2004 Freightliner Century

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the unknown or other. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Unknown or Other1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System1
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Steering › Linkages05V408000
Filed Sep 13, 200537,029 vehiclesFreightliner Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRUCK AND MOTOR HOME CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH I-SHAFTS SUPPLIED BY ZF HEAVY DUTY STEERING, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A FAILURE OF THE FORK/SHAFT CONNECTION.

Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, THE VEHICLE COULD SUFFER A LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ATTACH A TENSION COLLAR TO THE STEERING SHAFT TO SECURE THE CONNECTION TO THE YOKE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 16, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

Power Train › Driveline04V590000
Filed Dec 15, 20041,095 vehiclesFreightliner Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE INTERAXLE DRIVELINE YOKES. THE BOLT HOLES LOCATED ON THE EARWORK OF THE MALE SHAFT YOKES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH AN OVERSIZED MINOR THREAD DIAMETER.

Risk. THIS CONDITION ALLOWS THE BOLTS USED IN THE HOLES TO BECOME DETACHED WHICH COULD RESULT IN A DRIVELINE SEPARATION. DRIVELINE SEPARATION COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SUSPECT MALE SHAFT YOKES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 4, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Filed Sep 17, 2006300,572 milesTX

FUMES COMING INTO CAB, MAKING ME SICK, HEADACHE, BURNING EYES, DISORIENTED. TIRED, FATIGUE, LAST EIGHT DAYS THIS STARTED. *JB

Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 23, 2005GA

MY NAME IS [XXX]AND I AM A DRIVER FOR ARNOLD TRANSPORTATION. ON 12/21/2005, AT APPROX. 1500 HRS, I ATTEMPTED TO QUIT ARNOLDS TRUCKING BECAUSE THE COMPANY CONSTANTLY PUT ME IN POSITIONS WHEREAS I HAVE TO RUN ILLEGALLY TO MAKE SOME OF MY DELIVERIES ON TIME. WHEN I COMPLIANT ABOUT IT, I AM HARASSED, REQUIRED TO HAVE MY LOG BOOK INSPECTED AND BEEPED DURING MY 10 HOUR BREAK. I WAS ALSO TOLD TO LOG LOADING TIME AS OFF DUTY SO THAT IT DOESN'T AFFECT MY 7 DAY HOS. WHEN I REFUSED TO RUN OUTSIDE OF DOT REGULATIONS AND TRIED TO QUIT, I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TWO OPTIONS AND THOSE OPTIONS WERE "WORK OR BE TERMINATED", I WAS NEVER TOLD WHAT I WOULD BE TERMINATED FOR, NOR DID I ASK. WHEN I TRIED TO QUIT, I WAS IN CAMP HILL, PA, 700 MILES FROM HOME. THEY OFFER ME A BUS TICKET AND I TOLD THEM I HAD TO MUCH EQUIPMENT IN THE TRUCK AND IT COULD NOT BE SECURED ON A BUS. I ASK THAT I BE ROUTED HOME AND I WAS WILLING TO PICK UP A LOAD THAT WAS GOING TO ATLANTA. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT I AM BEING FORCED TO WORK OR BE TERMINATED AND THEY KNOW I WILL NOT RISK BEING TERMINATED BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO GET ANOTHER JOB. THEY WON'T EVEN ALLOW ME TO GO THRU ATLANTA TO CHECK MY MAIL. THEY DID SAY THEY WOULD ALLOW ME SOME HOME TIME AT THE END OF THE MONTH, BUT I WANT OUT NOW. IN SOME CASES I HAVE RUN AS MUCH AS 98 HOURS IN 7 DAYS, I LOG IN MY LOG BOOK, BUT THEY JUST CONTINUE TO RUN ME AND I DON'T WANT TO DO IT ANY LONGER AND AS I SAID EARLIER, I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. *JB INFORMATION R

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20130100Routine
20120200Routine
20110900Routine
201001100Routine
200901200Routine
20081900Routine
20070900Routine
20066800Routine
20052200Routine
2004 — this page2300Routine
20034210Routine
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: Sep 13, 2005. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.