RecallMyCar

1998 Freightliner Century Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 1998 Freightliner Century, and owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

5
safety recalls
9
owner complaints to NHTSA

5 safety recalls for the 1998 Freightliner Century

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

  1. Hub (suspension)

    NHTSA 03V112000 Reported 5,716 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

    On certain trucks equipped with truck hub units manufactured by skf exclusively for use on arvinmeritor's ff98x series non-drive steer axles, the hub unit bearings can wear prematurely.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace both front hubs. Owner notification is expected to begin on or before september 20, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…

  2. Antilock (service brakes)

    NHTSA 00V232002 Reported 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.

  3. Tie rod assembly (steering)

    NHTSA 99V359000 Reported 2,588 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The tie rod ends can fracture due to low stress, high cycle, reversed bending fatigue resulting from a system resonance.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the tie rod ends and tube assembly.

  4. Hub (suspension)

    NHTSA 99V295000 Reported 2,976 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The outboard bearing on the steering axle hubs can fail due to water intrusion through a hubcap vent.

    Remedy: Dealers will remove the hubcap and inspect for water intrusion and corrosion. The hub and bearing assembly will be replaced if there is evidence of corrosion. A non-vented hubcap will be installed.

  5. Suspension: front

    NHTSA 98V085000 Reported 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.

9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1998 Freightliner Century have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 54,950 miles. Complaints peaked in 1999 with 4 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The rear passenger seat belt retractor is jammed. The consumer made contact with the manufacture and the warranty has expired. This is the second occurrence for this belt jamming. *nm”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 17, 2005 · Seat belts

“1998 century class model trailer experiencing multiple problems.*mr the manufacturer informed the consumer that one of the u-joints had gone bad, the flex line had rotted away which connected to the e”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 5, 2003 · Engine and engine cooling

Compare Freightliner Century model years

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

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1995 Freightliner Century20
1996 Freightliner Century70
1997 Freightliner Century44
1998 Freightliner Century59
1999 Freightliner Century76
2000 Freightliner Century615
2001 Freightliner Century44
2002 Freightliner Century10
2003 Freightliner Century24
2004 Freightliner Century32
2005 Freightliner Century22
2006 Freightliner Century86
2007 Freightliner Century90
2008 Freightliner Century91
2009 Freightliner Century120
2010 Freightliner Century110
2011 Freightliner Century90
2012 Freightliner Century20
2013 Freightliner Century10

Checking a specific 1998 Freightliner Century

How do I know if my 1998 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. 5 campaigns currently list the 1998 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

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.