Total Complaints
13 filings
FREIGHTLINER FLC120 · model year
1997 FREIGHTLINER FLC120
13 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997FREIGHTLINERFLC120 carries 13 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 1997 FLC120 is engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1) and electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator (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 1997 FLC120. 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.
13
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:HANGER/BRACKET | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:U-BOLT, LEAF SPRING TO AXLE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM:SPRINGS/BAGS | 1 |
| TRAILER HITCHES:FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030215ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215AIR BAGS
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215STRUCTURE:BODY
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:HANGER/BRACKET
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:U-BOLT, LEAF SPRING TO AXLE
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM:SPRINGS/BAGS
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215TRAILER HITCHES:FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
20030215VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
MULTPULE REPAIRS AND SAFETY FACTORS, TOO MANY TO JUST START RAMBLING OFF. TIRES, FRAME, A/C, ALTERATORS, VIBRATION, WHICH INTURN CAUSES EXHAUST LEAKS. THE LIST GOES FROM STRUCTURE TO ELECTRICAL.
Mileage: 430,922
Compare 1997FREIGHTLINERFLC120 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 1997 FREIGHTLINER FLC120 have?▼
The 1997 FREIGHTLINER FLC120 has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FREIGHTLINER FLC120?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 FREIGHTLINER FLC120 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR.
Is the 1997 FREIGHTLINER FLC120 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.