FREIGHTLINER Complaints

IT APPEARS THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY TRUCK DOES NOT WORK WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS, WIPERS OR FLASHERS ARE ON. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS, NOTICES, STICKERS OR DOCUMENTATION THAT CAME WITH THE TRUCK ADVISING THAT THIS WOULD OCCUR. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE INCORPORATED INTO ALL NEW FREIGHTLINER TRUCKS BUT THEY NEGLECT TO TELL YOU BEFORE OR AFTER GETTING ONE. 2 OCCURRENCES WHEN I WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING WHEN USING THE FLASHERS AND WIPERS. FIRST: THIS CRUISE CONTROL ISSUE ALMOST GOT ME KILLED WHEN I WENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANOTHER DRIVER WHO FLASHED HIS LIGHTS TO LET ME BACK INTO THE RIGHT LANE AFTER PASSING HIM. I USED THE FOUR WAY FLASHER TO THANK HIM HOWEVER WHEN I DID THE TRUCKS CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND THE ENGINE BRAKE SLOWED ME DOWN AND THE DRIVER THAT HAD JUST LET ME IN FRONT OF HIM ALMOST RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. SECOND: IT OCCURRED AGAIN WHEN AFTER A SNOW STORM AND THE ROADS WERE DRY BUT SNOW HAD BEEN MELTING SO THERE WERE SPOTS ON THE ROADWAY THAT WERE WET AND WHEN A VEHICLE PASSED ME WATER WOULD SPLASH UP ON THE WINDSHIELD AND I USED THE WIPER TO CLEAR UP THE WINDSHIELD AND AGAIN THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND AGAIN I SLOWED DOWN ALTHOUGH THIS TIME THERE WAS NO ONE THAT CLOSE BEHIND ME. BUT IT DID TAKE ME BY SURPRISE AND I LOST MY CONCENTRATION OF DRIVING TRYING TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPEN. *TR

PARKING AIR BRAKE VALVE HAS BROKEN LOOSE FROM INNER (PLASTIC) DASH MOUNT RENDERING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE THE BRAKE. THIS COULD CAUSE DEATH OR INJURY IF THE PARKING BRAKE CANNOT BE ENGAGED. I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS STERLING MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS PER THE INTERNET. REPLACEMENT INNER DASH PLUS LABOR IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND PROVIDES NO GUARANTY IT WON'T BREAK AGAIN. THIS IS POOR DESIGN USING INADEQUATE MATERIAL IN A HIGH STRESS AREA. (VIN ENTRY BLOCK WILL NOT ACCEPT MY VIN EVEN THOUGH IT IS CORRECT). *TR

WIPERS ON LOWEST INTERMITTENT POSITION DURING A LIGHT MIST, AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES IN THIS POSITION, WIPERS STOPPED SUDDENLY AND REMAINED IN THEIR "TRANSIT" POSITION. VISIBILITY IMMEDIATELY WENT TO ZERO (I WAS IN OUTSIDE LANE AND PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER.) I REPLACED THE FUSE/CIRCUIT WITH A STANDARD FUSE OF EQUAL RATING AND IT IMMEDIATELY BLEW. AFTER ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES, I RE-INSTALLED THE ORIGINAL FUSE/CIRCUIT AND THE WIPERS BEGAN WORKING. I CONTINUED WITH THE WIPERS IN THE STANDARD RUN POSITION WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER DURING A SNOW STORM IN COLORADO I HAD THE WIPER IN THE LOW INTERMITTENT POSITION AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS RESULTED IN HAVING STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY UNTIL THE WIPERS RESUMED OPERATING. THIS TIME IT TOOK ONLY A FEW MINUTES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FREIGHTLINER XC MOTORHOME CHASSIS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V408000 (STEERING:LINKAGES ). HE CALLED HIS LOCAL DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND REMOVE THE DATE CODE FROM THE STEERING BOX. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD OVER 15,000 MILES, THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE MILEAGE SHOULD NOT IMPACT THE DECISION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE RECALL REPAIR SHOULD BE PERFORMED. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT HE SHOULD NOT HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IF HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,500.

CUSTOMER COMPLAINT OF TRUCK NOT MOVING WITHOUT THE POWER DIVIDER LOCKED IN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ATLANTA GEAR & AXLE, INC. IN ATLANTA GA THIS PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED HOWEVER OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS WERE FOUND SUCH AS: REAR RIDE HEIGHT LEVELING VALVE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND PROPERLY ADJUSTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THE VALVE IS WORKING IMPROPERLY AND THIS WILL CAUSE PREMATURE DRIVELINE FAILURE. ALSO THE CLUTCH BRAKE ON THE TRANSMISSION IS MISSING AND THE INPUT SHAFT IS WORN AND NEEDS REPLACED, THE TRANS REAR SEAL IS LEAKING AND THE TRANSMISSION YOKE IS WORN. ALSO THE BRAKES ARE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT B/C THE BRAKE DRUMS ARE COMPLETELY WORN OUT. ALSO NOTICED THAT THE THROUGH SHAFT DRIVELINE IS CRACKED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, ALSO FOUND 3 U-JOINTS WORN OUT. *TR

PERSONAL FRIEND/TRUCK DRIVER WAS DRIVING 2004 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA WITH MERCEDES ENGINE ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. OTHER MOTORIST SAW HIM DRIVING ERRATICALLY, AND CALLED POLICE. DASH CAMERA RECORDS HIM WEAVING IN THE ROAD AND FINALLY VEERING INTO ONCOMING LANE, CRASHING INTO CONCRETE BARRIER. IMPACT WITH THE WALL CAUSES FUEL TANK TO SEPARATE FROM CAB, CAUSING SMALL FIRE WHICH DID NOT BURN DRIVER OR CAB. DRIVER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. AUTOPSY REVEALED SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH LEVEL OF CO IN BLOOD (61-65 %), BUT NO HEART ATTACK OR STROKE OR ANY OTHER NATURAL CAUSE. DEATH IS RULED ACCIDENTAL. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER SERIOUS INJURIES, BUT MANY OTHERS COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THERE IS APPARENTLY A PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE, AND OTHERS WILL DIE UNLESS THIS PROBLEM IS CORRECTED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM X-LINE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V343000 (STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN) AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER. THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT EXCEEDED 15,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT MENTION MILEAGE RESTRICTIONS. AS OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2008, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,500.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM X-LINE RV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, THE POWER STEERING HOSE DETACHED FROM THE POWER STEERING FILTER, WHICH CAUSED POWER STEERING FLUID TO SPRAY ALL THE VEHICLES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. A LOCAL MECHANIC ASSISTED HIM WITH TEMPORARILY REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V570000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) IN JUNE OF 2008. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY GETTING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BECAUSE THEY ARE LOCATED 75 MILES AWAY. ALSO, THE DEALER WANTS TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS TO PROPERLY REPAIR IT ACCORDING TO THE RECALL. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,000. UPDATED 11/12/08 *CN UPDATED 11/18/08. *JB

WHEN TRAVELING IN HOT WEATHER AND RUNNING BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR AIR CONDITIONER, THE VEHICLE STALLS. THE STALLING OCCURS WITHIN MINUTES AND UP TO HOURS AFTER BEING RUN BUT ONLY OCCURS WHEN SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN (IE: CONSTRUCTION ZONES, STOPPING, TURNING). THE VEHICLE DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTART BUT HAS ALWAYS RESTARTED WITHIN 3 MINUTES. SINCE WE DO NOT LIVE IN AN EXTREMELY HOT AREA THE STALLING USUALLY OCCURS WHILE VACATIONING (ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, UTAH, FLORIDA, NEBRASKA). WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AT TWO DIFFERENT AUTHORIZED DEALERS AND WERE TOLD THEY "WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" AND AT ONE POINT WERE TOLD THAT A RECALL PART WAS INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BUT WHEN WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER, THEY KNEW OF NO RECALL PART AND THEY CONTACTED CHRYSLER ON OUR BEHALF AND WERE TOLD THE FOLLOWING: "ENGINE STALLS WHEN DRIVING. INTERMIT - ONLY HAPPENS WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS OVER 100 DEGREES OR AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A FEW TO SEVERAL HOURS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AT THIS TIME 704 DRBIII DIAG NO CODES IN ANY MODULE, ROAD TEST TO TIJERAS AND BACK, WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN, VEH OPERATING AS DESIGNED, ON HOT DAYS WITH AUX A/C ON, THE EXTRA LOAD ON ENG MAY CAUSE STALLING AS AUX AIR IS STAND ALONE AND NOT INTERFACED TO PCM IN ANY WAY TO COMPENSATE IDLE. CHRYSLER HAS NO FIX FOR THIS CONCERN, OPERATING NORMAL AT THIS TIME." IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE AUX AIR WAS PURCHASED AT THE TIME OF SALE. IT WAS A NEW VEHICLE AND WE ARE THE ONLY OWNERS. I HAVE PAPER DOCUMENTATION FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED INFORMATION. *TR

WHILE CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN INCLINE (6%) IN N.C.,WE HAD SUDDEN LOSE OF POWER IN OUR 2005 FREIGHTLINER (DODGE) SPRINTER. THIS WAS OUR FIRST FAILURE. THE TURBO RESONATOR SEPARATED CAUSING ALMOST COMPLETE LOSE OF POWER. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS HAD THERE BEEN TRAFFIC. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS ITEM WITH A MORE RELIABLE ONE. *TR