Total Complaints
3 filings
FREIGHTLINER XC · model year
2004 FREIGHTLINER XC
3 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 2004FREIGHTLINERXC 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2004 XC is engine and engine cooling with 1 filings, followed by power train (1) and structure:body (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 2004 XC. 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.
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1. RADIATOR TANK CRIMP FAILURE. EXCESSIVE CORROSION DUE TO UNDETERMINED ORIGIN CAUSED TANK CRIMPS TO RUST TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT CLEAN AND DRY. CRIMPS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. FAILURE CAUSES TOTAL LOSS OF COOLANT. 2. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. CORROSION ON "J" CONNECTORS BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE CAUSED SHORT AND FAILURE OF NON PROTECTED TCM. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. DISPLAY INDICATED "TCM FAILURE". CONNECTORS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. TCM IS NOT PROTECTED FROM SHORTS. 3. ENGINE BLOW- BYE. OIL BLOW-BYE IS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR THEREBY CAUSING THE RADIATOR FINS TO CLOG AND PREVENT ENGINE COOLING. FREIGHTLINER KIT TO FIX ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN PUBLICIZED, BUT WAS MADE STANDARD ON SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. ENGINE SIDE OF RADIATOR CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. *TR
Mileage: 59,435
20120220POWER TRAIN
1. RADIATOR TANK CRIMP FAILURE. EXCESSIVE CORROSION DUE TO UNDETERMINED ORIGIN CAUSED TANK CRIMPS TO RUST TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT CLEAN AND DRY. CRIMPS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. FAILURE CAUSES TOTAL LOSS OF COOLANT. 2. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. CORROSION ON "J" CONNECTORS BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE CAUSED SHORT AND FAILURE OF NON PROTECTED TCM. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. DISPLAY INDICATED "TCM FAILURE". CONNECTORS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. TCM IS NOT PROTECTED FROM SHORTS. 3. ENGINE BLOW- BYE. OIL BLOW-BYE IS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR THEREBY CAUSING THE RADIATOR FINS TO CLOG AND PREVENT ENGINE COOLING. FREIGHTLINER KIT TO FIX ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN PUBLICIZED, BUT WAS MADE STANDARD ON SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. ENGINE SIDE OF RADIATOR CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. *TR
Mileage: 59,435
20120220STRUCTURE:BODY
1. RADIATOR TANK CRIMP FAILURE. EXCESSIVE CORROSION DUE TO UNDETERMINED ORIGIN CAUSED TANK CRIMPS TO RUST TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS KEPT CLEAN AND DRY. CRIMPS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. FAILURE CAUSES TOTAL LOSS OF COOLANT. 2. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. CORROSION ON "J" CONNECTORS BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE CAUSED SHORT AND FAILURE OF NON PROTECTED TCM. TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT. DISPLAY INDICATED "TCM FAILURE". CONNECTORS CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. TCM IS NOT PROTECTED FROM SHORTS. 3. ENGINE BLOW- BYE. OIL BLOW-BYE IS EJECTED FROM THE ENGINE DIRECTLY ONTO THE ENGINE SIDE OF THE RADIATOR THEREBY CAUSING THE RADIATOR FINS TO CLOG AND PREVENT ENGINE COOLING. FREIGHTLINER KIT TO FIX ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN PUBLICIZED, BUT WAS MADE STANDARD ON SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS. ENGINE SIDE OF RADIATOR CANNOT BE SEEN VIA NORMAL WALK AROUND INSPECTION. *TR
Mileage: 59,435
Compare 2004FREIGHTLINERXC 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 2004 FREIGHTLINER XC have?▼
The 2004 FREIGHTLINER XC has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 FREIGHTLINER XC?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 FREIGHTLINER XC is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and STRUCTURE:BODY.
Is the 2004 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 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 2004 FREIGHTLINER XC; 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.