PlainCars

FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL · model year

2001 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL

9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 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 CONVENTIONAL is service brakes, air with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (1) and fuel system, diesel (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 2001 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.

9
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

9 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
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL1
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY1
TIRES1
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY1
ENGINE1

Recent Complaints

20130806EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

THIS TRUCK ATTEMPTED TO TRANSPORT A BOAT. IT ARRIVED AND WAS IN COMPLETE POOR CONDITION AND WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE SERVICE I PAID FOR. THE THEY REFUSED TO REFUND MY MONEY AND LEFT. THEIR EQUIPMENT NEED TO BE INSPECTED. THEY POSE A GRAVE DANGER TO VESSELS, MOTORIST AND PEOPLE AROUND. *TR

20130806ENGINE

THIS TRUCK ATTEMPTED TO TRANSPORT A BOAT. IT ARRIVED AND WAS IN COMPLETE POOR CONDITION AND WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE SERVICE I PAID FOR. THE THEY REFUSED TO REFUND MY MONEY AND LEFT. THEIR EQUIPMENT NEED TO BE INSPECTED. THEY POSE A GRAVE DANGER TO VESSELS, MOTORIST AND PEOPLE AROUND. *TR

20110629TIRES

2001 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL, UNIT 1 AND 2 WERE TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE. UNIT 2 WHILE TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE WAS STRUCK BY DEBRIS FROM A BLOWN TIRE FROM UNIT 1. UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING IN THE CENTER LANE. *BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0382-91)*JB

20040105FirePOWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

BRAKES ON THE LEFT REAR WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE'S TRAILER CAUGHT ON FIRE.*MR THE FIRE DEPT STATED THE REAR BRAKES BECAME HOT AND CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO LACK OF OIL THE TRAILER AXLE *CB *JB

20030604SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

AIR LEAK FROM BRAKE SYSTEM AIR HOSE CONNECTION AXLE.

Mileage: 302,847

20030519FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

FUEL LIFT PUMP LOSES PRESSURE OVER TIME CAUSING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT IN FUEL SYSTEM TO FAIL TO FUNCTION. DRIVER OF VEHICLE RECEIVES A WARNING LIGHT ON DASH,; THE ENGINE COMPUTER SOMETIMES DE-RATES THE ENGINE AND SOMETIMES SHUTS OFF THE ENGINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ONE PARTICULAR BUS THAT SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ON A ROUTE. BUS TAKEN TO AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. IF THE DEALERSHIP CAN RESET THE CODE AND IT DOESN'T FAULT, THE VEHICLE IS RETURNED TO US CLAIMING NO PROBLEMS EXIST. THE BUS THEN DIES OUT AGAIN. LIFT PUMP MALFUNCTION ALSO DAMAGES INJECTOR PUMP. SHORTLY AFTER HAVING THE LIFT PUMP REPLACED, THE BUS IS DOWN AGAIN FOR AN INJECTOR PUMP. AT LEAST 3 OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE ALSO REPORTED SIMILAR TYPE INCIDENTS. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 36 UNITS POWERED BY THE CUMMINS ISB225 ENGINE. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE OVER TIME AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT SELDOM DOES IT GET ADDRESSED WITH THE FIRST TRIP TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER. BUSES THAT DON'

20030220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2000/2001 FREIGHTLINER SCHOOL BUSES WITH THE CAT 3126 ENGINE THE INJECTION PUMP HIGH PRESSURE OIL FEED LINE MAY BURST CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE OR POSSIBLE FIRE FROM SPRAYING OIL ONTO ENGINE. WE HAVE HAD 16 OCCURANCES OF THIS FAILURE SO FAR. ONE BUS HAS HAD 2 FAILURES.

Mileage: 43,971

20010129FireSERVICE BRAKES, AIR

THE REAR BRAKES LOCATED ON THE TRAILER (NO MAKE/MODEL OF TRAILER PROVIDED) LOCKED UP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER SUFFERED INJURY. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS

20010123FireSERVICE BRAKES, AIR

THE REAR BRAKES LOCATED ON THE TRAILER (NO MAKE/MODEL OF TRAILER PROVIDED) LOCKED UP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER SUFFERED INJURY. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS

Compare 2001FREIGHTLINERCONVENTIONAL to Similar Vehicles

CONVENTIONAL vs FORDF-150 → CONVENTIONAL vs FORDEXPLORER → CONVENTIONAL vs JEEPGRAND CHEROKEE → CONVENTIONAL vs FORDESCAPE →

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

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL have?▼
The 2001 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 FREIGHTLINER CONVENTIONAL is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL.
Is the 2001 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

Understanding NHTSA Complaints → Vehicle Recalls Explained → Safest Car Brands 2026 → Most Reliable Used Cars → Lemon Law Guide →

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.