RoadVitals

2009 Freightliner Cascadia Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Aug 5, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
53%
of 19 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Freightliner Cascadia submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceSteering
Filed Aug 5, 2016

FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA 2009 STERING RACK AND PINION PROBLEM. FREIGHTLINER DEALER A REDY FIXED TWICE, AND AGAIN START THE PROBLEM,THAT'S MEANS HAVE TO BE HAVE A REPLAYS AGAIN,JUST DELETE COMPANY CLOSE THE RECALL. DRIVING WITH THIS PROBLEM IS VERY DENGER SPECIALY IN WORK ZONE WITH NOT EVEN LANE.I DO SPENT A LOT MONEY FOR ALIGNMENT AND OTHER PARTS . THIS HAVE TO BE A LAW FOR RECALL. IF PROBLEM STILL COMING AGAIN AND AGAIN DEALER HAVE TO THE FIX.

NHTSA ID
10893625
Incident
Sep 9, 2015
ElectricalSteeringSuspension
Filed Apr 4, 2016

STEERING COLUMN IS A PROBLEM. TRUCK DO NOT STAY IN THE ROAD STREIGHT.FOR MEN TIMES IN THE SHOP AND COUPLE ALIGNMENT, TRUCK HAS PROBLEM. VERY DENGER TO DRIVE. ELECTRICAL MIRRORS HEATED PROBLEM. WIRE AND EVERYTHING ELSE IT'S OK JUST NO POWER GO TO SWITCH. ELECTRIC CAN'T FIGEROUT WHAT'S IS HAPPENING.

NHTSA ID
10853400
Incident
Sep 10, 2015
Steering
Filed Sep 23, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO MAKE THE TURN AND THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS CORRODED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V514000 (STEERING) AND 09V357000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 307,000.

NHTSA ID
10775385
Incident
Aug 23, 2015
Mileage
307,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 13, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA TRACTOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND THE RACK AND PINION DETERIORATED AND FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V514000 (STEERING) AND 09V357000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN LESS THAN THIRTY DAYS. WHEN DRIVING OVER 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE TWO RECALL REPAIRS DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. ...UPDATED 03-11-15 *BF UPDATED 9/21/2017*CN

NHTSA ID
10683154
Incident
Jul 15, 2013
Steering
Filed Mar 18, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TIE ROD END HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 09V357000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 488,541.

NHTSA ID
10573243
Incident
Feb 28, 2014
Mileage
488,541 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 27, 2011

TIE ROD FELL OUT OF THE RACK AND PINION. TRUCK COULD NOT BE STEERED. I OWN 10 OF THESE TRUCKS AND THIS FAILURE HAS HAPPENED TO 2 OF THEM SO FAR, THE LOCAL DEALER RIVERSTATES FREIGHTLINER IN WISCONSIN SEEMS TO BE TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10441309
Incident
Dec 22, 2011
Mileage
324,000 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 5, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FREIGHTLINER CASCADIA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. IN FEBRUARY OF 2010, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V357000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION) HOWEVER, THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED DUE TO THE REMEDY REPAIR FAILING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,272. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A BINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEN MAKE A LEFT TURN. UPDATED 03/13/12

NHTSA ID
10428750
Incident
Feb 12, 2010
Mileage
130,272 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 16, 2011

RACK AND PINION STEERING LOCKING ON TRUCKS WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD,I HAVE 4 TRUCKS ALL WITH RACK AND PINION STEERING, THEY ARE LOCKING UP SO DRIVERS CAN NOT TURN OR STEER THEM.*TR

NHTSA ID
10383015
Incident
Feb 2, 2011
Mileage
300,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Sep 7, 2009

ADDENDUM ODI 10281432: I MADE A COMPLAINT ABOUT DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINIONS ON FREIGHTLINER 2009 "CASCADIA" MODELS ON AUG. 23, 2009. ON AUG. 24, 2009 ONE WAS OVERNIGHTED AT THE BEHEST OF FREIGHTLINER TO MY LEASED TO COMPANY C. R. ENGLAND, INC. WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED ALL AVAILABLE RACK AND PINIONS OFF THE MARKET TO "QUIETLY/ SECRETLY" REPAIR IT'S FLEET. ON AUG. 31, 2009 NHTSA BEGAN AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION AND C.R. ENGLAND, INC, WITH FREIGHTLINER'S HELP ISSUED IT'S OWN RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINIONS THAT SAME DATE. ON SEP. 2, 2009 I WAS Q-COMMED BY MY DM FOR CRE TO CALL HIM ASAP. I DID SO AND HE INFORMED ME THAT MY NEW RACK AND PINION WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED AND TO HAVE IT DONE IN BURNS HARBOR, IN SOME 998 MILES AWAY! I WAS JUST A MILE AWAY FROM FREIGHTLINER DEALERSHIP IN CHEYENNE, WY AND HAD THE REPAIRS DONE THEIR AND I HAVE FAXED THAT PROOF TO NHTSA. ON SEP 4, 2009 CRE RETALIATED AGAINST ME BY ASSIGNING A LOAD OF SOME 850 MILES THAT DELIVERED ON SEP. 9, 2009. I WAS ALREADY DOWN SOME THREE WEEKS WAITING FOR A RACK AND PINION, WITH FIXED COSTS OF LEASE AT $762.50 PER WEEK, AND A SHORT WEEK FROM THE FRIDAY BEFORE AND NOW ANOTHER SHORT WEEK FROM POCATELLO, ID TO BURNS, HARBOR, IN AND THIS "RETALIATION" LOAD THAT WOULD NOT BE ADDED TO THE NEXT WEEKS PAY EITHER - WEEK ENDS AT MIDNIGHT ON TUESDAY!!!! IN OTHER WORDS MY FAMILY WOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED TO EAT AGAIN WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED CONTRACT TO BE FORCED INTO EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 BY CRE ON ALL OF ITS IC'S! THUS IN "LIGHT" OF THIS PLANNED RETALIATION BY CRE AGAINST ME AND MY FAMILY I WILL TERMINATE MY CONTRACT WITH CRE ON SEP. 8, 2009 BY TURNING IN THIS 2009 FREIGHTLIINER CASCADIA WITH A STILL DEFECTIVE NEW AND "REPAIRED" RACK AND PINION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10283052
Incident
Sep 2, 2009
Steering
Filed Aug 22, 2009

I AM AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR FOR CR ENGLAND, INC. (TRUCKING) I LEASED A 2009 FREIGHTLINER, WHICH HAS A DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINION STEERING AS HAVE DOZENS/ HUNDREDS OF OTHERS OF THE SAME MODEL THIS YEAR! WHY HASN'T THIS MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT BEEN FORMALLY RECALLED? IS IT BECAUSE ALL OF THE DRIVERS HAVE REPORTED THE INTENSE LOSS OF FRONT TIRE RUBBER AND THE DEFECTS THUS FAR HAVE BEEN FORTUNATELY REPORTED AND REPAIRED WITHOUT A MASSIVE ROAD ACCIDENT THAT MIGHT CLAIM HUNDREDS/ THOUSANDS OF LIVES IF CARRYING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS? LOSS OF STEERING WOULD BE ABOUT THE WORST THING THAT A FULLY LOADED TRACTOR COULD HAVE GO WRONG OTHER THAN BRAKES FAILING IN A SUBURB SETTING. IN ADDITION, NO RACK AND PINIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO REPLACE MINE ANYWHERE, ACCORDING TO MY DEALERSHIP LOCATED ON DANIEL PAYNE DRIVE IN B'HAM, AL., BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS ONES ALREADY REPLACED HAS COMPLETELY DEPLETED THE AVAILABLE STOCK! MAYBE ONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES WILL NOT BE KILLED BY THIS HEINOUS DEFECT. *TR THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 03V357000. UPDATED 04/07/10.*JB

NHTSA ID
10281432
Incident
Aug 16, 2009
Mileage
52,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .