Model year record

1997 FREIGHTLINER Century

4 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 5 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 00V232002

Service brakes, air: antilock

Component
Service brakes, air: antilock
Manufacturer
FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION
Vehicles affected
35,405
Reported to NHTSA
2000-08-07
Owners notified
2000-08-29

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU.

Recall campaignNHTSA 98V326000

Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkages

Component
Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkages
Manufacturer
FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION
Vehicles affected
6,720
Reported to NHTSA
1998-12-21
Owners notified
1999-04-20

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONNECTING LINKAGE SOCKETS CAN WEAR OUT PREMATURELY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT GREASING DURING ASSEMBLY.

Safety risk

THIS CAN LEAD TO A SEPARATION OF THE LINKAGE AND LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION, IMPAIRING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONNECTING LINKAGES WITH NEW LINKS THAT ARE PROPERLY LUBRICATED.

Recall campaignNHTSA 98V085000

Suspension: front

Component
Suspension: front
Manufacturer
FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION
Vehicles affected
22,186
Reported to NHTSA
1998-04-21
Owners notified
1998-07-13

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MERITOR INTERAXLE DRIVELINE U-JOINTS. DEFLECTOR RINGS, A PART OF THE SYSTEM TO SEAL THE U-JOINTS FROM CONTAMINATES, ARE LOOSE. THIS ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THE U-JOINT BEARING AREA RESULT IN DILUTION OF THE LUBRICANT, OXIDATION OF THE BEARING AND SEAL SURFACES, AND LOSS OF LUBRICANT.

Safety risk

IF THIS PROBLEM GOES UNDETECTED, THE INTERAXLE DRIVELINE CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE U-JOINTS WITH THE CURRENT DESIGN U-JOINTS.

Recall campaignNHTSA 97V112000

Steering: steering wheel/handle bar

Component
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Manufacturer
FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION
Vehicles affected
11,366
Reported to NHTSA
1997-07-16
Owners notified
1997-07-30

Defect description

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCK. LEAKS THROUGH THE FIREWALL OR STEERING SHAFT BOOTS ALLOWS WATER TO RUN DOWN THE STEERING SHAFT. THE STEERING SHAFT SLIP SPLINE CORRODES CAUSING IT TO SEIZE.

Safety risk

INCREASED STEERING EFFORT CAN RESULT INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT WITH A NEW DESIGN THAT IS INSTALLED IN AN INVERTED ORIENTATION SO NO WATER CAN ENTER THE SPLINES.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Equipment2
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe1350,000 mi
Suspension: rear: springs: leaf spring assembly1
Tires: sidewall1

The 1998 model has about a quarter as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.