1998 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 1998 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
- Brakes240.0%
- Tires & wheels240.0%
- Steering120.0%
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
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR LEAKS FROM BRAKE SYSTEM AIR HOSE CONNECTION.
MODEL 132, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL. PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL HARDER MAKES PEDAL GO WAY DOWN, AND NOT RETURN. THIS CAUSES ZERO BRAKING ABILITY. *AK STUCK OR PARTIALLY STUCK BRAKE PISTONS CAUSED BRAKE LININGS TO DRAG POSSIBLY RESULTING IN FIRE AND BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT DEALER SERVICING IS VERY EXPENSIVE. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
1998 CONVENTIONAL RIGHT FRONT TIRE DEFLATED. *TS THE TIRE BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL AND RIM. THE TIRE CAUSED DAMAGED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRUCK. *JB
1998 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. *TS THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE SEMI TRACTOR. *JB
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 THE SHAFT COMING FROM THE STEERING GEAR BOX TO THE PITMAN ARM WAS SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN COLLISION. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS
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 .