IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING REAR LEFT LEAF SEPARATED FROM WHEEL FRAME, RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO TRUCK. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED; HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK
1997 Freightliner Century
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Century years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 4 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Equipment. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Suspension complaints
1 reportsOfficial recalls
400V232002 · Service Brakes, Air:antilock
Aug 7, 2000
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 TYPE OF ERRATIC SENSOR SIGNAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE ABS ECU TO EXHAUST THE AIR AT THE AIR BRAKE MODULATORS FOR ONE OR MORE OF THE WHEELS. THIS COULD RESULT IN EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS ECU.
98V326000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages
Dec 21, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONNECTING LINKAGE SOCKETS CAN WEAR OUT PREMATURELY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT GREASING DURING ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN LEAD TO A SEPARATION OF THE LINKAGE AND LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION, IMPAIRING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONNECTING LINKAGES WITH NEW LINKS THAT ARE PROPERLY LUBRICATED.
98V085000 · Suspension:front
Apr 21, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MERITOR INTERAXLE DRIVELINE U-JOINTS. DEFLECTOR RINGS, A PART OF THE SYSTEM TO SEAL THE U-JOINTS FROM CONTAMINATES, ARE LOOSE. THIS ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THE U-JOINT BEARING AREA RESULT IN DILUTION OF THE LUBRICANT, OXIDATION OF THE BEARING AND SEAL SURFACES, AND LOSS OF LUBRICANT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS PROBLEM GOES UNDETECTED, THE INTERAXLE DRIVELINE CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE U-JOINTS WITH THE CURRENT DESIGN U-JOINTS.
97V112000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar
Jul 16, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCK. LEAKS THROUGH THE FIREWALL OR STEERING SHAFT BOOTS ALLOWS WATER TO RUN DOWN THE STEERING SHAFT. THE STEERING SHAFT SLIP SPLINE CORRODES CAUSING IT TO SEIZE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCREASED STEERING EFFORT CAN RESULT INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING SHAFT WITH A NEW DESIGN THAT IS INSTALLED IN AN INVERTED ORIENTATION SO NO WATER CAN ENTER THE SPLINES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE02088 · Integral Hub And Bearing Assembly
Opened Nov 22, 2002 · Closed May 1, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Wheels
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.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Wheels
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.
Wheels
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.
Wheels
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.