The 2001 Freightliner Century has 4 safety recalls and 4 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is suspension (2 complaints).
Recalls4safety recalls
Complaints4filed by owners
Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths1 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Suspension › Front › Hub
NHTSA recall 03V112000 · Mar 21, 2003 · 5,716 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: 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.
Risk: SEIZURE OF THE BEARINGS CAN CAUSE WHEEL SEPARATION OR WHEEL END FIRE.
Fix: 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 THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.
Electrical system › Wiring
NHTSA recall 02V087000 · Mar 20, 2002 · 30,000 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, A CAPACITOR IN THE POWER LINE CONTROL (PLC) FILTER COULD OVERHEAT AND/OR IGNITE WHEN SUBJECTED TO REVERSE POLARITY ELECTRICAL SPIKES.
Risk: THIS COULD CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE AREA OF THE PLC FILTER WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Fix: DEALERS WILL DISCONNECT AND SECURE THE PLC FILTER GROUND WIRE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 20, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.
Service brakes, air › Supply › Check valve
NHTSA recall 02V018002 · Jan 22, 2002 · 5,176 vehicles
Problem: ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MERITOR WABCO PNEUMATIC ANITLOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) VALVE PACKAGES, THE ASSEMBLY BOLTS ON THESE VALVE PACKAGES WERE NOT TIGHTENED CORRECTLY.
Risk: BOLTS TORQUED BELOW SPECIFICATION WILL NOT RELIABLY PREVENT AIR LEAKAGE AT THE AFFECTED ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS ONCE THE COMPONENT BEGINS NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. IF AIR LEAKS DEVELOP AT ANY OF THE ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS, BRAKE SYSTEM PRESSURE REDUCTIONS COULD OCCUR DURING BRAKING OR NORMAL OPERATION WITH UNITS EQUIPPED WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL OPTION, POTENTIALLY EXTENDING STOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE FASTENERS TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 4, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.
Service brakes, air › Controls, pedals and linkages
NHTSA recall 01V189001 · Jun 14, 2001 · 4,400 vehicles
Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CERTAIN HALDEX BRAKE SYSTEM TWO AND FOUR PORT RELAY VALVES. THE VALVE MAY STICK OPEN WHEN A HIGH-PRESSURE APPLICATION IS RELEASED.
Risk: WHEN THE VALVE STICKS OPEN, IT CAN RESULT IN A TOTAL LOSS OF AIR FROM EITHER THE SERVICE OR THE PARK BRAKE SYSTEM. THE DRIVER MAY LOSE BRAKING ABILITY UNDER A SERVICE APPLICATION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE VALVES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 17, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Suspension Rear › Springs › Leaf spring assembly › Hanger/bracket; Front › Springs › Leaf spring assembly › Hanger,bracket
2
0
0
0
—
Tires Tread/belt
1
0
0
0
—
Engine and engine cooling Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
1
0
0
1
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Dec 12, 2006 · 1 injuryEngine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe GOT IN THIS CENTURY , FREIGHTLINER APRIL OF 2006, BEEN EXPERIENCING HEADACHES,BURNING EYES, TIRED ALL THE TIME. CAN SMELL FUMES COMING IN THROUGH AIR VENTS. WAKE UP WITH HEADACHES, A DRIVER USED A CO READER TODAY IN MY CAB WAS GETTING ILL. IT SEEMS THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE, AN THE DRIVERS AREN'T BEING TOLD, I FIND THIS ODD AND UN SAFE, MY WIFE HAS ALSO TOLD ME THAT SHE COULD SMELL A FUNNY ODOR ON MY CLOTHES. *NM
Oct 16, 2006 · 572,000 milesTires › Tread/belt BOUGHT 2 R287 BRIDGESTONE TIRES ON MAY 11,2006 295/75 22.5 HAVE PUT ABOUT 60,000 MILES ON THE STEER TIRES. THE RIGHT FRONT HAS STRIPS OF RUBBER COMING OFF OF IT. SOUTHERN TIRE MART IN LONGVIEW, TX INSIST I PAY FULL PRICE FOR ONE R280 WHICH IS VERY UNSAFE AND WILL NOT PRORATE OR ADJUST EITHER TIRE. TEXAS STAR EXPRESS HAS HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF THE R287 START PEELING RUBBER OFF. THIS IS VERY DANGERIOUS ON STEER TIRES. I AM SCARED OF BRIDGESTONE TIRES BECAUCE OF THIS. REMIMBER THE FIRESTONE 500 IS THE 70,S. *NM
Oct 25, 2000Suspension › Front › Springs › Leaf spring assembly › Hanger,bracket LEFT FRONT SPRING HANGER IS LOOSE, BOTTOM BOLTS TURNED BY HAND. NLM
Oct 25, 2000Suspension › Rear › Springs › Leaf spring assembly › Hanger/bracket LEFT FRONT SPRING HANGER IS LOOSE, BOTTOM BOLTS TURN BY HAND. NLM
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
PE03005 · opened Feb 7, 2003 · closed Aug 22, 2003FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKS CERTAIN 1998-2001 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY AND COLUMBIA VEHICLES EXHIBIT A HIGHER RATE OF FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKS THAN EARLIER VINTAGE FREIGHTLINER VEHICLES.THE LEAKS HAVE BEEN FREQUENTLY DISCOVERED AT FMCSA ROADSIDE INSPECTIONS SINCE THESE INSPECTIONS ARE CONDUCTED WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED (PRESSURIZING THE AIR HOSE) WHEREAS DRIVER PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS MAY NOT ALWAYS BE PERFORMED WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED. AFTER A THOROUGH TECHNICAL REVIEW OF THIS MATTER,ODI HAS CONCUDED THAT WHILE THE SUBJECT VEHICLES EXHIBIT A HIGHER RATE OF FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKS THAN EARLIER VINTAGE AND PEER VEHICLES, THESE LEAKS APPEAR TO BE MINOR. FREIGHTLINER HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS COMPONENT TO 5 YEARS, 500,000 MILES AND WILL ASSIST IN ALERTING THOSE VEHICLE OWNERS WHOSE VEHICLES ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO FRONT BRAKE AIR HOSE LEAKAGE BY ISSUING A SERVICE BULLETIN ALERTING THOSE OWNERS TO THE POTENTIAL…
PE02088 · opened Nov 22, 2002 · closed May 1, 2003 · led to recall 03E019000INTEGRAL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY FREIGHTLINER SUBMITTED A DEFECT REPORT ON MARCH 21, 2003 IN WHICH THEY IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 5000 TRUCKS AS POSSIBLY BEINGAFFECTED BY THIS PROBLEM.ARVINMERITOR (FRONT AXLE MFR) SUBMITTED A DEFECT REPORT ONAPRIL 16, 2003, WHICH IDENTIFIES 6098 FREIGHTLINER TRUCKS ASBEING AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND 1191 AXLES SOLD TO FREIGHTLINER IN THE AFTERMARKET. ODI NOTES THAT THERE ARE TWOINTEGRAL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES PER FRONT AXLE.FREIGHTLINER IDENTIFIED VEHICLES INCLUDINGFREIGHTLINER,STERLING, AND WESTERN STAR BRAND NAME AS BEINGAFFECTED BY THIS RECALL.SEE ATTACHED SUMMARY REPORT FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.