Total Complaints
3 filings
FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS · model year
1997 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997FREIGHTLINERBUSINESS CLASS carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 BUSINESS CLASS is service brakes, hydraulic with 1 filings, followed by parking brake (1) and structure (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 1997 BUSINESS CLASS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060815STRUCTURE
REAR PASSENGER DOORS OF FREIGHTLINER "BUSINESS CLASS" TRUCK COME UNLATCHED AND OPEN UP DURING OPERATION DOWN THE ROAD. THERE ARE ALSO INCIDENTS OF THE TRUCKS PARKING AT CERTAIN ANGLES WHERE THE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN UP AT ALKL. THIS HAPPENS ON BOTH FL80 CHASSIED FIRE TRUCKS. CRACKS IN THE ROOF STRUCTURE HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY FREIGHTLINER AS A POSSIBLE ISSUE. WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THIS IS A FREIGHTLINER OR E1 PROBLEM. THE ISSUES HAVE BEEN GOING ON SINCE BOTH TRUCKS WAS 5 YEARS OLD. SEVERAL DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN PURCHASED OVER THE YEARS IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, WITH NO SUCCESS. *NM
Mileage: 14,000
20030315SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
LOSS OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE PADS, LOCKED UP CALIPERS, ACTUAL LOSS OF WHEEL CALIPERS WHEN BACKING UP, INCONSISTANT BRAKE WEAR, EQUALIZER WARNING SWITCH N/A FOR MASTER CYLINDER, DATE LISTED IS FIRST OCCURANCE, ALMOST WENT OVER STEEP 40 FOOT DROPOFF DUE TO SWITCH N/A IN MOUNTAINS ON SLICK ROAD. *NLM
Mileage: 65,000
20030315PARKING BRAKE
LOSS OF HYDRAULIC BRAKE PADS, LOCKED UP CALIPERS, ACTUAL LOSS OF WHEEL CALIPERS WHEN BACKING UP, INCONSISTANT BRAKE WEAR, EQUALIZER WARNING SWITCH N/A FOR MASTER CYLINDER, DATE LISTED IS FIRST OCCURANCE, ALMOST WENT OVER STEEP 40 FOOT DROPOFF DUE TO SWITCH N/A IN MOUNTAINS ON SLICK ROAD. *NLM
Mileage: 65,000
Compare 1997FREIGHTLINERBUSINESS CLASS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE24032Preliminary EvaluationClosed
EVDM connector plate separation
PE21006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Halogen Headlights May Cause Fires
PE21002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Trolley bus circuit breaker fires
PE20014Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Failure
PE20006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Intermittent Loss of Power Steering Assist
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS have?▼
The 1997 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE and STRUCTURE.
Is the 1997 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.