1997 Freightliner Conventional 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 1997 Freightliner Conventional, 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
- Tires & wheels327.3%
- Driver assistance19.1%
- Electrical19.1%
- Engine19.1%
- Fuel system19.1%
- Other / unspecified19.1%
- Steering19.1%
- Brakes19.1%
- Transmission19.1%
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
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
1997 CONVENTIONAL FRONT STEER TIRE BLEW OUT. *TS THE DRIVER WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, STRUCK A DITCH CONTINUED ON THROUGH THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FENCE ACROSS A FIELD AND STRUCK ANOTHER FENCE AND SEVERAL TREES. *JB
VEHICLE STRUCK A MUD FLAP THAT SEPARATED FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO TRAILER TIRE.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE TIRE AND MUD FLAP BRACKET HIT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE ON A TRAILER DRIVEN BY ANOTHER GENTLEMAN TRAVELING IN THE CENTER LANE. *PH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE OVER 209 DAYS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF FREIGHTLINER HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE RUNNING BOARD, FRONT AXLE, AND FENDER. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WHEEL FASTENERS ON THE #2 AXLE WAS MISSING. THE HORN WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE DRUM HAD SEVERAL EXTERNAL CRACKS (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE OVER 209 DAYS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF FREIGHTLINER HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE OVER 209 DAYS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF FREIGHTLINER HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE RUNNING BOARD, FRONT AXLE, AND FENDER. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WHEEL FASTENERS ON THE #2 AXLE WAS MISSING. THE HORN WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE DRUM HAD SEVERAL EXTERNAL CRACKS (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *NM
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
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER FELT A BAD SHIMMY COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WAS HIT IN THE HEAD WHEN A PORTABLE TV FELL ON HIM, WHEN VEHICLE WENT OFF HIGHWAY, IT STRUCK A GUARDRAIL, FENCE, UTILITY POLE, AND SEVERAL TREES, THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD WORN ON THE INSIDE OF THE TREAD, CAUSING A SHIMMY, AFTER THE INCIDENT, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD APPROXIMATELY A 6 INCH WIDE TEAR IN THE SIDEWALL AND WAS BROKEN LOOSE FROM BEADS OF THE RIM, POSSIBLE TIRE FAILURE, BRIDGESTONE P285/74R24.5, MODEL R299, LF93PSI, POSSIBLE STEERING PROBLEM. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE RUNNING BOARD, FRONT AXLE, AND FENDER. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WHEEL FASTENERS ON THE #2 AXLE WAS MISSING. THE HORN WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE DRUM HAD SEVERAL EXTERNAL CRACKS (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE OVER 209 DAYS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF FREIGHTLINER HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
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 .