FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA · model year

2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA

4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001FREIGHTLINERCOLUMBIA carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 2001 COLUMBIA is service brakes, air:antilock with 1 filings, followed by suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly:hanger/bracket (1) and steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion) (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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2001 COLUMBIA. 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.

4
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

4 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK1
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:HANGER/BRACKET1
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)1
TRAILER HITCHES1

Recalls (1)

03V11200021/03/2003

SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRUCK HUB UNITS MANUFACTURED BY SKF EXCLUSIVELY FOR USE ON ARVINMERITOR'S FF98X SERIES NON-DRIVE STEER AXLES, THE HUB UNIT BEARINGS CAN WEAR PREMATURELY.

Recent Complaints

20110307CrashTRAILER HITCHES

2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA CLASS, UNIT 1 TRAILER BECAME DISCONNECTED. UNIT 1 TRAILER STRUCK THE POWER UNIT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP. UNIT 1 POWER UNIT AND TRAILER CAME TO REST IN THE RIGHT LANE. *BF UPDATED 03/21/11 *BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0047-90) *JB

20020617CrashSTEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 5 SIMILAR STEERING GEAR BOX FAILURES ON OUR 2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA TRUCKS. IN EACH FAILURE THE TRUCK WOULD NOT TURN. NO ACCIDENTS OCCURRED IN FAILURES #2 - #5.ON 12/20/01 OUR 2ND FAILURE, [XXX] AT 170780 MILES, UNIT 3657.ON 04/01/02 OUR 3RD FAILURE, [XXX] AT 238661 MILES, UNIT 3725. ON 6-11-02 OUR 4TH & 5TH FAILURES, [XXX] AT 195001 MILES, UNIT 3747 AND #5 WAS [XXX] AT 305185 MILES UNIT 3634.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

20001128SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK

DEFECTIVE BRAKE (AXLE FIVE LEFT SIDE, PUSH ROD TRAVEL IS 1/4 INCH), BRAKE SHOES FAILE TO MOVE. NLM

20001128SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:HANGER/BRACKET

FRONT SPRING HANGER LOOSE ON FRAME AXLE #1, CAUSING AXLE TO SHIFT. NLM

Compare 2001FREIGHTLINERCOLUMBIA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA have?
The 2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA has 4 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA?
Yes, the 2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA?
The most-complained component for the 2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:HANGER/BRACKET and STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION).
Is the 2001 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA 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.