1999 Freightliner FS-65 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
7 safety recalls list the 1999 Freightliner FS-65, and owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
7 safety recalls for the 1999 Freightliner FS-65
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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Fuel system, diesel
Certain 1998-2003 my freightliner fs-65 school bus chassis and mb-45, mb-55, and xb shuttle bus chassis, and thomas built bus: mvp-er and mvp-ef school bus and non-school bus models equipped with cummins isb diesel engines and equipped with federal-mogal 12 and 24 volt fuel lift pumps. The fuel pump could fail to transfer fuel…
Remedy: Cummins will notify the customers of freightliner and thomas built and replace the fuel lift pump free of charge. Owners may contact cummins at 1-800-diesels.
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)
On certain school buses chassis equipped with caterpillar engines and hydraulic brakes. A braided ground strap for the starter may rub on a steel chassis brake line potentially causing a fluid leak.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the brake line and replace it, if necessary. The braided ground strap will be replaced with an insulated cable. The recall began on august 10, 2004. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)
On certain school buses, the brake hoses from the chassis to front brake chambers could develop leaks due to the hose routing that could overstress the hose during sharp turns.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for improper routing. If improper routing is found, dealers will replace and correct the hose routing. Owner notification began april 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized…
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Tie rod assembly (steering)
Vehicle description: trucks, school bus and motor home chassis, and transit buses equipped with tie rod assemblies manufactured by trw. The suspect tie rods contain 24-dl model ball sockets. Certain of the tie rod ball-socket bearings have a below-specification case depth and/or hardness, which can lead to premature wear of the socket.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the defective ball sockets and/or drag links. Owner notification began may 22, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
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Antilock (service brakes)
Vehicle description: shuttle buses, recreational vehicles, utility vans, and heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor wabco phase 1, d-version antilock brake system (ABS), fail to comply to the requirements of FMVSS no. 105, "hydraulic and electric brake systems." an internal diagnostic system in the ABS may not detect an extreme wheel…
Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace the ABS ECU or the ECU will be reprogrammed. Owner notification began february 6, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
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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 meritor air brake automatic slack adjusters. Some of the automatic slack adjusters had insufficient torque applied to the guide pawl cap screw.
Remedy: Dealers will check the torque on the automatic slack adjuster guide pawl. If there is no torque, the brakes will be adjusted and the guide pawl will be tightened to 15-20 ft. Lbs.
2 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1999 Freightliner FS-65 have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 90,889 miles. Complaints peaked in 2005 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Tl*the contact owns a 1999 freightliner fs-65. The current mileage was 84000. When he attempted to start the vehicle it would not start. Also, the contact stated that previously the vehicle would shut”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 2, 2007 · Fuel system, diesel
“Broken frame on 1999 freightliner school bus/thomas body over right rear air ride at torsion bar mount. Vehicle is currently undergoing frame replacement at body shop. *nm”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 27, 2005 · Structure
Compare Freightliner FS-65 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Freightliner FS-65 model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 1999 Freightliner FS-65
How do I know if my 1999 Freightliner FS-65 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. 7 campaigns currently list the 1999 Freightliner FS-65; 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.