Total Complaints
12 filings
FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER · model year
1997 FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER
12 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997FREIGHTLINERFREIGHTLINER carries 12 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 FREIGHTLINER is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components with 1 filings, followed by seats (1) and engine and engine cooling:cooling system (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 35 investigation files overlapping the 1997 FREIGHTLINER. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
12
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090717ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FREIGHTLINER TRADE WIND (NA). THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS INOPERATIVE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR. SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RESURFACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 55,000.
Mileage: 55,000
19990908SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKE FAILURE.
19990405SEATS
SEAT AND ARMREST BROKE ON TWO OCCASIONS.
19990405ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ENGINE COOLANT LEAK.
19990405VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
RIGHT SIDE MIRROR FAILED.
19990405VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD AND SUN ROOF GLASS LEAKING WATER.
19990405VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
WINDSHIELD AND SUN ROOF GLASS LEAKING WATER.
19990405VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR SHORTED OUT AND FAILED.
19990405SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
BRAKE PAD ON FAN CLUTCH BROKEN, SURFACE CAME APART.
19990405EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER BRACKET LOOSE, BOLTS BROKEN AND MISSING.
19990405ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSING LOW AMP LIGHT TO APPEAR, HEAD LIGHTS TO FAIL, 17 BULBS ON DASH TO FAIL, SHORTING OF SENSOR AND DOME LIGHT.
19970527SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FAILED TWICE.
Compare 1997FREIGHTLINERFREIGHTLINER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE24032Preliminary EvaluationClosed
EVDM connector plate separation
PE21006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Halogen Headlights May Cause Fires
PE20014Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Failure
PE20006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Intermittent Loss of Power Steering Assist
PE18004Preliminary EvaluationClosed
PNDB Electrical Power Distribution
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER have?▼
The 1997 FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM.
Is the 1997 FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER 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 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. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER; 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.