Total Complaints
3 filings
FREIGHTLINER XC · model year
1997 FREIGHTLINER XC
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997FREIGHTLINERXC carries 3 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 XC is electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers with 1 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (1) and electrical system:wiring (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 XC. 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.
3
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19991124ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE DIDN'T HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. BUT, BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO BURN WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. REMOVED THE FUSE. CURRENTLY, ANY TIME THE CHASSIS GETS WET IT CAUSES PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING AND SPEED CONTROL. *AK
19991124VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE DIDN'T HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. BUT, BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO BURN WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. REMOVED THE FUSE. CURRENTLY, ANY TIME THE CHASSIS GETS WET IT CAUSES PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING AND SPEED CONTROL. *AK
19991124ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE DIDN'T HAVE BRAKE LIGHTS. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO MADE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. BUT, BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO BURN WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. REMOVED THE FUSE. CURRENTLY, ANY TIME THE CHASSIS GETS WET IT CAUSES PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING AND SPEED CONTROL. *AK
Compare 1997FREIGHTLINERXC 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 XC have?▼
The 1997 FREIGHTLINER XC has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 FREIGHTLINER XC?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 FREIGHTLINER XC is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING.
Is the 1997 FREIGHTLINER XC 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.