2004 Freightliner XC 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 2004 Freightliner XC, 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
- Body & structure133.3%
- Engine133.3%
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
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
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
1. RADIATOR TANK CRIMP FAILURE. EXCESSIVE CORROSION DUE TO UNDETERMINED ORIGIN CAUSED TANK CRIMPS TO RUST TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT CLEAN AND DRY. CRIMPS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. FAILURE CAUSES TOTAL LOSS OF COOLANT. 2. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. CORROSION ON "J" CONNECTORS BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE CAUSED SHORT AND FAILURE OF NON PROTECTED TCM. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. DISPLAY INDICATED "TCM FAILURE". CONNECTORS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. TCM IS NOT PROTECTED FROM SHORTS. 3. ENGINE BLOW- BYE. OIL BLOW-BYE IS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR THEREBY CAUSING THE RADIATOR FINS TO CLOG AND PREVENT ENGINE COOLING. FREIGHTLINER KIT TO FIX ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN PUBLICIZED, BUT WAS MADE STANDARD ON SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. ENGINE SIDE OF RADIATOR CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. *TR
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
1. RADIATOR TANK CRIMP FAILURE. EXCESSIVE CORROSION DUE TO UNDETERMINED ORIGIN CAUSED TANK CRIMPS TO RUST TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT CLEAN AND DRY. CRIMPS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. FAILURE CAUSES TOTAL LOSS OF COOLANT. 2. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. CORROSION ON "J" CONNECTORS BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE CAUSED SHORT AND FAILURE OF NON PROTECTED TCM. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. DISPLAY INDICATED "TCM FAILURE". CONNECTORS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. TCM IS NOT PROTECTED FROM SHORTS. 3. ENGINE BLOW- BYE. OIL BLOW-BYE IS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR THEREBY CAUSING THE RADIATOR FINS TO CLOG AND PREVENT ENGINE COOLING. FREIGHTLINER KIT TO FIX ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN PUBLICIZED, BUT WAS MADE STANDARD ON SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. ENGINE SIDE OF RADIATOR CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
1. RADIATOR TANK CRIMP FAILURE. EXCESSIVE CORROSION DUE TO UNDETERMINED ORIGIN CAUSED TANK CRIMPS TO RUST TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT CLEAN AND DRY. CRIMPS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. FAILURE CAUSES TOTAL LOSS OF COOLANT. 2. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. CORROSION ON "J" CONNECTORS BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE CAUSED SHORT AND FAILURE OF NON PROTECTED TCM. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. DISPLAY INDICATED "TCM FAILURE". CONNECTORS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. TCM IS NOT PROTECTED FROM SHORTS. 3. ENGINE BLOW- BYE. OIL BLOW-BYE IS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR THEREBY CAUSING THE RADIATOR FINS TO CLOG AND PREVENT ENGINE COOLING. FREIGHTLINER KIT TO FIX ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN PUBLICIZED, BUT WAS MADE STANDARD ON SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. ENGINE SIDE OF RADIATOR CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. *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 .