2003 Freightliner Century

Routine

Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the vehicle speed control › accelerator pedal. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal1
000
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Tires › Sidewall1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1
010

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Power Train › Manual Transmission04V205000
Filed May 4, 200414,000 vehiclesFreightliner Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE TAPERED JOINT THAT ATTACHES THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION MAY BECOME LOOSE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR.

Risk. IF SHIFT LEVER DETACHMENT OCCURS, THA ABILITY RO ACCELERATE OT MAINTAIN SPEED WILL BE LOST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL RE-SECURE THE SHIFT LEVER TO THE TRANSMISSION USING THREADLOCK AND RE-TORQUING THE FASTENING BOLT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

Service Brakes, Air03V500000
Filed Dec 4, 2003400 vehiclesFreightliner Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AIR BRAKES, THE PLASTIC PUSH-TO-CONNECT AIR LINE FITTING CARTRIDGE COULD BE IMPROPERLY WELDED INTO THE NYLON JUNCTION BLOCK HOUSING ALLOWING AN AIR LINE TO BECOME DISCONNECTED.

Risk. THIS COULD LEAD TO REDUCED BRAKE CONTROL, LOSS OF SERVICE BRAKE CONTROL, OR THE EMERGENCY BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW CAB AIR MANIFOLD. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON JANUARY 21, 2004. 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 800-547-0712.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Tires › Sidewall
Filed Apr 22, 2025200,000 milesMI

The contact owns a 2003 Freightliner Century CST120 equipped with Yokohama Tires, Tire Line: TY517MC2, Tire Size: 295/75/R22, DOT Number: N/A. The contact stated that the tires had cracked on the sidewalls. The contact called a tire center which scheduled an appointment. The tires were not yet inspected. The manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle failure mileage was 200,000. The tire failure mileage was unknown.

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Dec 21, 2007WA

7 MONTH OLD STEER TIRE ON FREIGHTLINER TRUCK. TRAVELING AROUND 65 MPH VIBRATION STARTED AND BEFORE WE COULD FIGURE OUT FROM WHERE OR GET TO A SAFE SECTION OF THE ROAD, ALL THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. ALL THE TREAD AND SEVERAL FAIRLY LARGE PARTS FROM THE TRUCK FLEW OFF. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN THE WAY. THIS WAS A FIRESTONE FS 507 295/75 R 22.5 DOT WI BT 3PT 1207. THE TIRE STILL HAD 99 LBS OF AIR. I HAD TO PURCHASE A TIRE AND 1100.00 IN PARTS TO SAFELY OPERATE TRUCK. WE CANT GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER FROM FIRESTONE OR THE TA. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling › EngineFire
Filed Dec 22, 2005TX

2003 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *TS *NM

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Apr 20, 200412,000 milesMS

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SINCE JANUARY 2004 CONSUMER WAS SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. *AK *LA

4 of 4 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20130100Routine
20120200Routine
20110900Routine
201001100Routine
200901200Routine
20081900Routine
20070900Routine
20066800Routine
20052200Routine
20042300Routine
2003 — this page4210Routine
20020100Routine
20014400Routine
200015600Routine
19996710Routine
19989500Routine
19974400Routine
19960700Routine
19950200Routine

Compare every Century year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 4, 2004. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.