2000 Freightliner FLD120

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FREIGHTLINER FLD120 DOT 0H37AFTW3804. THE VEHICLE HAS A SET OF STECREET MARK 295/75R/22-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CASING IS COMING APART ON THE DRIVER SIDE TIRES. THE SPARE TIRE'S SPEAR BELTS HAVE FAILED AND ARE CAUSING THE TIRES TO BECOME UNBALANCED. THE TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE STATED THAT THE TIRES ARE FROM A CHINESE MANUFACTURING COMPANY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY CREDIT HIM THE AMOUNT THAT A WORN OUT TIRE WOULD COST. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE TIRES WERE MANUFACTURED IN CHINA AND COULD POSSIBLY BE APART OF THE RECALL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 790,892 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179,000.

THE LEFT REAR FRAME RAIL IS TWISTED, BENT AND SAGGING CONFIRMED BY 4 FRAME SHOP INSPECTIONS CAUSING THE LARGE TRUCK TO HANDLE WITH DIFFICULTY AND SAFELY. THIS IS CAUSING UNNECESSARY RAPID TIRE WEAR AND IS A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC ON THE ROAD. FRIEGHTLINER HAS SAID BY THEIR OWN DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER, PAUL NEWMAN, THAT THIS IS A NON-ISSUE AND AFTER ALL THE PROFESSIONALS REPORTS HE, THE DSM, SAID HE SEES NOTHING WRONG AND WILL THEREFORE NOT REPLACE THE TRUCK WITH A BUY-BACK NOR WILL HE AUTHORIZE ANY REPAIRS. HE, PAUL NEWMAN, OFFERED US 2 NEW STEER TIRES AND ANOTHER (4TH) ALIGNMENT JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. THIS VEHICLE HAS TO BE WRESTLED TO DRIVE BETWEEN THE LINES ON THE ROAD WHEN IT IS PULLING A LOAD AND THEREFORE IS A DANGER TO NOT ONLY THE DRIVER BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE TIRES SHOULD NOT NEED REPLACING UNTIL AT LEAST 100,000 MILES IF THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED PROPERLY. PAUL NEWMAN FURTHER DIDN'T SEE THE IRREGULAR TIRE EASE ON THE DRIVE TIRES WHICH OF COURSE WAS NO SURPRISE.

CONSUMER NOTICED THE TRACTOR LEANED SEVERELY TO THE DRIVERS SIDE,AND REPORTED TO THE AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITY,AFTER THEIR INSPECTION THE DRIVERS SIDE SPRING WAS APPARENTLY DEFECTIVE OR WEAK,THEN ORDERED A NEW SPRING AND INSTALLED IT,WHEN I PICKED THE TRACTOR FROM THE REPAIR FACILITY, STILL LEANED AS MUCH AS BEFORE, NO CHANGE HAD OCCURRED,THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SPRING MAY BE IMPOPERLY ARCHED,THEY REPLACED PASSENGER SIDE SPRING WITH OLD SPRING NO CHANGE,CONSUMER CONTACT DELTA TRUCK CENTER THEY SAID APPARENTLY FREIGHTLINER CORP. HAD A RUN OF TRUCKS WHERE SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE FRAME JIG WAS MISALIGNED THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS PROBLEM.