1997 Freightliner Century Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 1997 Freightliner Century, and owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

safety recalls

owner complaints to NHTSA

4 safety recalls for the 1997 Freightliner Century

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

Antilock (service brakes)

NHTSA 00V232002 Reported August 7, 2000 35,405 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

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.
Linkages (visibility)

NHTSA 98V326000 Reported December 21, 1998 6,720 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The windshield wiper connecting linkage sockets can wear out prematurely due to insufficient greasing during assembly.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the connecting linkages with new links that are properly lubricated.
Suspension: front

NHTSA 98V085000 Reported April 21, 1998 22,186 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

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.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the u-joints with the current design u-joints.
Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)

NHTSA 97V112000 Reported July 16, 1997 11,366 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

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.

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.

4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1997 Freightliner Century have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 350,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 1998 with 1 filed that year.

Most-reported components

Equipment2
Engine and engine cooling: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe1
Suspension: leaf spring assembly1
Tires: sidewall1

What owners are reporting

“Dt*: the contact stated while driving 64 MPH, the exhaust fume came into the cab through the air conditioning system intake. There was a smell of fume present within the vehicle. The problem occurred”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 22, 2006 · Engine and engine cooling

“While driving 50 MPH and without warning rear left leaf separated from wheel frame, resulting in major damage to truck. Dealer has been notified; however unable to remedy the problem.*ak”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 8, 2002 · Suspension

Compare Freightliner Century model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Freightliner Century model year in NHTSA's database.

Model year	Recalls	Complaints
1995 Freightliner Century	2	0
1996 Freightliner Century	7	0
1997 Freightliner Century	4	4
1998 Freightliner Century	5	9
1999 Freightliner Century	7	6
2000 Freightliner Century	6	15
2001 Freightliner Century	4	4
2002 Freightliner Century	1	0
2003 Freightliner Century	2	4
2004 Freightliner Century	3	2
2005 Freightliner Century	2	2
2006 Freightliner Century	8	6
2007 Freightliner Century	9	0
2008 Freightliner Century	9	1
2009 Freightliner Century	12	0
2010 Freightliner Century	11	0
2011 Freightliner Century	9	0
2012 Freightliner Century	2	0
2013 Freightliner Century	1	0

Checking a specific 1997 Freightliner Century

How do I know if my 1997 Freightliner Century 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 1997 Freightliner Century; 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
Sprinter 250049 complaints
FL-7037 complaints
FS-6533 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.