2000 Freightliner MT-45 recalls and problems

The 2000 Freightliner MT-45 has 5 recalls and 2 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 MT-45 model years — the most of any year.

5recalls

2complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

59,000median 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 →

5 recalls

Equipment

Apr 5, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V138000 · 500 vehicles

Problem: Certain van chassis with single rear tires fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars." the rear tire rating was incorrectly entered in the gawr/gvwr calculation program on certain single rear tires. The rear gawr and GVWR will be incorrect when the gawr is limited by the tire capacity on chassis with these tires.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN VAN CHASSIS WITH SINGLE REAR TIRES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS." THE REAR TIRE RATING WAS INCORRECTLY ENTERED IN THE GAWR/GVWR CALCULATION PROGRAM ON CERTAIN SINGLE REAR TIRES. THE REAR GAWR AND GVWR WILL BE INCORRECT WHEN THE GAWR IS LIMITED BY THE TIRE CAPACITY ON CHASSIS WITH THESE TIRES.

Risk: This could cause premature tire tread wear or tire failure during normal driving which could cause a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE PREMATURE TIRE TREAD WEAR OR TIRE FAILURE DURING NORMAL DRIVING WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will mail new chassis identification labels with the correct gawr, GVWR, and tire information. The recall began on September 12, 2005. Owners May contact Freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.

Freightliner recall no. Fl-444.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

Steering

Sep 17, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V140007 · 75,000 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain meritor axles. The tie rod and drag link ball stud ends contain bearings that are below the specified case depth and/or hardness.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRW TIE ROD ENDS ON CERTAIN MERITOR AXLES. THE TIE ROD AND DRAG LINK BALL STUD ENDS CONTAIN BEARINGS THAT ARE BELOW THE SPECIFIED CASE DEPTH AND/OR HARDNESS.

Risk: This can lead to premature wear with possible separation of the ball stud from the socket, increasing the risk of loss of control of the vehicle.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CAN LEAD TO PREMATURE WEAR WITH POSSIBLE SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE SOCKET, INCREASING THE RISK OF LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began November 8, 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).

Electrical System

Apr 13, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V117000 · 1,354 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Step vans. The back-up brake pump was wired to a 25 amp fused circuit instead of the required 50 amp fused circuit. If the back-up hydraulic brake pump were to engage due to a failure in the primary brake assist system or the brakes are applied without the engine running, the fuse could blow.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: STEP VANS. THE BACK-UP BRAKE PUMP WAS WIRED TO A 25 AMP FUSED CIRCUIT INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED 50 AMP FUSED CIRCUIT. IF THE BACK-UP HYDRAULIC BRAKE PUMP WERE TO ENGAGE DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE PRIMARY BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM OR THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE FUSE COULD BLOW.

Risk: This results in a loss of power assist to the brake system, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS RESULTS IN A LOSS OF POWER ASSIST TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will rewire the back-up brake pump circuit. Owner notification began July 23, 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).

Electrical System

Apr 13, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V116000 · 1,400 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Step vans. Water could enter the electrical relays resulting in an electrical short.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: STEP VANS. WATER COULD ENTER THE ELECTRICAL RELAYS RESULTING IN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

Risk: This could potentially cause an electrical fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install a new sealed relay and fuse box with sealed relays. Owner notification began July 23, 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).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Fuel System2

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

2000 vs. other Freightliner MT-45 years

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

Questions

Does the 2000 Freightliner MT-45 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Freightliner MT-45, the latest from Apr 5, 2005 (equipment). 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 MT-45?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention fuel system (2). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.