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FREIGHTLINER · vehicle model

FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL

117 NHTSA complaints and 1 safety recall across model years 1984–2018.

Complaints
117
Recalls
1
Model years
19

The FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 117 consumer safety complaints and 1 recall campaign across 19 model years (1984–2018). That averages roughly 6 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
20182
20082
20074
20022
20019
200014
199911
19985
199715
19968
19957
19941
199327
19922
19912
19903
19891
19861
19841

Complaint Filing Trend

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

2
’96
1
’97
24
’98
8
’99
6
’00
11
’01
10
’02
6
’03
7
’04
7
’05
8
’06
6
’07
2
’08
5
’10
6
’11
2
’13
3
’17
2
’21
1
’23

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL to Similar Vehicles

FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL vs CHEVROLETCHEVEROLET SS → FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL vs CHEVROLETC SERIES → FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL vs CHEVROLETCLASSIC → FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL vs MAZDAMX3 →

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 CONVENTIONAL?▼
The FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL has received 117 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1984 to 2018, with 1 recalls. That averages about 6 complaints per model year.
What years of FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL from 1984 to 2018 (19 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL 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 CONVENTIONAL complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL 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 CONVENTIONAL 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 CONVENTIONAL 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.