2001 Freightliner Century recalls and problems

The 2001 Freightliner Century has 4 recalls and 4 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is suspension.

How the 2001 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 7 Century model years — 3rd most.

4recalls

4complaints

0crashes

0fires

1injuries

—median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Suspension

Mar 21, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V112000 · 5,716 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with truck hub units manufactured by skf exclusively for use on arvinmeritor's FF98X series non-drive steer axles, the hub unit bearings can wear prematurely.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRUCK HUB UNITS MANUFACTURED BY SKF EXCLUSIVELY FOR USE ON ARVINMERITOR'S FF98X SERIES NON-DRIVE STEER AXLES, THE HUB UNIT BEARINGS CAN WEAR PREMATURELY.

Risk: Seizure of the bearings can cause wheel separation or wheel end fire.

Original NHTSA wording

SEIZURE OF THE BEARINGS CAN CAUSE WHEEL SEPARATION OR WHEEL END FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace both front hubs. Owner notification is expected to begin on or before September 20, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-407.customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical System

Mar 20, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V087000 · 30,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks, a capacitor in the power line control (plc) filter could overheat and/or ignite when subjected to reverse polarity electrical spikes.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, A CAPACITOR IN THE POWER LINE CONTROL (PLC) FILTER COULD OVERHEAT AND/OR IGNITE WHEN SUBJECTED TO REVERSE POLARITY ELECTRICAL SPIKES.

Risk: This could cause an electrical fire in the area of the plc filter without prior warning.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE PLC FILTER WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will disconnect and secure the plc filter ground wire. Owner notification began September 20, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Service Brakes

Jan 22, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V018002 · 5,176 vehicles

Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor wabco pneumatic anitlock brake system (ABS) valve packages, the assembly bolts on these valve packages were not tightened correctly.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MERITOR WABCO PNEUMATIC ANITLOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) VALVE PACKAGES, THE ASSEMBLY BOLTS ON THESE VALVE PACKAGES WERE NOT TIGHTENED CORRECTLY.

Risk: Bolts torqued below specification will not reliably prevent air leakage at the affected ABS valve package interface joints once the component begins normal vehicle operation. If air leaks develop at any of the ABS valve package interface joints, brake system pressure reductions could occur during braking or normal operation with units equipped with the traction control option, potentially extending stopping distances, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

BOLTS TORQUED BELOW SPECIFICATION WILL NOT RELIABLY PREVENT AIR LEAKAGE AT THE AFFECTED ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS ONCE THE COMPONENT BEGINS NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. IF AIR LEAKS DEVELOP AT ANY OF THE ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS, BRAKE SYSTEM PRESSURE REDUCTIONS COULD OCCUR DURING BRAKING OR NORMAL OPERATION WITH UNITS EQUIPPED WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL OPTION, POTENTIALLY EXTENDING STOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will tighten the fasteners to the proper specification. Owner notification began April 4, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Service Brakes

Jun 14, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V189001 · 4,400 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Vehicles equipped with certain haldex brake system two and four port relay valves. The valve May stick open when a high-pressure application is released.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CERTAIN HALDEX BRAKE SYSTEM TWO AND FOUR PORT RELAY VALVES. THE VALVE MAY STICK OPEN WHEN A HIGH-PRESSURE APPLICATION IS RELEASED.

Risk: When the valve sticks open, it can result in a total loss of air from either the service or the park brake system. The driver May lose braking ability under a service application, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

WHEN THE VALVE STICKS OPEN, IT CAN RESULT IN A TOTAL LOSS OF AIR FROM EITHER THE SERVICE OR THE PARK BRAKE SYSTEM. THE DRIVER MAY LOSE BRAKING ABILITY UNDER A SERVICE APPLICATION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace these valves. Owner notification began October 17, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Suspension2

Engine1

Tires1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

NHTSA investigations

FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKS

PE03005 · opened Feb 7, 2003 · closed Aug 22, 2003

Summary

CERTAIN 1998-2001 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY AND COLUMBIA VEHICLES EXHIBIT A HIGHER RATE OF FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKS THAN EARLIER VINTAGE FREIGHTLINER VEHICLES.THE LEAKS HAVE BEEN FREQUENTLY DISCOVERED AT FMCSA ROADSIDE INSPECTIONS SINCE THESE INSPECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED (PRESSURIZING THE AIR HOSE) WHEREAS DRIVER PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS MAY NOT ALWAYS BE PERFORMED WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED. AFTER A THOROUGH TECHNICAL REVIEW OF THIS MATTER,ODI HAS CONCUDED THAT WHILE THE SUBJECT VEHICLES EXHIBIT A HIGHER RATE OF FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKS THAN EARLIER VINTAGE AND PEER VEHICLES, THESE LEAKS APPEAR TO BE MINOR. FREIGHTLINER HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS COMPONENT TO 5 YEARS, 500,000 MILES AND WILL ASSIST IN ALERTING THOSE VEHICLE OWNERS WHOSE VEHICLES ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKAGE BY ISSUING A SERVICE BULLETIN ALERTING THOSE OWNERS TO THE POTENTIAL FOR FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKAGE TO OCCUR. SEE ATTACHED REPORT FOR FULL TECHNICAL DETAILS.

INTEGRAL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY

PE02088 · opened Nov 22, 2002 · closed May 1, 2003 · led to recall 03E019000

Summary

FREIGHTLINER SUBMITTED A DEFECT REPORT ON MARCH 21, 2003 IN WHICH THEY IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 5000 TRUCKS AS POSSIBLY BEINGAFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM.ARVINMERITOR (FRONT AXLE MFR) SUBMITTED A DEFECT REPORT ONAPRIL 16, 2003, WHICH IDENTIFIES 6098 FREIGHTLINER TRUCKS ASBEING AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND 1191 AXLES SOLD TO FREIGHTLINER IN THE AFTERMARKET. ODI NOTES THAT THERE ARE TWOINTEGRAL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES PER FRONT AXLE.FREIGHTLINER IDENTIFIED VEHICLES INCLUDINGFREIGHTLINER,STERLING, AND WESTERN STAR BRAND NAME AS BEINGAFFECTED BY THIS RECALL.SEE ATTACHED SUMMARY REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

2001 vs. other Freightliner Century years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2001. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2001 Freightliner Century have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2001 Freightliner Century, the latest from Mar 21, 2003 (suspension). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Freightliner Century?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention suspension (2), engine (1), tires (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.