Total Complaints
5 filings
FREIGHTLINER CENTURY · model year
1997 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY
5 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 1997FREIGHTLINERCENTURY carries 5 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, 1 injury, 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 CENTURY is equipment with 2 filings, followed by tires:sidewall (1) and suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly (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 CENTURY. 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| EQUIPMENT | 2 |
| TIRES:SIDEWALL | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060922ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 64 MPH, THE EXHAUST FUME CAME INTO THE CAB THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM INTAKE. THERE WAS A SMELL OF FUME PRESENT WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED EITHER WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN IN AN IDLE POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CLUMPS AND MANIFOLD HOSE WERE DEFECTIVE. THE PARTS WERE REPLACED.
Mileage: 350,000
20020808SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING REAR LEFT LEAF SEPARATED FROM WHEEL FRAME, RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO TRUCK. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED; HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK
20020514EQUIPMENT
CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH THE AIR GUAGES BEING INACCURATE, THEY WILL NOT DROP TO ZERO WHEN AIR TANKS ARE DRAINED THEY STILL SHOW 15-20 LBS OF AIR PRESSURE THEY ARE OFF 10-20% WHEN AIR TANKS ARE FULL, CHP INSPECTIONS AT TERMINAL HAVE FOUND ALL AIR GUAGES INCLUDING THE GUAGE THAT WAS REPLACED TO BE INACCURATE.*JB
20011024EQUIPMENT
CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH THE AIR GUAGES BEING INACCURATE, THEY WILL NOT DROP TO ZERO WHEN AIR TANKS ARE DRAINED THEY STILL SHOW 15-20 LBS OF AIR PRESSURE THEY ARE OFF 10-20% WHEN AIR TANKS ARE FULL, CHP INSPECTIONS AT TERMINAL HAVE FOUND ALL AIR GUAGES INCLUDING THE GUAGE THAT WAS REPLACED TO BE INACCURATE.*JB
19981127TIRES:SIDEWALL
TIRE BLEW OUT ON SIDEWALL RESULTING IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER ACCIDENT.(BRIDGESTONE 295/75R/225).
Compare 1997FREIGHTLINERCENTURY 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 CENTURY have?▼
The 1997 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY is EQUIPMENT with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:SIDEWALL and SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1997 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY 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 CENTURY; 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.