Freightliner Conventional Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 16 safety recalls and 76 owner complaints across 29 model years of the Freightliner Conventional (1975–2018). The most-complained-about year is 2000.

Pick your Freightliner Conventional model year

• 1975
• 1976
• 1977
• 1978
• 1979
• 1982
• 1983
• 1984
• 1985
• 1986
• 1987
• 1988
• 1989
• 1990
• 1991
• 1992
• 1993
• 1994
• 1995
• 1996
• 1997
• 1998
• 1999
• 2000
• 2001
• 2002
• 2007
• 2008
• 2018

What Freightliner Conventional owners complain about

Across all model years, owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA. The 2000 model year has the most, with 12.

• Tires27
• Power train: driveshaft6
• Unknown or other6
• Service brakes, air5
• Engine and engine cooling: gasoline5
• Wheels5
• Steering5
• Electrical system3

All Freightliner Conventional recalls (16)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Freightliner Conventional, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

1. Fifth wheel assembly (trailer hitches)

   NHTSA 02V337000 Reported December 17, 2002 733 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

   On certain truck-tractor model vehicles equipped with conmet simplex stationary or sliding fifth-wheel, the clinch pins that retain the fifth-wheel pivot pins may not be fully installed.

   Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fifth wheel to verify the correct installation of the clinch pin and pivot pin. Missing pins will be replaced. Owner notification began november 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an…

   Model years: 2002

2. Suspension: rear

   NHTSA 96V233003 Reported November 20, 1996 1,410 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

   Vehicle description: all vehicles equipped with eaton drive axles and axilok spindle nuts. The drive axle housings consist of a plate steel center section and two forged spindles, one of which is welded to each end of the center section. Each spindle contains a keyway slot in which the locking tab for the wheel bearing nut locking…

   Remedy: Dealers will replace the drive axle housing nuts with a conventional wheel nut hardware system.

   Model years: 1996

3. Pedals and linkages (service brakes)

   NHTSA 88V168000 Reported October 24, 1988 4,513 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

   Fasteners that retain the brake pedal to the pivot tube may not have been properly torqued.

   Remedy: Reinstall brake pedal clamp fasteners with loctite and torque properly.

   Model years: 1988

4. Linkages (steering)

   NHTSA 88V160000 Reported October 11, 1988 92 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

   Steering arm may fail if used on eaton efa12f4 from axle in conjunction with ross hfb70 power steering gear.

   Remedy: Install a nonadjustable 1500 PSI power steering pump pressure relief valve to limit steering arm forces. Replace steering arm with a design capable of withstanding higher forces. Adjust maximum poppet valve settings to…

   Model years: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988

5. Air conditioner (equipment)

   NHTSA 88V138000 Reported August 16, 1988 19,898 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

   The heater/air conditioner blower motor speed control resistors can under certain conditions overheat and stall.

   Remedy: Install a thermo cutoff device in the heater/air conditioner system and/or replace the blower motor switch.

   Model years: 1982, 1983

6. Anchorage (seat belts)

   NHTSA 87V192000 Reported December 18, 1987 180 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

   Fastener that connects the harness belt d ring to the b pillar may not be long enough to provide full thread engagement with the anchorage weld nut.

   Remedy: Replace mounting hardware with hex shoulder bolt and .55 inch spacer.

   Model years: 1985, 1986, 1987

7. Chamber (service brakes)

   NHTSA 87V147000 Reported September 15, 1987 41 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

   Incorrect size air brake actuator chambers were installed on the drive axles.

   Remedy: Replace drive axle brake chambers with correct size chambers.

   Model years: 1985, 1986, 1987

8. Cables (electrical system)

   NHTSA 87V020000 Reported February 19, 1987 3,250 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

   Under certain conditions, an electrical short circuit can develop.

   Remedy: Replace existing picture frame type battery retainer with an i frame retainer and install convoluted tubing over positive battery cable.

   Model years: 1985, 1986, 1987

9. Retractor (seat belts)

   NHTSA 86V137000 Reported October 20, 1986 102 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

   Seat belts can loosen as the truck is driven. Consequence of defect: driver and passenger would not be properly restrained in event of a sudden stop or crash.

   Remedy: Replace the non locking retractor seat belts with automatic locking retractor seat belts.

   Model years: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986

10. Body (structure)

    NHTSA 86V118000 Reported August 26, 1986 6,800 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

    The handhold mounting system, which consists of a tubular handle held in three places by cast aluminum brackets and attached to the engine exhaust muffler heat shield. Vibration from this system causes the handhold parts to wear. Consequence of defect: if the parts wear thin the possibility exists that the handhold might give way under…

    Remedy: Replace the end brackets with a modified design utilizing a rubber isolater. Also, add a plastic sleeve to the center bracket for isolation.

    Model years: 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986

11. Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)

    NHTSA 86V106000 Reported August 5, 1986 78 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

    Steering column mounting bolts may be absent, leaving only the knee pad to hold the steering wheel and column in place. Consequence of defect: under certain driving conditions, knee pad attaching bolts may not be sufficient, allowing the steering column and wheel to come loose while the truck is being driven. This could result in loss…

    Remedy: Install clamps and bolts, if missing, or check existing bolts for tightness.

    Model years: 1985

12. Latch (latches/locks/linkages)

    NHTSA 84V113000 Reported September 25, 1984 2,303 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

    The sleeper compartment inside door latching mechanisms may cause the door to unlatch while the vehicle is being driven.

    Remedy: The operating lever and connecting rods will be replaced and a spring will be installed on the connecting rod.

    Model years: 1984

13. Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)

    NHTSA 83V089000 Reported September 7, 1983 328 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

    The pinch bolt installed on the steering gear component is of a smaller size than specified.

    Remedy: Dealer will replace the incorrectly sized pinch bolt with a properly sized one if necessary.

    Model years: 1982, 1983

14. Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)

    NHTSA 80V095000 Reported July 23, 1980 31,002 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

    On involved vehicles, the connection between the steering control shaft and the input shaft on the steering gear box may be defective. The yoke on the shaft may loosen, allowing the splined surfaces on the yoke and shaft to wear. Continued operation may result in wear and eventual rotational slippage of the joint.

    Remedy: The yoke will be repaired or the yoke and input shaft will be replaced, if necessary.

    Model years: 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

15. Motor (visibility)

    NHTSA 79V245000 Reported November 6, 1979 6,000 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

    The park/run valve in the windshield wiper motor may stick in the park position. An out of balance dimension in the cylinder resulted in an undersized bore which may cause the plunger to stick. Therefore, the wiper motor may fail to start.

    Remedy: The dealer will inspect and, if necessary, replace the windshield wiper motors for conventional models. Also, the control valves on the dash will be replaced at no cost to owner.

    Model years: 1979

16. Latches/locks/linkages

    NHTSA 77V090000 Reported June 14, 1977 397 vehicles potentially affected FREIGHTLINER CORP.

    The cab front mounts may crack and lose their ability to hold the cab firmly to its frame mounts. Such a failure could allow the front of the cab to move vertically when encountering rough road surfaces. In extreme situations, the cab could rise to the extent that the lower steering shaft could become disengaged.

    Remedy: Dealer will install redesigned left and right hand cab support assemblies and longer, lower steering shafts, at no cost to owner.

    Model years: 1975, 1976, 1977

Other Freightliner models

• Cascadia253 complaints
• Freightliner135 complaints
• Columbia96 complaints
• Business Class M254 complaints
• Century53 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.