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2001 Freightliner Freightliner

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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 28 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 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 reports0 injury reports

Tires complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 2002
Tires

WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT STEER TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FENDER AND BRAKES, OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #567282

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicSteering

TRUCK WONDERS ON ROAD, DEALER BELIEVES THAT TIRES ARE THE SOURCE OF PROBLEM. *AKCONSUMER STATED THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON, THE FRONT WHEEL SENSOR WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, DEALER FOUND THE SENSOR DISC ON LEFT FRONT WHEEL HAD BEEN BENT UPON ASSEMBLY OF THE WORK, SHIMS FELL OUT FROM UNDER THE RUBBER CONE FOR THE HOOD MOUNT ON THE DRIVER…

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TRUCK WONDERS ON ROAD, DEALER BELIEVES THAT TIRES ARE THE SOURCE OF PROBLEM. *AKCONSUMER STATED THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON, THE FRONT WHEEL SENSOR WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, DEALER FOUND THE SENSOR DISC ON LEFT FRONT WHEEL HAD BEEN BENT UPON ASSEMBLY OF THE WORK, SHIMS FELL OUT FROM UNDER THE RUBBER CONE FOR THE HOOD MOUNT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WHICH CAUSED THE HOOD TO SAG AND RUBBED PAINT OFF OF THE COWL AND THE INSULATION UNDER THE HOOD STARTED COMING LOOSE AND IT HANGS DOWN ON TO THE ENGINE, THE CAB LEAKS WATER CAUSING THE WATER TO LAY AROUND THE FLOOR, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW LEAKS WATER FROM THE TOP AND ALSO THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW AND THE BUNK DOOR LEAKS AIR AND SOUND AS THOUGH THEY ARE OPEN, THE DASH APART THREE TIMES AND IT RATTLES, DEALER REPLACED DASH LIGHTS AND FLASHER RELAY, AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE AND TURNING OFF THE KEY, ENGINE STOPS BUT STARTER CONTINUED TO RUN, FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL ON THE ENGINE STARTED TO LEAK MOTOR OIL, THE OIL SLUNG ALL OVER THE FRONT OF ENGINE, BATTERY, TOOLBOXES, FUEL TANKS AND UNDER CARRIAGE, ENGINE DEVELOPED FREQUENT MISS/POWER LOSS, THE STEERING WILL DRAFT RIGHT OR LEFT, NOW THERE IS A NOTICEABLE VIBRATION THAT COMES AND GOES SOME WHERE IN THE DRIVETRAIN, THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A WHEEL HOP AND SHIMMY IN THE FRONT END THAT COMES AND GOES, THE DESK TOP DRAWER IN THE BUNK DOES NOT STAY LATCHED CAUSING CRUSHING NOISE AND PYROMETER BROKE. *YD

NHTSA ODI #899558

Official recalls

1

05V207000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Apr 27, 2005

CERTAIN MY 2000-2003 FREIGHTLINER, THOMAS MVP SCHOOL BUS AND WESTERN STARS TRUCKS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 19, 2000, AND MARCH 30, 2005, AND EQUIPPED WITH WEBASTO COOLANT HEATERS, MODEL DBW 2010, ASSEMBLED WITH WEBASTO BURNER TUBES, P/N 303046/26533A. THE STAINLESS STEEL BURNER TUBE IS MADE OUT OF A MATERIAL THAT IS NOT TO SPECIFICATION AND COULD FAIL PREMATURELY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SHOULD THE BURNER TUBE FAIL, THE COOLANT HEATER COULD OVERHEAT, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy: THOMAS BUILT WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE SUBJECT BURNER TUBES WITH NEW CERTIFIED BURNER TUBES AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 16, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THOMAS BUILT CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFICE AT 1-336-889-4871 OR CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

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

1

PE02061 · Abs Tone Ring Corrodes Causing Unintende

Opened Aug 7, 2002 · Closed Dec 11, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

ODI INITIATED PE02-061 BASED ON TWO REPORTED INCIDENTS IN WHICH FREIGHTLINER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRAL ABS TONE RINGS HAD EXPERIENCED INCREASED VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE.INTEGRAL TONE RINGS INCORPORATE THE ABS TONE RING INTO THE BRAKE ROTOR TO FORM A ONE-PIECE INTEGRATED COMONENT.FREIGHTLINER HAS IDENTIFIED 266 WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR CORRODED ROTORS.SINCE THE ABS TONE RING IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE ROTOR IN THE AFFECTED FREIGHTLINER VEHICLES, CORRODED ROTOR SENSOR TEETH MAY COMPROMISE THE QUAILITY OF THE ABS TONE RING SIGNAL TO THE ABS ECU.A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF FREIGHTINER WARRANTY CLAIMS INDICATE THAT HE TONE RING CONDITION WAS DISCOVERED BY SERVICING MECHANICS WHO WERE INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE FOR THE ILLUMINATED ABS WARNING LIGHT.ODI IS CONCERNED AS TO (1) WHETHER VEHICLE OPEERAOTRS ARE SUFFICIENTLY COGNIZANT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED IN A TIMELY MANNER IN RESPONSE TO THE ILLUMINATED ABS WARNING LIGHT SINCE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT IS THE ONLY WARNING PROVIDED BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE MAY BE AFFECTED AND (2) QUANTIFYING THE EXTENT TO WHICH STOPPING-DISTANCE IS AFFECTED AND ASSESSING THE ASSOCIATED RISK TO SAFETY. ODI CONDUCTED A PARALLEL INVESTIGATION(PE02-060) OF INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE ASSOCIATED WITH CORRODED ABS TONE RINGS AT INTERNATIONAL TRUCK.THIS INVESTIGATION WAS CONCLUDED ON NOV 21, 2002 AFTER INTERNATIONAL TRUCK CONCLUDED THAT THE ABS ECU....CAN MISINTERPRET FALSE WHEEL SPEED SIGNALS... AND NOTIFIED NHTSA OF THEIR INTENTION TO CONDUCT A CAMPAIGN (NHTSA 02V-252) TO CORRECT THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.RECOMMENDATION IS TO OPEN AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.