1997 Freightliner FL-80 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1997 Freightliner FL-80, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1997 Freightliner FL-80
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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Reservoir/tank (service brakes)
Vehicle description: heady duty trucks equipped with 36" rear brake chambers. The brake system does not meet the air reservoir volume requirement of FMVSS 121, "air brake systems."
Remedy: Dealers will repair these vehicles.
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Freightliner FL-80 have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 76,389 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Problem: ball stud & socket assembly separated. Review NHTSA #oov-246.001 truck: 1997 freightliner, fl-80 - serial # [xxx] in-service date: may 9, 1997 - mileage 76,389 the state of connecticut, dept.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 18, 2003 · Steering
Compare Freightliner FL-80 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Freightliner FL-80 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 Freightliner FL-80 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 Freightliner FL-80 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 Freightliner FL-80 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 Freightliner FL-80 | 1 | 1 |
| 1998 Freightliner FL-80 | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 1997 Freightliner FL-80
How do I know if my 1997 Freightliner FL-80 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. 1 campaign currently lists the 1997 Freightliner FL-80; your car may already have been repaired under it.
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 98V114000).
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.