Daimler Trucks North America, LLC is recalling certain 2019 Freightliner Cascadia and Western

Oct 05, 2018 — Recall Campaign #18V699000

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019 Freightliner Cascadia and Western Star 5700 vehicles. The steering wheel on these vehicles may loosen over time and the steering wheel may detach from the steering column.

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 622 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

18V699000

Manufacturer:	Daimler Trucks North America, LLC
Recall date:	October 05, 2018
NHTSA Campaign #:	18V699000
Units affected:	622

Description:: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2019 Freightliner Cascadia and Western Star 5700 vehicles. The steering wheel on these vehicles may loosen over time and the steering wheel may detach from the steering column.
Consequeces:: If the steering wheel detaches, there would be a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective action:: DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will correct the steering wheel installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 21, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL796.
Notes:: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Affects the following:

2019 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA Complaints
I am writing to bring to your attention a potentially dangerous situation caused by what I believe to be a manufacturer design flaw with the SS 1034797 M2, 108SD, 114SD Coolant Level Sensor P/N 06-93316-002. On [XXX], one of our trucks (VIN: [XXX]) experienced a low coolant warning and an automatic engine shutdown while traveling on the interstate in a construction zone. As you can imagine, the sudden stoppage of a tractor-trailer in the traffic lanes of a freeway presents an extremely hazardous situation, not only for our driver but for all motorists in the vicinity. For us as a motor carrier, this is compounded by the likelihood of legal liability resulting from any collision involving a stationary truck in such conditions. The root cause of this incident appears to be the failure of the magnet within the surge tank to maintain its buoyancy. When the magnet sinks to the bottom of the tank, it signals the engine control module (ECM) that the coolant level is critically low, triggering an engine shutdown. While I understand the intent is to protect the engine from potential damage, this design flaw creates an unacceptably dangerous scenario—especially since, in many cases, the engine is not actually at risk of damage. In this instance, I instructed the driver to unplug and after a 15-minute period, he restarted the truck and drove to a nearby truck stop. Remarkably, the truck remains operational without the sensor repair, further underscoring the superficial nature of this issue. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. We have encountered similar sensor failures across our fleet, but this particular event was the most severe. While I am not an engineer, it seems logical that the coolant level sensor should be paired with a high-temperature reading before an engine shutdown is initiated. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6);
2019 WESTERN STAR 5700 Complaints
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 WESTERN STAR 5700. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS CLEANING THE RIMS AND NOTICED THAT THE LUG NUTS WERE LOOSE ON THE INNER TIRES. IN ADDITION, ALL THE VALVES WERE DETACHED FROM ALL FOUR INNER TIRES. THE CONTACT CALLED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE LUG NUTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO LOOSEN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V353000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.;