RoadVitals

1998 Freightliner Fl-60

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
2
Latest Nov 21, 2000
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Apr 20, 1999
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
1 currently open
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
5 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Freightliner Fl-60, most frequently naming the body & structure and seat belts categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure150.0%
  • Seat belts150.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
99V085000

PARKING BRAKE:DRIVELINE

Apr 20, 1999
1,935 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A DRIVELINE PARKING BRAKE. THE FASTENERS THAT CONNECT THE END OF TRANSMISSION COMPANION FLANGE TO THE PARK DRUM AND DRIVELINE MAY LOOSEN.
The risk: IF THIS IS UNDETECTED, THE FASTENERS MAY FATIGUE AND EVENTUALLY SHEAR OFF ALLOWING THE DRIVELINE TO SEPARATE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FLANGE FASTENERS FOR PROPER TORQUE AND REPLACE ANY FASTENERS FOUND LOOSE. IF THE FASTENERS ARE FOUND TO BE PROPERLY TORQUED, THEY WILL BE REMOVED, PERMALOCK WILL BE ADDED, AND THEN RETORQUED TO PROPER SPECIFICATIONS.
FREIGHTLINER CORPORATIONManufacturer number FL-230View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

RQ99009OpenRecall Query

DRIVELINE FASTENER FAILURE

Opened Jun 1, 1999

ON APRIL 13, 1999, FREIGHTLINER FILED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT RECEIVED ON (APRIL 20, 1999) FOAPPROXIMATELY 1,200 FL-50, FL-60, AND FL-70 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH DRIVELINE PARKING BRAKES AND MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 1, 1997, THROUGH MAY 31, 1998.THE FASTENERS CONNECTING THE TRANSMISSION COMPANION FLANGE TO THE PARK BRAKE DRUM AND DRIVELINE CAN LOOSEN.CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE CAN RESULT IN FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE FASTENERS ALLOWING THE DRIVELINE TO SEPARATE.DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FASTENERS FOR PROPER TORQUE.IF THE FASTENERS ARE FOUND LOOSE THEY WILL BE REPLACED.IF THE FASTENERS ARE FOUND PROPERLY TORQUED, THE NUTS WILL BE REMOVED, PERMALOCK APPLIED AND THE NUTS RE-INSTALLED AND TORQUED TO SPECIFICATION.FREIGHTLINER'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL IS FL-230. FREIGHTLINER NOTES THAT ...THE BEGINNING AND ENDING DATES WERE DETERMINED BY THE INCIDENCE CLAIMS, HOWEVER, ONLY ONE REPORT WAS REFERENCED IN THE DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT. FREIGHTLINER INVESTIGATED THE DEFECT BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER 1998, WHEN FREIGHTLINER RECEIVED A REPORT OF COMPANION FLANGE FASTENERS LOOSENING AND IN SOME CASES SHEARING OFF.IN DECEMBER 1998, AN AUDIT OF THE ASSEMBLY PLANT FOUND THAT THE COMPANION FLANGE FASTENERS WERE IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED IN THAT THE FASTENERS WERE UNDER TORQUED AND NO PERMALOCK WAS APPLIED. ON MARCH 23, 1999, FREIGHTLINER DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RQ IS TO INVESTIGATE THE SCOPE, CHRONOLOGY, AND THE TIMELINESS OF FREIGHTLINER'S ACTIONS.

POWER TRAINLed to recall 99V085000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Seat belts
Filed Nov 21, 2000

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS USING VEHICLE AS AN AMBULANCE. DRIVER'S SIDE INBOUND SEAT BELT BUCKLE PLASTIC SLEEVE MECHANISM HAS COME OFF, CAUSING BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. MANUFACTURER HAS STATED THAT ENTIRE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY NEED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
875317
Incident
Nov 12, 2000
Body & structure
Filed May 3, 2000
Crash reported5 injuries reported

NOTICE NUMEROUR MISSING AND SPOTTY WELDS, CALCULATIONS OF WELD STENGTH, NONE OF THE VEHICLE WOULD WITHSTAND A SIDE OR REAR IMPACT FROM A MID SIZE VEHICLE TRAVELING AT MODERATE SPEEDS WITHOUT THE SEAMS OF THE BOX COMING APART, POOR DESIGN, LACK OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND NEGLIGENT QUALITY CONTROL

NHTSA ID
9000877
Incident
Aug 24, 1999

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Freightliner Fl-60 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2000500—
1999010—
1998Viewing211—
1997021—
1996230—
1995050—
1994140—
1993250—
1992060—
1991070—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.