2007 Freightliner Columbia Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA. UPON ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STARTER AND POWER STEERING PUMP IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 413,238.

A DRIVER FOR OUR COMPANY WAS OPERATING A 2007 FREIGHTLINER CL 112 TRACTOR WITH 50,000 MILES EQUIPPED WITH A MERCEDES BENZ (MBE4000) WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE. UNIT WAS BEING DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS WHEN SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING IN THE CAB. DRIVER PULLED THE TRUCK TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DRIVER TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTAIN IT. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED AND DID PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE TRACTOR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. AT THIS TIME NO CAUSE FOR THE FIRE HAS BEEN DETERMINED. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA 120 TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WATER FROM THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD OBSTRUCT HIS VIEW WHENEVER IT WAS RAINING AND WATER WAS ON THE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1,000,000. UPDATED 06/15/10 *BF UPDATED 07/14/10.*JB

WIPERS ON LOWEST INTERMITTENT POSITION DURING A LIGHT MIST, AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES IN THIS POSITION, WIPERS STOPPED SUDDENLY AND REMAINED IN THEIR "TRANSIT" POSITION. VISIBILITY IMMEDIATELY WENT TO ZERO (I WAS IN OUTSIDE LANE AND PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER.) I REPLACED THE FUSE/CIRCUIT WITH A STANDARD FUSE OF EQUAL RATING AND IT IMMEDIATELY BLEW. AFTER ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES, I RE-INSTALLED THE ORIGINAL FUSE/CIRCUIT AND THE WIPERS BEGAN WORKING. I CONTINUED WITH THE WIPERS IN THE STANDARD RUN POSITION WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER DURING A SNOW STORM IN COLORADO I HAD THE WIPER IN THE LOW INTERMITTENT POSITION AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS RESULTED IN HAVING STOP THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY UNTIL THE WIPERS RESUMED OPERATING. THIS TIME IT TOOK ONLY A FEW MINUTES. *TR

THE VIN LAST 6: [XXX] ; ZF MERIT OR,12 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THE CENTER CARRIER BEARING WHICH SUPPORTS THE OUTPUT SHAFT AFTER THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT LAST MORE THAN 3 YEARS AND HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY. THE FIRST REPAIR INVOICE WAS ON 3/1/2012 AND THE MOST RECENT REPAIR WAS ON 4/28/2014. THE RUBBER COMPOUND USED IN THE CENTER CARRIER BEARING NEEDS TO BE REEVALUATED. ONCE THE CENTER CARRIER BEARING HAS PLAY IN THE Z DIRECTION, THERE WOULD BE EXCESSIVE VIBRATION THAT CAN FATIGUE OTHER COMPONENTS AND CAUSE FAILURE BY INITIATING A FATIGUE CRACK AND PROPAGATING DUE TO CYCLIC STRESSES. MERITOR SHOULD REEVALUATE THE RELIABILITY OF THEIR CENTER CARRIER ASSEMBLY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *JS

ROOF LEAK THAT HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE TAKING DELIVERY OF TRUCK BRAND NEW IN JUNE OF 2007. WHEN TRUCK IS SUBJECTED TO HEAVY RAIN, AND SOMETIMES JUST A TRUCK WASH, WATER COMES IN ROOF AT SOME POINT AND SHORTS OUT THE ELECTRONIC MODULES LOCATED IN SIDE PILLAR NEXT TO DRIVERS SEAT. HAVE ALSO HAD EPISODES WHERE THE DASH INSTRUMENTS WILL SURGE POWER ON AND OFF WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION, OR IF TRUCK IS RUNNING IT CANNOT BE SHUT OFF WITH KEY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. HAVE PUT TRUCK IN DEALER SHOP ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. EACH TIME THEY HAVE REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC MODULES THAT HAVE SHORTED OUT, AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A LEAK SOMEWHERE. HOWEVER, DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO ISOLATE THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT. NOT EVEN SURE OF WHERE ELSE THE WATER IS GOING INSIDE TRUCK. ONLY KNOW ABOUT IT INSIDE PILLAR BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRONIC MODULES IT DAMAGES. TRUCK HAS SINCE STARTED TO ACQUIRE A MUSTY DAMP ODOR AND HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE IT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS BECAUSE IT MAKES ME EXTREMELY SICK, AND AM CURRENTLY HAVING CONTINUOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS. I AM AT THE POINT WHERE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR WHERE I STAND ON THIS SITUATION BECAUSE AS FAR AS I KNOW I HAVE NO LEGAL PROTECTION SUCH AS A LEMON LAW ON A COMMERCIAL TRUCK, EVEN THOUGH DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIX IT. *TR

2007 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA DASH BOARD INSTRUMENT UNIT OWN TRUCK FOR 3 YEARS AND I AM ON MY 3RD ONE, AND LOW VOLTGE SHUT DOWN, SHUTS DOWN ALL NON PRIMARY ELECTRICAL STUFF, THEY FREIGHTLINER DISCONNECTED IT AND ITS NEVER BEEN FIX, CAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, I THINK THAT THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR TRUCK. *TR

I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR A SAFETY RELATED ISSUES WITH A 5TH WHEEL ON HEAVY TRUCKS. I HAVE MORE LOTS MORE INFORMATION THAT I CAN FORWARD TO YOU. OVER 300 VINS AND A LETTER FROM THE VENDOR OF THE EQUIPMENT. *TR

I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR A SAFETY RELATED ISSUES WITH A 5TH WHEEL ON HEAVY TRUCKS. I HAVE MORE LOTS MORE INFORMATION THAT I CAN FORWARD TO YOU. OVER 300 VINS AND A LETTER FROM THE VENDOR OF THE EQUIPMENT. *TR