FREIGHTLINER Complaints

CONTACT STATES: JULY 27,2004, HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT ON THE REAR TIRE ON THE VAN. THE MUD FLAP BLEW OFF AND THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE WHEEL WELL. TOOK VEHICLE TO BARNETTE TIRE SERVICE, AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BLOW OUT WAS DUE TO THE TIRE VALVE. NOW THERE HAS BEEN TIRE VALVE RECALL. *AK

VEHICLE MODIFIED BY SECONDARY VEHICLE OUTFITTER, EXCEEDING OEM AXLE WEIGHTS FOR THE PURPOSE IT WAS INTENDED MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. IN ADDITION, AN INACCURATE CERTIFICATION PLATE WAS ATTACHED TO VEHICLE. CT STATE DMV WEIGHED AND INSPECTED VEHICLE, DEEMING IT ILLEGAL FOR USE ON PUBLIC ROADS. *AK

PROBLEM WITH REVERSE IDLER GEAR, BOLT UNSCREWED ON IT OWN.. DISCOVERED THERE IIS A REPLACEMENT KIT REDESIGNED TO STOP THIS PROBLEM FROM OCCURING BUT COSTS TO REPAIR IS EXPENSIVE

THE LOCATION OF THE DRIVER'S INFORMATION CENTER WHICH CONTAINS ENGINE/GEAR LOCATION,AND MILES PER GALLON IS LOCATED AT A DIFFICULT ANGLE. DRIVER IS UNABLE TO READ SETTINGS WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE THE EYES COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD. THE INFORMATION CENTER IS LOCATED AT KNEE LEVEL AND PROJECTS STRAIGHT OUT. THE INFORMATION IS UNREADABLE IN THE DAYTIME, AND BARELY READABLE AT NIGHT. DEALERSHIP CANNOT PROVIDE ANY SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THIS CHASSIS IS CONNECTED TO A WINNEBAGO JOURNEY 2004.*AK

THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK, PUTTING CONSUMER AT RISK FOR GOING OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. DEALER MADE THE CONSUMER AWARE THAT MOST VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL/MAKE HAVE SPEEDOMETER DEFECTS.*AK

THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS JAMMED. THE CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURE AND THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE FOR THIS BELT JAMMING. *NM

GOODYEAR G328, SIZE 295/75R/22.5 THIS TIRE HAD A LUG PATTERN. ALSO, IT CAUSED LATERAL SWAYING. OWNER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, AND VEHICLE BECAME TOTALLY UNSTABLE. OWNER REPORTED THIS DEFECT TO THE MOTOR POOL AT FED-X, BUT WAS TOLD TO DEAL WITH IT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

THE REAR VELVET RIDE SUSPENSION BOLTS SNAPPED. *SC THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE VERY SAME PROBLEM, HOWEVER THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED. RECALL#03E060000. *JB

ROSEAU SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATES A FLEET OF 26 BUSES COVERING APPROX. 1000 SQUARE MILES IN AREA. IN 1999 ROSEAU SCHOOLS BEGAN PURCHASING BUSES WITH THE CUMMINS ISB ENGINES (AN ALL ELECTRONIC ENGINE REPLACING THE OLDER "B" ENGINES). THE DISTRICT NOW HAS 8 UNITS WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH SENSORS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COMING ON AND POWER DERATING WHEN OPERATING THESE ENGINES. A COMMON PROBLEM IS LIFT PUMP FAILURE CAUSING RETOACTIVE FAILURE TO THE INJECTION PUMP (CUMMINS NAME FOR THE INJECTION PUMP IS THE VP44 PUMP). WHEN PUMP FAILURE OCCURS A NUMBER OF THINGS MAY HAPPEN - EITHER THE ENGINE MAY GO INTO THE LIMP MODE WHICH WILL LET THE ENGINE STILL RUN BUT UNDER RESTRICTED POWER, THE ENGINE MAY LOSE POWER AND WITHIN SECONDS RETURN TO FULL POWER OR THE ENGINE MAY JUST STOP AND NOT RESTART. IN THE SCHOOL BUSING INDUSTRY ANY OF THESE TYPE OF FAILURES COULD PRESENT ITSELF AS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD FROM THE BUS SLOWING DOWN AND BEING REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE LOSS OF POWER WHEN BRAKING OR TURNING CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES OR POWER STEERING, THE LOSS OF POWER CAUSING STALLING OF THE UNIT IN AN INTERSECTION OR WORSE YET WHEN GOING ACROSS A RAILROAD INTERSECTION. IN OUR SITUATION IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA WE ARE SOMETIMES RUNNING IN SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES (THIS PAST WEEK AS COLD AS -40 DEGREES BELOW 0). A STRANDED SCHOOL BUS OF KIDS IN THOSE TEMPERATURES COULD CREATE REAL PROBLEMS. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN OR IN SOME CASES HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. OTHERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS.*AK