AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD MAKE SOME CALLS AND GET BACK TO ME, BUT SHE NEVER DID. THIS VAN SHAKES, WOBBLES, THROWS ME ALL OVER THE ROAD AND FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO FALL APART, BUT I NEVER GET ANY ANSWERS. I REALLY AM CONCERNED AND NERVOUS DRIVING THIS VAN. IT IS NOT RIGHT. PLEASE--PLEASE-- HELP ME!!!!!!! *TR

I HAVE A 2009 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA EQUIPPED WITH AIR DISC BRAKES, WHEN THE TRUCK WAS APPROX. 6 WEEKS OLD A BRAKE ASSEMBLY DID NOT RELEASE PROPERLY AND CAUGHT FIRE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. TRUCK IS NOW A YEAR OLD AND A SECOND BRAKE ASSEMBLY HAS CAUGHT FIRE FOR NO REASON. *TR

MY HUSBAND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH A 2000 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL FLD120 SEMI TRACTOR. I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS VEHICLE WAS EVER SUBJECT TO A RECALL. THE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER IS PE02088 AND THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER IS 03V112000. MY QUESTION IS VERY SPECIFIC. WAS THIS VIN NUMBER SUBJECT TO A RECALL? *TR

IN NOVEMBER OF 2008 WE SEEN OUR FIRST RACK AND PINION FAILURE. WE SEEN PREMATURE STEER TIRE WEAR ON THE RIGHTSIDE. CONTACTED FREIGHTLINER AND INSTALLED NEW RACKS AND THAT DIDN'T REPAIR THE PROBLEM. ON THE OTHER 18 WE INCURRED THE SAME PROBLEM SOME WORSE THE OTHERS. BY JULY WE COMPILED A AVERAGE OF STEER TIRE WEAR ON THE CASCADIA WAS 8,000 MILES TO THE BEST BEING 98,000. AT THIS POINT WE ARE WAITING FOR MORE ANSWERS TO OUR PROBLEM. WE HAVE THE NEW RECALL INFORMATION ,BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE CURE OF THE RACK AND PINION YET. TODAY WE ARE CHECKING EACH UNIT EACH TIME THEY COME BACK AND IF THERE IS A LOOSE RACK WHEN STEERS ARE STRAIGHT FORWARD THEN THEY MUST BE REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FREIGHTLINER X LINE MOTORHOME(NA). THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE DEALER WHEN HE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 09V056000, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BATTERY, CABLES. HE WAS ADVISED THAT HIS APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2009; HOWEVER, IN SEPTEMBER HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER BEING HONORED SINCE ANOTHER COMPANY PURCHASED THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,903.

2005 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA WAS STOPPING FOR A TOLL BOOTH WHEN BOTH REAR RIGHT WHEELS DETACHED FROM THE SECOND REAR AXLE. ONE TIRE BROKE THE WINDOW OF THE TOLL BUILDING. *KB THE LUG NUTS BROKE OFF ON THE RIGHT SIDE SECOND TO THE REAR AXLE. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0752-91.

ADDENDUM ODI 10281432: I MADE A COMPLAINT ABOUT DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINIONS ON FREIGHTLINER 2009 "CASCADIA" MODELS ON AUG. 23, 2009. ON AUG. 24, 2009 ONE WAS OVERNIGHTED AT THE BEHEST OF FREIGHTLINER TO MY LEASED TO COMPANY C. R. ENGLAND, INC. WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED ALL AVAILABLE RACK AND PINIONS OFF THE MARKET TO "QUIETLY/ SECRETLY" REPAIR IT'S FLEET. ON AUG. 31, 2009 NHTSA BEGAN AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION AND C.R. ENGLAND, INC, WITH FREIGHTLINER'S HELP ISSUED IT'S OWN RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINIONS THAT SAME DATE. ON SEP. 2, 2009 I WAS Q-COMMED BY MY DM FOR CRE TO CALL HIM ASAP. I DID SO AND HE INFORMED ME THAT MY NEW RACK AND PINION WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED AND TO HAVE IT DONE IN BURNS HARBOR, IN SOME 998 MILES AWAY! I WAS JUST A MILE AWAY FROM FREIGHTLINER DEALERSHIP IN CHEYENNE, WY AND HAD THE REPAIRS DONE THEIR AND I HAVE FAXED THAT PROOF TO NHTSA. ON SEP 4, 2009 CRE RETALIATED AGAINST ME BY ASSIGNING A LOAD OF SOME 850 MILES THAT DELIVERED ON SEP. 9, 2009. I WAS ALREADY DOWN SOME THREE WEEKS WAITING FOR A RACK AND PINION, WITH FIXED COSTS OF LEASE AT $762.50 PER WEEK, AND A SHORT WEEK FROM THE FRIDAY BEFORE AND NOW ANOTHER SHORT WEEK FROM POCATELLO, ID TO BURNS, HARBOR, IN AND THIS "RETALIATION" LOAD THAT WOULD NOT BE ADDED TO THE NEXT WEEKS PAY EITHER - WEEK ENDS AT MIDNIGHT ON TUESDAY!!!! IN OTHER WORDS MY FAMILY WOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO EAT AGAIN WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED CONTRACT TO BE FORCED INTO EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 BY CRE ON ALL OF ITS IC'S! THUS IN "LIGHT" OF THIS PLANNED RETALIATION BY CRE AGAINST ME AND MY FAMILY I WILL TERMINATE MY CONTRACT WITH CRE ON SEP. 8, 2009 BY TURNING IN THIS 2009 FREIGHTLIINER CASCADIA WITH A STILL DEFECTIVE NEW AND "REPAIRED" RACK AND PINION. *TR

I AM AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR FOR CR ENGLAND, INC. (TRUCKING) I LEASED A 2009 FREIGHTLINER, WHICH HAS A DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINION STEERING AS HAVE DOZENS/ HUNDREDS OF OTHERS OF THE SAME MODEL THIS YEAR! WHY HASN'T THIS MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT BEEN FORMALLY RECALLED? IS IT BECAUSE ALL OF THE DRIVERS HAVE REPORTED THE INTENSE LOSS OF FRONT TIRE RUBBER AND THE DEFECTS THUS FAR HAVE BEEN FORTUNATELY REPORTED AND REPAIRED WITHOUT A MASSIVE ROAD ACCIDENT THAT MIGHT CLAIM HUNDREDS/ THOUSANDS OF LIVES IF CARRYING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS? LOSS OF STEERING WOULD BE ABOUT THE WORST THING THAT A FULLY LOADED TRACTOR COULD HAVE GO WRONG OTHER THAN BRAKES FAILING IN A SUBURB SETTING. IN ADDITION, NO RACK AND PINIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO REPLACE MINE ANYWHERE, ACCORDING TO MY DEALERSHIP LOCATED ON DANIEL PAYNE DRIVE IN B'HAM, AL., BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS ONES ALREADY REPLACED HAS COMPLETELY DEPLETED THE AVAILABLE STOCK! MAYBE ONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES WILL NOT BE KILLED BY THIS HEINOUS DEFECT. *TR THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 03V357000. UPDATED 04/07/10.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS M2. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT THE REAR BRAKES DRAGGING. THERE WAS NO REAR BRAKING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE FRONT BRAKES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ABS SNENSOR DETACHED FROM THE METAL HOLDER, WHICH OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE ABS SENSOR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 32,300. UPDATED 06/03/10*BF UPDATED 06/07/10*JB