2001 Freightliner Freightliner recalls and problems

The 2001 Freightliner Freightliner has 1 recall and 28 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is fuel system.

How the 2001 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 5 Freightliner model years — the most of any year.

1recalls
28complaints
0crashes
0fires
0injuries
100,000median 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 →

1 recall

Engine

Apr 27, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V207000 · 248 vehicles

Problem: Certain my 2000-2003 Freightliner, thomas mvp school bus and western stars trucks manufactured between November 19, 2000, and March 30, 2005, and equipped with webasto coolant heaters, model dbw 2010, assembled with webasto burner tubes, p/n 303046/26533A. The stainless steel burner tube is made out of a material that is not to specification and could fail prematurely.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN MY 2000-2003 FREIGHTLINER, THOMAS MVP SCHOOL BUS AND WESTERN STARS TRUCKS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 19, 2000, AND MARCH 30, 2005, AND EQUIPPED WITH WEBASTO COOLANT HEATERS, MODEL DBW 2010, ASSEMBLED WITH WEBASTO BURNER TUBES, P/N 303046/26533A. THE STAINLESS STEEL BURNER TUBE IS MADE OUT OF A MATERIAL THAT IS NOT TO SPECIFICATION AND COULD FAIL PREMATURELY.

Risk: Should the burner tube fail, the coolant heater could overheat, possibly resulting in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

SHOULD THE BURNER TUBE FAIL, THE COOLANT HEATER COULD OVERHEAT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Thomas built will notify its customers and replace the subject burner tubes with new certified burner tubes at no cost to the owner. The recall began on November 16, 2005. Owners May contact thomas built customer support office at 1-336-889-4871 or contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner/thomas built recall no. Fl-449.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

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

Complaints by year filed

2000: 3 complaints20002001: 19 complaints2001192002: 3 complaints20022003: 2 complaints20032007: 1 complaints20071

NHTSA investigations

ABS TONE RING CORRODES CAUSING UNINTENDE

PE02061 · opened Aug 7, 2002 · closed Dec 11, 2002
Summary

ODI INITIATED PE02-061 BASED ON TWO REPORTED INCIDENTS IN WHICH FREIGHTLINER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRAL ABS TONE RINGS HAD EXPERIENCED INCREASED VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE.INTEGRAL TONE RINGS INCORPORATE THE ABS TONE RING INTO THE BRAKE ROTOR TO FORM A ONE-PIECE INTEGRATED COMONENT.FREIGHTLINER HAS IDENTIFIED 266 WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR CORRODED ROTORS.SINCE THE ABS TONE RING IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE ROTOR IN THE AFFECTED FREIGHTLINER VEHICLES, CORRODED ROTOR SENSOR TEETH MAY COMPROMISE THE QUAILITY OF THE ABS TONE RING SIGNAL TO THE ABS ECU.A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF FREIGHTINER WARRANTY CLAIMS INDICATE THAT HE TONE RING CONDITION WAS DISCOVERED BY SERVICING MECHANICS WHO WERE INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE FOR THE ILLUMINATED ABS WARNING LIGHT.ODI IS CONCERNED AS TO (1) WHETHER VEHICLE OPEERAOTRS ARE SUFFICIENTLY COGNIZANT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED IN A TIMELY MANNER IN RESPONSE TO THE ILLUMINATED ABS WARNING LIGHT SINCE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT IS THE ONLY WARNING PROVIDED BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE MAY BE AFFECTED AND (2) QUANTIFYING THE EXTENT TO WHICH STOPPING-DISTANCE IS AFFECTED AND ASSESSING THE ASSOCIATED RISK TO SAFETY. ODI CONDUCTED A PARALLEL INVESTIGATION(PE02-060) OF INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE ASSOCIATED WITH CORRODED ABS TONE RINGS AT INTERNATIONAL TRUCK.THIS INVESTIGATION WAS CONCLUDED ON NOV 21, 2002 AFTER INTERNATIONAL TRUCK CONCLUDED THAT THE ABS ECU....CAN MISINTERPRET FALSE WHEEL SPEED SIGNALS... AND NOTIFIED NHTSA …

2001 vs. other Freightliner Freightliner years

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

Questions

Does the 2001 Freightliner Freightliner have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the 2001 Freightliner Freightliner, the latest from Apr 27, 2005 (engine). 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 Freightliner?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention fuel system (16), suspension (7), service brakes (3). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.