1998 Freightliner MT

Routine

Owners filed 10 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the suspension › front. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Suspension › Front › Shock Absorber2
000
Suspension › Front2
000
Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift2
000
Suspension1
000
Steering › Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)1
000
Steering1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Mechanical › Carrier/Rack97V012000
Filed Feb 3, 199710,590 vehiclesWinnebago Industries, Inc.

Defect. THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER HOIST COMPONENTS CAN BECOME LOOSE WHILE TRAVELING AND ALLOW THE SPARE TIRE TO MOVE FROM ITS STORED POSITION TO THE ROAD SURFACE.

Risk. THE SPARE TIRE CAN CONTACT THE ROAD SURFACE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE TO THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL ADD A PRIMARY SPARE TIRE SUPPORT BRACKET.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Steering › Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)
Filed Jul 29, 1999WI

THE BEARING RUSTED IN GEAR BOX AND SUDDENLY LOCKED-UP, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN FAILURE. *YC

Suspension
Filed Apr 14, 1998FL

SUSPENSION DOES NOT CONTAIN A LOCK OUT VALVE/SWITCH TO PREVENT INTERACTION BETWEEN THE LEVELING JACKS TAGAXLES AND AIR SUSPENSION.

Suspension › Front › Shock Absorber
Filed Feb 2, 1998FL

LOSS OF SHOCK ON FRONT END RESULTED IN VEHICLE BEING DIFFICULT TO STEER.

Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift
Filed Jan 19, 1998FL

HWH HYDRAULIC LEVELING JACK WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY UNDER MOST PARKING CONDITIONS. THE JACKS ARE USED TO LEVEL AND STABILIZE THE VEHICLE WHEN PARKED. THE LEVELING JACK EXTENDS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD FALL OFF DURING THE LEVELING PROCESS.

Suspension › Front › Shock Absorber
Filed Jan 19, 1998FL

LOSS OF SHOCK ON FRONT END RESULTED IN VEHICLE BEING DIFFICULT TO STEER.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines
Filed Oct 20, 1997CA

DESIGN/LOCATION OF TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES CAUSES LINES TO RUB AGAINST RIGHT SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE RUBBING CAUSES THE LINES TO WEAR, RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FLUID SPRAYING ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, ALMOST CAUSING FIRE.

Suspension › Front
Filed Jan 28, 1997TX

WHEN DRIVING THE MOTOR HOME PULLED TO LEFT AND RIGHT/WANDERED. TAKEN TO FIFTEEN DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS. IT WAS REALIGNED THREE TIMES, STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift
Filed Jan 13, 1997KS

HYDRAULIC JACKS FAILED.

Suspension › Front
Filed May 13, 1996PA

FRONT END HAS PRONOUNCED BOUNCING PROBLEM.

Steering
Filed Dec 20, 1995OR

SOMETHING WRONG WITH STEERING THAT CAUSES VEHICLE TO WANDER OVER ROAD; COULD BE CAUSED BY TOO MUCH WEIGHT ON TIRES. TT

10 of 10 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20022100Routine
20013300Routine
20007100Routine
1998 — this page10100Routine
19970200Routine
19960200Routine
19950200Routine
19940200Routine
19930200Routine
19920100Routine

Compare every MT 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: Feb 3, 1997. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.