2004 Freightliner Century recalls and problems

The 2004 Freightliner Century has 3 recalls and 2 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

How the 2004 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 7 Century model years — 5th most.

3recalls

2complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

300,572median 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 →

3 recalls

Steering

Sep 13, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V408000 · 37,029 vehicles

Problem: On certain truck and motor home chassis equipped with i-shafts supplied by zf heavy duty steering, there is a potential for a failure of the fork/shaft connection.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCK AND MOTOR HOME CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH I-SHAFTS SUPPLIED BY ZF HEAVY DUTY STEERING, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A FAILURE OF THE FORK/SHAFT CONNECTION.

Risk: If this occurs, the vehicle could suffer a loss of steering ability, which could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THIS OCCURS, THE VEHICLE COULD SUFFER A LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and attach a tension collar to the steering shaft to secure the connection to the yoke. The recall began on November 16, 2005. Owners May contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-452.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236; (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Power Train

Dec 15, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V590000 · 1,095 vehicles

Problem: On certain vehicles, there is a defect in the interaxle driveline yokes. The bolt holes located on the earwork of the male shaft yokes were manufactured with an oversized minor thread diameter.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE INTERAXLE DRIVELINE YOKES. THE BOLT HOLES LOCATED ON THE EARWORK OF THE MALE SHAFT YOKES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH AN OVERSIZED MINOR THREAD DIAMETER.

Risk: This condition allows the bolts used in the holes to become detached which could result in a driveline separation. Driveline separation could result in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CONDITION ALLOWS THE BOLTS USED IN THE HOLES TO BECOME DETACHED WHICH COULD RESULT IN A DRIVELINE SEPARATION. DRIVELINE SEPARATION COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the suspect male shaft yokes. The recall began on April 4, 2005. Owners should contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-436.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration?s auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Power Train

May 4, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V205000 · 14,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with manual transmission, the tapered joint that attaches the shifter to the transmission May become loose making it difficult to put the transmission into gear.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE TAPERED JOINT THAT ATTACHES THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION MAY BECOME LOOSE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR.

Risk: If shift lever detachment occurs, tha ability ro accelerate ot maintain speed will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF SHIFT LEVER DETACHMENT OCCURS, THA ABILITY RO ACCELERATE OT MAINTAIN SPEED WILL BE LOST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will re-secure the shift lever to the transmission using threadlock and re-torquing the fastening bolt. Owner notification began on May 21, 2004. Owners should contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-420.customers can 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

Engine1

Unknown or other1

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

NHTSA investigations

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILURES

PE08009 · opened Feb 1, 2008 · closed Jul 3, 2008

Summary

ODI'S INVESTIGATION OF THE SUBJECT POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FOUND THAT, WITH OVER FIVE YEARS OF OPERATIONAL EXPOSURE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO PUMP FAILURES THAT RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE ROAD OR ANY SUDDEN DROP OFF IN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST AT ANY TIME.THERE ARE NO CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE REDUCTION IN ASSIST EVENTS HAVE ONLY OCCURRED DURING BACKING OR PARKING MANEUVERS.FREIGHTLINER AND TRW APPEAR TO HAVE ACTED RESPONSIBLY IN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO CUSTOMERS AND DEALERS REGARDING SAFE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROCEDURES FOR POWER STEERING PUMPS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION IN SPEED OF STEER.FREIGHTLINER'S FIELD SERVICE BULLETIN, FSB 46-38, IS A DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING IF THE TRW POWER STEERING PUMP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REDUCED POWER ASSIST AND DESCRIBES CORRECTIVE ACTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN ONCE THE DETERMINATION IS MADE.THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE:REPLACE THE SPOOL VALVE ASSEMBLY (VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 1/1/05) OR, REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP (VEHICLES BUILT AFTER 1/1/05).A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION SEE DOCUMENT FILE.

STEERING COLUMN WELD CRACKS

PE06033 · opened Aug 30, 2006 · closed Jan 30, 2007

Summary

EARLY WARNING AGGREGATE DATA SUBMITTED TO NHTSA BY FREIGHTLINER SUGGESTS THAT A STEERING (EWR CODE 01) PROBLEM EXISTS FOR THE 2004 AND 2005 CENTURY AND COLUMBIA CLASS VEHICLES.THE COUNT OF FIELD REPORTS SUBMITTED FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2006 WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE OF THE PREVIOUS 6 QUARTERS FOR THE AGGREGATE STEERING DATA.FURTHER REVIEW OF THE EWR DATA FOUNDFIELD REPORTS THAT DESCRIBED STEERING COLUMN FAILURES AS A RESULT OF WELDS CRACKING OR BREAKING.INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM FREIGHTLINER DETAILS A NUMBER OF STEERING COLUMNFAILURES ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THESE FAILURES WERE THE RESULT OF MISSING AND CRACKED WELDS ON THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY.AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA) IS WARRANTED TO DETERMINE IF THE WELD FAILURES IN THE STEERING COLUMN CREATE A SITUATION WHERE THE VEHICLE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO STEER OR STARTLES THE DRIVER PRESENTING A SAFETY RISK.

2004 vs. other Freightliner Century years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2004. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2004 Freightliner Century have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Freightliner Century, the latest from Sep 13, 2005 (steering). 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 2004 Freightliner Century?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (1), unknown or other (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.