2000 Freightliner FS-65 recalls and problems

The 2000 Freightliner FS-65 has 6 recalls and 12 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is fuel system.

How the 2000 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 4 FS-65 model years — the most of any year.

6recalls

12complaints

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 →

6 recalls

Fuel System

Apr 27, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V205000 · 16,000 vehicles

Problem: Certain 1998-2003 my Freightliner fs-65 school bus chassis and mb-45, mb-55, and xb shuttle bus chassis, and thomas built bus: Mvp-er and mvp-ef school bus and non-school bus models equipped with cummins isb diesel engines and equipped with federal-mogal 12 and 24 volt fuel lift pumps. The fuel pump could fail to transfer fuel appropriately creating an engine stall condition.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN 1998-2003 MY FREIGHTLINER FS-65 SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS AND MB-45, MB-55, AND XB SHUTTLE BUS CHASSIS, AND THOMAS BUILT BUS: MVP-ER AND MVP-EF SCHOOL BUS AND NON-SCHOOL BUS MODELS EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS ISB DIESEL ENGINES AND EQUIPPED WITH FEDERAL-MOGAL 12 AND 24 VOLT FUEL LIFT PUMPS. THE FUEL PUMP COULD FAIL TO TRANSFER FUEL APPROPRIATELY CREATING AN ENGINE STALL CONDITION.

Risk: Should the engine stall while the vehicle is in use, a possible vehicle crash could occur.

Original NHTSA wording

SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN USE, A POSSIBLE VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy & notes

Cummins will notify the customers of Freightliner and thomas built and replace the fuel lift pump free of charge. Owners May contact cummins at 1-800-DIESELS.

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 12, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V343000 · 3,200 vehicles

Problem: On certain school buses chassis equipped with caterpillar engines and hydraulic brakes. A braided ground strap for the starter May rub on a steel chassis brake line potentially causing a fluid leak.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR ENGINES AND HYDRAULIC BRAKES. A BRAIDED GROUND STRAP FOR THE STARTER MAY RUB ON A STEEL CHASSIS BRAKE LINE POTENTIALLY CAUSING A FLUID LEAK.

Risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking effectiveness and increase the stopping distance, which could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

A BRAKE FLUID LEAK CAN REDUCE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS AND INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the brake line and replace it, if necessary. The braided ground strap will be replaced with an insulated cable. The recall began on August 10, 2004. Owners May contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-421.also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Service Brakes

Apr 2, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V084000 · 16,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain school buses, the brake hoses from the chassis to front brake chambers could develop leaks due to the hose routing that could overstress the hose during sharp turns.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES, THE BRAKE HOSES FROM THE CHASSIS TO FRONT BRAKE CHAMBERS COULD DEVELOP LEAKS DUE TO THE HOSE ROUTING THAT COULD OVERSTRESS THE HOSE DURING SHARP TURNS.

Risk: The vehicle could have reduced braking capacity, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE REDUCED BRAKING CAPACITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect for improper routing. If improper routing is found, dealers will replace and correct the hose routing. Owner notification began April 29, 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.

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

Electrical System

Jun 26, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V215000 · 8,753 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Bus chassis vehicles. An electrical pass-through connector May not fit in the firewall mounting hole correctly, resulting in the connector dislodging and an electrical terminal contacting the firewall.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BUS CHASSIS VEHICLES. AN ELECTRICAL PASS-THROUGH CONNECTOR MAY NOT FIT IN THE FIREWALL MOUNTING HOLE CORRECTLY, RESULTING IN THE CONNECTOR DISLODGING AND AN ELECTRICAL TERMINAL CONTACTING THE FIREWALL.

Risk: This can cause an electrical short and potential fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CAN CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND POTENTIAL FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect vehicles for proper mounting of the electrical pass through and correct if necessary. Owner notification began October 9, 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).

Power Train

Aug 17, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V229001 · 594 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks, shuttle buses, transit buses and step vans equipped with allison 1000 or 2400 series transmissions. These transmissions can experience park pawl to rear cover interference due to an out of flatness condition.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS, SHUTTLE BUSES, TRANSIT BUSES AND STEP VANS EQUIPPED WITH ALLISON 1000 OR 2400 SERIES TRANSMISSIONS. THESE TRANSMISSIONS CAN EXPERIENCE PARK PAWL TO REAR COVER INTERFERENCE DUE TO AN OUT OF FLATNESS CONDITION.

Risk: This could cause non-engagement of the park pawl when the transmission shift selector is moved to the park position, resulting in unintended vehicle movement and a vehicle crash without prior warning.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE NON-ENGAGEMENT OF THE PARK PAWL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT SELECTOR IS MOVED TO THE PARK POSITION, RESULTING IN UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT AND A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Allison transmission is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Dealers will remove the transmission from the vehicle, replace the park pawl, and reinstall the transmission in the vehicle. Owner notification is expected to begin during September 2000. 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 allison at 1-800-252-5283 or 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

Aug 7, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V232002 · 35,405 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks and school bus chassis built with bendix air ABS with an ec-17 1030R electronic control unit (ECU), there have been reports of unwanted ABS activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed ABS wheel speed sensor wires on rotating parts or 2) a damaged component at the wheel end that generates a certain type of erratic sensor signal.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS AND SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS BUILT WITH BENDIX AIR ABS WITH AN EC-17 1030R ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU), THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF UNWANTED ABS ACTIVATION AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSED BY 1) CHAFED ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WIRES ON ROTATING PARTS OR 2) A DAMAGED COMPONENT AT THE WHEEL END THAT GENERATES A CERTAIN TYPE OF ERRATIC SENSOR SIGNAL.

Risk: This condition could cause the ABS ECU to exhaust the air at the air brake modulators for one or more of the wheels. This could result in extended braking distances and a possible crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE ABS ECU TO EXHAUST THE AIR AT THE AIR BRAKE MODULATORS FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE WHEELS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the ABS ECU.

Owner notification began August 29, 2000, to school buses and emergency vehicle customers. Owners of the remaining population were sent letters on September 9, 2000. 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

Fuel System12

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

NHTSA investigations

FRONT AIR BRAKE HOSE LEAKAGE

PE02024 · opened Feb 22, 2002 · closed Mar 25, 2002 · led to recall 02V084000

Summary

There is no summary currently available

2000 vs. other Freightliner FS-65 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2000. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2000 Freightliner FS-65 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Freightliner FS-65, the latest from Apr 27, 2005 (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 2000 Freightliner FS-65?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention fuel system (12). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.