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Freightliner · vehicle model

Freightliner Cascadia

396 NHTSA complaints and 356 safety recalls across model years 2005–2026.

Complaints
396
Recalls
356
Model years
22

The verdict

The Freightliner Cascadia pairs above-average complaint volume with 356 recalls (heavily recalled).

17th pctile
complaint volume, US models
356
recall campaigns
Follow this model's NHTSA record changes

Freightliner Cascadia vs. all tracked models

Total NHTSA ODI complaints across models with substantive safety data

396 Higher than most more complaints than 83% of 3,088 models

tracked vehicle models, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more models. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · August 2026

The FreightlinerCascadia appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 396 consumer safety complaints and 356 recall campaigns across 22 model years (2005–2026). That averages roughly 18 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 38 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
20262
20251
202427
202316
202221
202124
202047
201953
201819
201711
201622
201522
201420
20137
201227
201122
201018
200924
20089
20071
20062
20051

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 130 in 2017-2021 to 173 in 2022-2026, a rise of 33.1%. That is the 72th percentile of change across the 763 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

6
’09
3
’10
12
’11
6
’12
5
’13
9
’14
29
’15
23
’16
18
’17
27
’18
36
’19
27
’20
22
’21
38
’22
55
’23
55
’24
20
’25
5
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare FreightlinerCascadia to Similar Vehicles

FreightlinerCascadia vs BMW325xi → FreightlinerCascadia vs NissanVersa Note → FreightlinerCascadia vs CadillacXT5 → FreightlinerCascadia vs KIAOptima Hybrid →

NHTSA Investigations

PE24032Preliminary EvaluationClosed2024-11-05

EVDM connector plate separation

PE21006Preliminary EvaluationClosed2021-02-25

Halogen Headlights May Cause Fires

PE21002Preliminary EvaluationClosed2021-01-15

Trolley bus circuit breaker fires

PE20014Preliminary EvaluationClosed2020-09-21

Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Failure

PE20006Preliminary EvaluationClosed2020-05-01

Intermittent Loss of Power Steering Assist

PE18004Preliminary EvaluationClosed2018-04-23

PNDB Electrical Power Distribution

RQ17008Recall QueryClosed2017-09-18

RQ17 - 008 Closing

EA17001Engineering AnalysisClosed2017-04-03

Windshield Wiper Motor Failure

PE16005Preliminary EvaluationClosed2016-04-13

Wiper Motor Failure

PE14020Preliminary EvaluationClosed2014-07-07

CNG Fuel System Integrity

View all 38 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the Freightliner Cascadia?▼
The Freightliner Cascadia has received 396 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 2005 to 2026, with 356 recalls. That averages about 18 complaints per model year.
What years of Freightliner Cascadia are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the Freightliner Cascadia from 2005 to 2026 (22 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the Freightliner Cascadia have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many Freightliner Cascadia model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common Freightliner Cascadia complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the Freightliner Cascadia are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my Freightliner Cascadia has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

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. Freightliner Cascadia totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; 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.