Total Complaints
2 filings
FREIGHTLINER FLD120 · model year
1996 FREIGHTLINER FLD120
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996FREIGHTLINERFLD120 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 FLD120 is service brakes, air with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (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 FLD120. 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000623FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THIS IS A 1996 FREIGHTLINER IM AM BUYING OFF OF BUSKE LINES INC. I WAS IN A RESTURANT EATING IN A RESTURANT IN INDIANA. I WAS NOTIFIED THAT UNIT WAS ON FIRE. I RAN TO TRUCK AND FIRE HAD GUTTED INSIDE OF CAB MY DOG WAS TRAPPED IN THE SLEEPER AND WAS KILLED I NOTICED NO SMOKE WHEN I LEFT TRUCK BUT SMELLED SOMETHING LIKE HOT PLASTIC I CHECKED BUT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING BURNING. TRUCK WAS THEN TOWED TO ST LOUIS MO I WAS INFORMED BY FIRE DEPT AND SHERRIF THAT IF I WOULD OF LAID DOWN I WOULD HAVE PROBELY BEEN KILLED DUE TO TOXIC FUMES PRODUCED BY SMOKE. IN RECENT MONTHS I HAVE SEEN IN PERSON A MINIMUM OF 10 OTHER TRUCKS SAME YEAR AND MODEL WITH SAME FIRE DAMAGE STARTING IN THE SAME AREA. I ALSO HAVE A WIREING JUNCTION BLOCK THAT WAS TAKEN FROM ANOTHER TRUCK SAME YEAR THAT HAS MELTED AND STARTED TO BURN BUT WAS REPLACED BEFORE IT CAUGHT ANOTHER TRUCK ON FIRE. THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN REBUILT BUT AM STILL AFRAID OF FIRE IN WIRING I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT FREIGHTLINER WITH NO RESPOSE . ALSO NOT ONLY I
19981014SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN REAR END COLLISION.
Compare 1996FREIGHTLINERFLD120 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 FLD120 have?▼
The 1996 FREIGHTLINER FLD120 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 FREIGHTLINER FLD120?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 FREIGHTLINER FLD120 is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH.
Is the 1996 FREIGHTLINER FLD120 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.