1997 Freightliner Business Class Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 1997 Freightliner Business Class, and owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 1997 Freightliner Business Class
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Vehicle speed control
On certain trucks and buses equipped with cummins electronic control modules on the c8.3g and l10g engines, the ECM does not have the ability to detect a throttle fail-safe engine shutdown command. This could result in an unanticipated, uncommanded open throttle condition without warning.
Remedy: Cummins will notify the customers and replace the ECM. Owners should contact cummins at 1-800-343-7357 or freightliner at 1-503-745-5219.
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Linkage and cable (parking brake)
On certain trucks equipped with meritor brand 12" x 4" dcm drum parking brake, the bolts used to attach the parking brake assembly to the flange yoke are too large and can interfere with the proper engagement of the braking system and possibly disengage.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the attaching bolts with the correct size bolts free of charge. Owner notification is expected to begin during october 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…
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Service brakes, air: controls, pedals and linkages
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The brake pedal push rod that activates the service brakes could fracture.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake pedal push rod.
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Antilock (service brakes)
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…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ABS ECU.
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Service brakes, air
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with a bendix anti-lock braking system (ABS). The rear axle ABS modulating valves may be plumbed incorrectly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear axle ABS modulating valve supply and outlet port for correct plumbing and re-plumb if necessary.
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Fan (engine and engine cooling)
Vehicle description: truck-tractors equipped with 26" 8-blade metal engine cooling fans. The fan blades can fatigue crack and eventually separate from the fan.
Remedy: Dealers will replace these fans with fans which are more durable.
2 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Freightliner Business Class have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 39,500 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Rear passenger doors of freightliner "business class" truck come unlatched and open up during operation down the road. There are also incidents of the trucks parking at certain angles where the doors”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 15, 2006 · Structure
“Loss of hydraulic brake pads, locked up calipers, actual loss of wheel calipers when backing up, inconsistant brake wear, equalizer warning switch n/a for master cylinder, date listed is first occuran”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 15, 2003 · Service brakes, hydraulic
Compare Freightliner Business Class model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Freightliner Business Class model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 Freightliner Business Class | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 Freightliner Business Class | 2 | 0 |
| 1993 Freightliner Business Class | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 Freightliner Business Class | 3 | 0 |
| 1995 Freightliner Business Class | 4 | 2 |
| 1996 Freightliner Business Class | 5 | 0 |
| 1997 Freightliner Business Class | 6 | 2 |
| 1998 Freightliner Business Class | 5 | 0 |
| 1999 Freightliner Business Class | 5 | 1 |
| 2000 Freightliner Business Class | 9 | 1 |
| 2001 Freightliner Business Class | 6 | 0 |
| 2002 Freightliner Business Class | 5 | 0 |
| 2003 Freightliner Business Class | 1 | 7 |
Checking a specific 1997 Freightliner Business Class
How do I know if my 1997 Freightliner Business Class has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 1997 Freightliner Business Class; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Freightliner dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 00V232002).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Freightliner models
- Cascadia253 complaints
- Freightliner135 complaints
- Columbia96 complaints
- Conventional76 complaints
- Business Class M254 complaints
- Century53 complaints
- Sprinter 250049 complaints
- FL-7037 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.