Total Complaints
21 filings
FREIGHTLINER CENTURY · model year
1998 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY
21 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998FREIGHTLINERCENTURY carries 21 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 CENTURY is visibility:windshield wiper/washer with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (3) and fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 1998 CENTURY. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
21
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 |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050217SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS JAMMED. THE CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURE AND THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE FOR THIS BELT JAMMING. *NM
Mileage: 54,950
20031120ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
1998 CENTURY CLASS MODEL TRAILER EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS.*MR THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE U-JOINTS HAD GONE BAD, THE FLEX LINE HAD ROTTED AWAY WHICH CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSED A LEAK. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING LEAK, ALSO THE AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSIGNED ANOTHER TRACTOR, HOWEVER IT WAS A 2001 MODEL AND HE SOON DISCOVERED THE FAN BLADES WERE COMPLETELY BLACK AND HE HAD TO TAPE A FILTER OVER THE AIR INTAKE. *JB *NLM
20031120STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
1998 CENTURY CLASS MODEL TRAILER EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS.*MR THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE U-JOINTS HAD GONE BAD, THE FLEX LINE HAD ROTTED AWAY WHICH CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSED A LEAK. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING LEAK, ALSO THE AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSIGNED ANOTHER TRACTOR, HOWEVER IT WAS A 2001 MODEL AND HE SOON DISCOVERED THE FAN BLADES WERE COMPLETELY BLACK AND HE HAD TO TAPE A FILTER OVER THE AIR INTAKE. *JB *NLM
20031120SUSPENSION
1998 CENTURY CLASS MODEL TRAILER EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS.*MR THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE U-JOINTS HAD GONE BAD, THE FLEX LINE HAD ROTTED AWAY WHICH CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSED A LEAK. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING LEAK, ALSO THE AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSIGNED ANOTHER TRACTOR, HOWEVER IT WAS A 2001 MODEL AND HE SOON DISCOVERED THE FAN BLADES WERE COMPLETELY BLACK AND HE HAD TO TAPE A FILTER OVER THE AIR INTAKE. *JB *NLM
20031120UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1998 CENTURY CLASS MODEL TRAILER EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS.*MR THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ONE OF THE U-JOINTS HAD GONE BAD, THE FLEX LINE HAD ROTTED AWAY WHICH CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSED A LEAK. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING LEAK, ALSO THE AIR FILTER WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSIGNED ANOTHER TRACTOR, HOWEVER IT WAS A 2001 MODEL AND HE SOON DISCOVERED THE FAN BLADES WERE COMPLETELY BLACK AND HE HAD TO TAPE A FILTER OVER THE AIR INTAKE. *JB *NLM
20011212STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES FIRMLY AND AXLE FELL OFF. VEHICLE IS A CENTURY CLASSIC, 2000. COSUMER MAY NOT BE AWARE OF NHTSA RECALL 99V35 9000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL F L-251 CONCERNING TIE ROD END. WILL TRY AND CONTACT CONSUMER TO INFORM SYSTEM WAS DOWN. *AK
20011212POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES FIRMLY AND AXLE FELL OFF. VEHICLE IS A CENTURY CLASSIC, 2000. COSUMER MAY NOT BE AWARE OF NHTSA RECALL 99V35 9000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL F L-251 CONCERNING TIE ROD END. WILL TRY AND CONTACT CONSUMER TO INFORM SYSTEM WAS DOWN. *AK
20001120POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER FELT A VIBRATION IN THE DRIVETRAIN, THE DRIVESHAFT AND CONNECTING COMPONENTS CAME FLYING OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE YOKE ON THE BACK OF THE FRONT DRIVE AXLE WAS CRACKED AND CAME APART CAUSING ALL THE PARTS TO COME OFF, THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT IF THERE WERE GREASE FITTINGS ON THESE PARTS THE CRACKING WOULD HAVE BEEN SPOTTED WHEN DOING A GREASE JOB.
19991029VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
DRIVER SIDE WIPER ARM FELL OFF. YH
19991029ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS FUEL. YH
19991029VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
DRIVER SIDE WIPER ARM FELL OFF. YH
19991029FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS FUEL. YH
19991029VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
DRIVER SIDE WIPER ARM FELL OFF. YH
19991029FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS FUEL. YH
19991026ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
EXHAUST SYSTEM FLEX PIPE WITHIN THE TURBO CRACKED, ALLOWING EXHAUST LEAKS INTO THE CLEAN AIR AND FIREWALL, WHICH THEN WENT INTO THE AIR CONDITIONER AND INTO THE CAB OFTHE TRUCK. *AK
19990125VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS KEEP BLOWING OFF THE TRUCK . THE DEALER RESPONSE WAS "THATS A PISS POOR WAY TO MAKE A WIPER" . THIS AS YOU KNOW DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEMS I HAVE 25 TRUCKS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS . MY CONCERN IS THAT WHEN IT BLOWS OFF IT WILL HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT . YOUR HELP WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED. *AK
19981014STRUCTURE
AIR LEAK AROUND FIFTH WHEEL.
19981014SEATS
AIR LEAK IN DRIVER'S SEAT.
19981014LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DOORS POP OPEN ANY TIME, AT ONE TIME DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE.
19981014FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTOR FAILED.
Compare 1998FREIGHTLINERCENTURY 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 1998 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY have?▼
The 1998 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY has 21 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM.
Is the 1998 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.