FREIGHTLINER CENTURY · model year

2004 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY

2 NHTSA complaints, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004FREIGHTLINERCENTURY carries 2 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 2004 CENTURY is unknown or other with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (1). 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. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 2004 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

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

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM1

Recalls (3)

04V59000015/12/2004

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE INTERAXLE DRIVELINE YOKES. THE BOLT HOLES LOCATED ON THE EARWORK OF THE MALE SHAFT YOKES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH AN OVERSIZED MINOR THREAD DIAMETER.

05V40800013/09/2005

STEERING:LINKAGES

ON CERTAIN TRUCK AND MOTOR HOME CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH I-SHAFTS SUPPLIED BY ZF HEAVY DUTY STEERING, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A FAILURE OF THE FORK/SHAFT CONNECTION.

04V20500004/05/2004

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THE TAPERED JOINT THAT ATTACHES THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION MAY BECOME LOOSE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO GEAR.

Recent Complaints

20060917ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

FUMES COMING INTO CAB, MAKING ME SICK, HEADACHE, BURNING EYES, DISORIENTED. TIRED, FATIGUE, LAST EIGHT DAYS THIS STARTED. *JB

Mileage: 300,572

20051223UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY NAME IS [XXX]AND I AM A DRIVER FOR ARNOLD TRANSPORTATION. ON 12/21/2005, AT APPROX. 1500 HRS, I ATTEMPTED TO QUIT ARNOLDS TRUCKING BECAUSE THE COMPANY CONSTANTLY PUT ME IN POSITIONS WHEREAS I HAVE TO RUN ILLEGALLY TO MAKE SOME OF MY DELIVERIES ON TIME. WHEN I COMPLIANT ABOUT IT, I AM HARASSED, REQUIRED TO HAVE MY LOG BOOK INSPECTED AND BEEPED DURING MY 10 HOUR BREAK. I WAS ALSO TOLD TO LOG LOADING TIME AS OFF DUTY SO THAT IT DOESN'T AFFECT MY 7 DAY HOS. WHEN I REFUSED TO RUN OUTSIDE OF DOT REGULATIONS AND TRIED TO QUIT, I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TWO OPTIONS AND THOSE OPTIONS WERE "WORK OR BE TERMINATED", I WAS NEVER TOLD WHAT I WOULD BE TERMINATED FOR, NOR DID I ASK. WHEN I TRIED TO QUIT, I WAS IN CAMP HILL, PA, 700 MILES FROM HOME. THEY OFFER ME A BUS TICKET AND I TOLD THEM I HAD TO MUCH EQUIPMENT IN THE TRUCK AND IT COULD NOT BE SECURED ON A BUS. I ASK THAT I BE ROUTED HOME AND I WAS WILLING TO PICK UP A LOAD THAT WAS GOING TO ATLANTA. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT I AM BEING

Compare 2004FREIGHTLINERCENTURY to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY have?
The 2004 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY?
Yes, the 2004 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY?
The most-complained component for the 2004 FREIGHTLINER CENTURY is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM.
Is the 2004 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.