Total Complaints
8 filings
FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL · model year
1996 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 4 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 1996 CONVENTIONAL is electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash with 2 filings, followed by tires (2) and electrical system:wiring:front underhood (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.
NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 1996 CONVENTIONAL. 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061211POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
1996 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONALLY DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTIONED AND BROKE OFF. *TS THE DRIVETRAIN LANDED IN THE ROAD WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. POSSIBLE UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. THE DRIVESHAFT HAD BEEN CHANGED ABOUT A MONTH PRIOR TO ITS FAILURE. *NM
20051115TIRES
DT: CONTACT STATES THE BRAKE PADS ON A TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK HIS FORMER BOSS OWNS ARE RUBBED DOWN INTO THE RIVETS OF THE HUB. THE TIRES DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH RUBBER ON THEM AND THE MOTOR IS LEAKING OIL. THERE ARE ALSO NO BC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ON THE TRUCK. *NM
20051115ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT: CONTACT STATES THE BRAKE PADS ON A TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK HIS FORMER BOSS OWNS ARE RUBBED DOWN INTO THE RIVETS OF THE HUB. THE TIRES DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH RUBBER ON THEM AND THE MOTOR IS LEAKING OIL. THERE ARE ALSO NO BC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ON THE TRUCK. *NM
20051115SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:PADS
DT: CONTACT STATES THE BRAKE PADS ON A TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK HIS FORMER BOSS OWNS ARE RUBBED DOWN INTO THE RIVETS OF THE HUB. THE TIRES DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH RUBBER ON THEM AND THE MOTOR IS LEAKING OIL. THERE ARE ALSO NO BC FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ON THE TRUCK. *NM
20020529FireTIRES
WHILE TRAVELING, THE CONSUMER OBSERVED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER STOPPED AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER SAW FIRE ON THE AREA OF THE WHEELS. CONSUMER STATED THAT UPON PUTTING OUT THE INTIAL FIRE, HEARD AN EXPLOSION THAT SOUNDED LIKE A TIRE BURST. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT (10-89-92) *YH *YH
20020514FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED A FIRE NEAR THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE FIRE CHIEF STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM UNDER THE DASHBOARD, CONSUMER STATED HE HAD EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE BEFORE, OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *SLC
20020426FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED A FIRE NEAR THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE FIRE CHIEF STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM UNDER THE DASHBOARD, CONSUMER STATED HE HAD EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE BEFORE, OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *SLC
19981014FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WIRING FAILURE RESULTING IN ENGINE FIRE.(OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).
Compare 1996FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL 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 1996 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL have?▼
The 1996 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD.
Is the 1996 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL 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.