2002 Freightliner FS-65 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 2002 Freightliner FS-65, and owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 2002 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…
5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2002 Freightliner FS-65 have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 104,923 miles. Complaints peaked in 2012 with 3 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Frame is cracked and nearly separated above rear axle. *tr”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 10, 2014 · Structure
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 freight-liner fs65 school bus. The contact stated that after having routing maintenance done on the vehicle, he was notified that the cross member frame had developed a cra”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 24, 2012 · 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 2002 Freightliner FS-65
How do I know if my 2002 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. 3 campaigns currently list the 2002 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 02V084000).
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.