1997 Freightliner Century
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Freightliner › Century › 1997
These records cover every 1997 Freightliner Century. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
4 recalls name the 1997 Freightliner Century. Newest first.
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks and school bus chassis built with bendix air ABS with an EC-17 1030r electronic control unit (ecu), there have been reports of unwanted ABS activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed ABS wheel speed sensor wires on rotating parts or 2) a damaged component at the wheel end that generates a certain type of erratic…
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition could cause the ABS ecu to exhaust the air at the air brake modulators for one or more of the wheels. this could result in extended braking distances and a possible crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the ABS ecu.
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. the windshield wiper connecting linkage sockets can wear out prematurely due to insufficient greasing during assembly.
Risk and remedy
Risk
This can lead to a separation of the linkage and loss of wiper function, impairing the driver's visibility.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the connecting linkages with new links that are properly lubricated.
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor interaxle driveline u-joints. deflector rings, a part of the system to seal the u-joints from contaminates, are loose. this allows water to enter the u-joint bearing area result in dilution of the lubricant, oxidation of the bearing and seal surfaces, and loss of lubricant.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If this problem goes undetected, the interaxle driveline can separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the u-joints with the current design u-joints.
Vehicle description: heavy duty truck. leaks through the firewall or steering shaft boots allows water to run down the steering shaft. the steering shaft slip spline corrodes causing it to seize.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Increased steering effort can result increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the steering shaft with a new design that IS installed in an inverted orientation so no water can enter the splines.
Owner complaints
4 complaints1 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 64 mph, the exhaust fume came into the cab through the air conditioning system intake. there was a smell of fume present within the vehicle. the problem occurred either while driving or when in an idle position. the vehicle was taken to the service dealer who determined the clumps and manifold hose were defective. the parts were replaced.
- Suspension › Rear › Springs › Leaf spring assembly
While driving 50 mph and without warning rear left leaf separated from wheel frame, resulting in major damage to truck. dealer has been notified; however unable to remedy the problem.*ak
- Equipment
Continual problem with the air guages being inaccurate, they will not drop to zero when air tanks are drained they still show 15-20 lbs of air pressure they are off 10-20% when air tanks are full, chp inspections at terminal have found all air guages including the guage that was replaced to be inaccurate.*jb
- Tires › Sidewall
Tire blew out on sidewall resulting in vehicle rollover accident.(bridgestone 295/75r/225).
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Integral hub and bearing assembly
Freightliner submitted a defect report on march 21, 2003 in which they identified approximately 5000 trucks as possibly beingaffected by this problem.arvinmeritor (front axle mfr) submitted a defect report onapril 16, 2003, which identifies 6098 freightliner trucks asbeing affected by this recall and 1191 axles sold…
Freightliner submitted a defect report on march 21, 2003 in which they identified approximately 5000 trucks as possibly beingaffected by this problem.arvinmeritor (front axle mfr) submitted a defect report onapril 16, 2003, which identifies 6098 freightliner trucks asbeing affected by this recall and 1191 axles sold to freightliner in the aftermarket. Odi notes that there are twointegral hub and bearing assemblies per front axle.freightliner identified vehicles includingfreightliner,sterling, and western star brand name as beingaffected by this recall.see attached summary report for additional details.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10141697sb2057 New Surge Tank Design
- 621719Field service campaign to modify certain vehicles, manufacutred between october 3, 1997 and august 18, 2000, that may develop small pin hole leaks in the power steering supply hose.
- 605552Informationregarding low coolant level indication.
- 52366Some vehicles with ff-981 hub caps manufactured after the production improvements in november have been found with loose hub caps.
- 51349Reconfigure either the instrumentation control unit (icu) or the data logging unit (dlu)- always reconfigure the unit when it has been replaced.
- 51348Some century class vehicles may make a popping or thumping noise during low speed/sharp-turn maneuvers- the noise may occur under these conditions because the slip spline of the steering intermediate shaft will stick, then slide producing the popping or thumping noise. Jd
- 51347Top exhaust stacks on flb coes, fld conventionals, fll coes, and century class vehicles are installed at a 45-degree angle outboard rather than facing straight back- this configuration increases epa noise test emissions on certain vehicles.
- 51346Troubleshooting the instrumentation control unit (icu) presents an overview of the icu systems and functions.
- 51344Some vendor-supplied radiator surge tanks for century class vehicles have irregular surfaces between the filler neck and the cap, causing the caps to leak.
Every Freightliner Century model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.