2006 Freightliner Classic recalls and problems

The 2006 Freightliner Classic has 4 recalls and 1 owner complaint on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is service brakes.

How the 2006 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 4 Classic model years — 3rd most.

4recalls

1complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

—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

Fuel System

Mar 11, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V113000 · 62,000 vehicles

Problem: Daimler trucks is recalling 62,000 my 2005-2007 Freightliner business class, century class, columbia, coronado, fld, classic, sterling a-line, l-line, and western star 4900 trucks. A fractured fuel line could leak diesel fuel.

Original NHTSA wording

DAIMLER TRUCKS IS RECALLING 62,000 MY 2005-2007 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS, CENTURY CLASS, COLUMBIA, CORONADO, FLD, CLASSIC, STERLING A-LINE, L-LINE, AND WESTERN STAR 4900 TRUCKS. A FRACTURED FUEL LINE COULD LEAK DIESEL FUEL.

Risk: If a leak continues undetected under certain conditions, fuel May ignite at a hot engine surface and/or fuel May be spilled on the road surface.

Original NHTSA wording

IF A LEAK CONTINUES UNDETECTED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, FUEL MAY IGNITE AT A HOT ENGINE SURFACE AND/OR FUEL MAY BE SPILLED ON THE ROAD SURFACE.

Remedy & notes

High pressure fuel lines and transfer tubes will be inspected and replaced free of charged. The recall began on July 9, 2008. Owners May contact daimler trucks at 1-800-547-0712.

Daimler truck recall no. Fl-526.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.

Trailer Hitches

Nov 13, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V530000 · 38,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain truck-tractors equipped with holland simplex se or se II fifth wheels, the latch lever pivot bolt assembly May have been over-tightened which could distort the pivot bolt spacer sleeve. Corrosion or contaminates in the pivot May cause it to bind and prevent the fifth wheel jaw from latching securely around the trailer king pin.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCK-TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH HOLLAND SIMPLEX SE OR SE II FIFTH WHEELS, THE LATCH LEVER PIVOT BOLT ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN OVER-TIGHTENED WHICH COULD DISTORT THE PIVOT BOLT SPACER SLEEVE. CORROSION OR CONTAMINATES IN THE PIVOT MAY CAUSE IT TO BIND AND PREVENT THE FIFTH WHEEL JAW FROM LATCHING SECURELY AROUND THE TRAILER KING PIN.

Risk: There is a possibility that the fifth wheel May fail to latch without the driver's knowledge. When the occurs, the driver could drive away and the trailer could become disengaged increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FIFTH WHEEL MAY FAIL TO LATCH WITHOUT THE DRIVER'S KNOWLEDGE. WHEN THE OCCURS, THE DRIVER COULD DRIVE AWAY AND THE TRAILER COULD BECOME DISENGAGED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the pivot bolt and sleeve with a hex head shoulder bolt and washer. The recall began on January 3, 2008. Owners May contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-514.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.

Service Brakes

Jul 16, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V302000 · 75,000 vehicles

Problem: Certain Freightliner school bus chassis, heavy trucks, and thomas built school buses manufactured between July 2002 and July 3, 2007, equipped with bendix sr-7 spring brake control valves. The parker scv brass 90 degree single check valves (scv) which attach to the supply port of a bendix sr-7 spring brake modulating valve can break apart. Pieces of the parker scv can become lodged inside the sr-7 spring brake modulating valve, potentially causing either leakage out of the sr-7 valve or preventing air from properly exhausting from the sr-7 valve. Also, due to a manufacturing defect in the internal rubber check valve inside the sr-7 spring brake modulating valves, the valves can become deformed and not seat properly.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN FREIGHTLINER SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS, HEAVY TRUCKS, AND THOMAS BUILT SCHOOL BUSES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JULY 2002 AND JULY 3, 2007, EQUIPPED WITH BENDIX SR-7 SPRING BRAKE CONTROL VALVES. THE PARKER SCV BRASS 90 DEGREE SINGLE CHECK VALVES (SCV) WHICH ATTACH TO THE SUPPLY PORT OF A BENDIX SR-7 SPRING BRAKE MODULATING VALVE CAN BREAK APART. PIECES OF THE PARKER SCV CAN BECOME LODGED INSIDE THE SR-7 SPRING BRAKE MODULATING VALVE, POTENTIALLY CAUSING EITHER LEAKAGE OUT OF THE SR-7 VALVE OR PREVENTING AIR FROM PROPERLY EXHAUSTING FROM THE SR-7 VALVE. ALSO, DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE INTERNAL RUBBER CHECK VALVE INSIDE THE SR-7 SPRING BRAKE MODULATING VALVES, THE VALVES CAN BECOME DEFORMED AND NOT SEAT PROPERLY.

Risk: These conditions could either result in leakage and cause a delay in the application of the spring brake without warning or possibly lead to unintended vehicle rollaway or brake drag which could result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or death.

Original NHTSA wording

THESE CONDITIONS COULD EITHER RESULT IN LEAKAGE AND CAUSE A DELAY IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SPRING BRAKE WITHOUT WARNING OR POSSIBLY LEAD TO UNINTENDED VEHICLE ROLLAWAY OR BRAKE DRAG WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH, PERSONAL INJURY, OR DEATH.

Remedy & notes

Freightliner will notify owners and repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on January 11, 2008 to Freightliner, sterling, and Freightliner custom chassis owners; to thomas built bus owners on February 1, 2008. Owners can contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-504.customers May 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.

Engine

Feb 8, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V030000 · 5,771 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with caterpillar diesel engines, the variable valve actuation oil line May wear against the sharp edge of the cylinder head if not positioned correctly.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR DIESEL ENGINES, THE VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATION OIL LINE MAY WEAR AGAINST THE SHARP EDGE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD IF NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.

Risk: The oil line May be cut on the cylinder head causing an oil leak and a possible fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THE OIL LINE MAY BE CUT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING AN OIL LEAK AND A POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Caterpillar, in conjunction with Freightliner, will be conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign free of charge. Owners May call caterpillar at 309-675-6496, or Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-471.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.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Service Brakes1

Tires1

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

NHTSA investigations

INSECURE FIFTH WHEEL LATCHING

PE07047 · opened Sep 14, 2007 · closed Nov 19, 2007 · led to recall 07V530000

Summary

ON NOVEMBER 19, 2007, FREIGHTLINER FILED DEFECT REPORT 07V-530 WHICH OUTLINES A SAFETY RECALL PROGRAM TO NOTIFY THE AFFECTED OWNERS AND CORRECT THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

2006 vs. other Freightliner Classic years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2006. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2006 Freightliner Classic have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2006 Freightliner Classic, the latest from Mar 11, 2008 (fuel system). 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 2006 Freightliner Classic?

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