2008 Freightliner Classic recalls and problems

The 2008 Freightliner Classic has 5 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2008 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

5recalls

0complaints

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 →

5 recalls

Steering

Dec 21, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V592000 · 220 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with trw steering gears, models TAS85 and RCS85, these steering gears contain potentially defective sector shafts with an incorrect gear tooth which May interfere with the rack-piston teeth, resulting in a stick or bind condition.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRW STEERING GEARS, MODELS TAS85 AND RCS85, THESE STEERING GEARS CONTAIN POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE SECTOR SHAFTS WITH AN INCORRECT GEAR TOOTH WHICH MAY INTERFERE WITH THE RACK-PISTON TEETH, RESULTING IN A STICK OR BIND CONDITION.

Risk: This condition has the potential to cause the steering gear to stall and restrict the steering turning angle of the vehicle which could result in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CONDITION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE THE STEERING GEAR TO STALL AND RESTRICT THE STEERING TURNING ANGLE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Freightliner is working with trw to replace the defective steering gear (please see 07E101). The recall began on April 18, 2008. Owners May contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner fl-519.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.

Fuel System

Aug 2, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V335000 · 4,299 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks, a manufacturing error in the fuel-water separator preheater thermoswitch May prevent the fuel preheater from turning off if the ignition is left on. If the ignition switch is left on when fuel is added to the fuel- water separator at the factory or during a filter element change, a small flame May occur inside the filter cover.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, A MANUFACTURING ERROR IN THE FUEL-WATER SEPARATOR PREHEATER THERMOSWITCH MAY PREVENT THE FUEL PREHEATER FROM TURNING OFF IF THE IGNITION IS LEFT ON. IF THE IGNITION SWITCH IS LEFT ON WHEN FUEL IS ADDED TO THE FUEL- WATER SEPARATOR AT THE FACTORY OR DURING A FILTER ELEMENT CHANGE, A SMALL FLAME MAY OCCUR INSIDE THE FILTER COVER.

Risk: The potential exists for the flame to spread resulting in possible personal injury.

Original NHTSA wording

THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE FLAME TO SPREAD RESULTING IN POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the fuel filter date code and thermoswitch lot code to determine if they contain the suspect component free of charge. The recall began on October 4, 2007. Owners May contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-508.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.

Steering

Jul 18, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V306000 · 18,000 vehicles

Problem: Freightliner is recalling certain school bus chassis, heavy trucks, van chassis, RV motorhome chassis manufactured from January 5 to May 17, 2007, equipped with axle alliance company (aac) front axles. During the front axle assembly, the fasteners that attach the steering arm or tie rod arms to the spindle May be over or under tightened.

Original NHTSA wording

FREIGHTLINER IS RECALLING CERTAIN SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS, HEAVY TRUCKS, VAN CHASSIS, RV MOTORHOME CHASSIS MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 5 TO MAY 17, 2007, EQUIPPED WITH AXLE ALLIANCE COMPANY (AAC) FRONT AXLES. DURING THE FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY, THE FASTENERS THAT ATTACH THE STEERING ARM OR TIE ROD ARMS TO THE SPINDLE MAY BE OVER OR UNDER TIGHTENED.

Risk: Incorrectly tightened steering arm fasteners May fatigue and fracture which could cause a crash without warning.

Original NHTSA wording

INCORRECTLY TIGHTENED STEERING ARM FASTENERS MAY FATIGUE AND FRACTURE WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Thomas built will notify owners, inspect the fasteners, and replace the steering arm if necessary. The recall began on December 21, 2007. Owners can contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-501.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.

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.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

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.

2008 vs. other Freightliner Classic years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2008. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2008 Freightliner Classic have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2008 Freightliner Classic, the latest from Dec 21, 2007 (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 2008 Freightliner Classic?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Freightliner Classic.