2006 Freightliner Century Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2006 Freightliner Century, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine450.0%
- Steering225.0%
- Airbags112.5%
- Suspension112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED FOR AN UNRELATED FAILURE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN TWO RECALLS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 07V473000: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: RADIATOR ASSEMBLY AND 09V357000: STEERING: RACK AND PINION). THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PARTS NEEDED TO MAKE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN ANY INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER AS TO WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME READILY AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 145,000.
BEEN IN THIS FREIGHTLINER,CENTURY, WITH DETROIT POWER, HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING HEADACHES(SEVERE) SINUS ISSUES,CAN SMELL EXHAUST IN TRUCK,TIRED ALL THE TIME,EYES BOTHERING ME, DRY THROAT,BEEN THIS TRUCK FOR 3 MONTHS NOW. SUSPECT FUMES COMING FROM AIR VENTS, CANT SHUT IT OFF. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED TRUCK 11/2010 TRUCK DROVE FINE FOR THE FIRST YR. PULLING VERY LIGHT FREIGHT ALWAYS THE TRUCK BECAME VERY HARD TO CONTROL. TRUCK DANCES, HOPS, BOUNCE ETC. I HAVE HAD SUSPENSION WORK DONE AND THE PROB HAS NOT IMPROVED. I DON'T GET IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR NO PHYSICAL SIGNS THAT CAN BE SEEN, JUST POOR PERFORMANCE. I WOULD NOT BUY ANOTHER ONE. THE ENGINE/ TRANS, NO COMPLAINTS, ONLY THE DRIVABILITY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED FOR AN UNRELATED FAILURE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN TWO RECALLS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 07V473000: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: RADIATOR ASSEMBLY AND 09V357000: STEERING: RACK AND PINION). THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE PARTS NEEDED TO MAKE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN ANY INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER AS TO WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME READILY AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 145,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FREIGHTLINER. IN SEPTEMBER 2006 THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE WAS A COMPUTER GLITCH, AND REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER. THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN IN DECEMBER 2006. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE TENSIONER AND THE AIR BAGS. IN FEBRUARY 2007 THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CLOCK SPRING/STEERING SENSOR WAS REPLACED. IN MARCH 2007 THE FAILURE RECURRED, AND THE DEALER PERFORMED A SERVICE INVOLVING THE AIR BAG MODULE/OCCUPANT RESTRAINT. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AT 33,500 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER, WHO REPAIRED THE CLOCK SPRING/STEERING SENSOR AGAIN. ON APRIL 23, 2007 THE FAILURE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT DUE TO THE ONGOING FAILURES CHRYSLER AGREED TO PAY FOR THE PARTS, AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC. HE WAS ISSUED REFERENCE # 16231713 BY CHRYSLER, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE THE AIR BAGS MAY MALFUNCTION IN A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER SENT HIM TO GOSSET MOTORS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT A SHORTAGE SQUIB OCCURRED IN BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT AIR BAGS, BUT FOUND NOTHING THAT COULD BE REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THEY RESET THE SRS LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 36,809, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STILL IS YET TO BE REPAIRED AND HE WANTS TO BE COMPENSATED FOR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES AND REPAIRS FOR VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED ALL INVOICE REPAIRS FOR VEHICLE PERTAINING TO DEFECT AND REGISTRATION, BILL OF SALE. 06/22/07 *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED TRUCK 11/2010 TRUCK DROVE FINE FOR THE FIRST YR. PULLING VERY LIGHT FREIGHT ALWAYS THE TRUCK BECAME VERY HARD TO CONTROL. TRUCK DANCES, HOPS, BOUNCE ETC. I HAVE HAD SUSPENSION WORK DONE AND THE PROB HAS NOT IMPROVED. I DON'T GET IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR NO PHYSICAL SIGNS THAT CAN BE SEEN, JUST POOR PERFORMANCE. I WOULD NOT BUY ANOTHER ONE. THE ENGINE/ TRANS, NO COMPLAINTS, ONLY THE DRIVABILITY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .