Total Complaints
2 filings
Western Star 4900 · model year
2001 Western Star 4900
2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 3 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. 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
- Complaints
- 2
- Recalls
- 3
The verdict
The 2001 Western Star 4900 posts above-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.
- 33rd pctile
- complaint volume, own model years
- 3
- recall campaigns
The 2001Western Star4900 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 2 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 2001 4900 is suspension:multiple axle with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
No open NHTSA investigation overlaps the 2001 4900 in the current dataset. 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.
2
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
2
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
2001 Western Star 4900
PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.
NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION:MULTIPLE AXLE | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recalls (3)
03V11200021/03/2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRUCK HUB UNITS MANUFACTURED BY SKF EXCLUSIVELY FOR USE ON ARVINMERITOR'S FF98X SERIES NON-DRIVE STEER AXLES, THE HUB UNIT BEARINGS CAN WEAR PREMATURELY.
02V08700020/03/2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, A CAPACITOR IN THE POWER LINE CONTROL (PLC) FILTER COULD OVERHEAT AND/OR IGNITE WHEN SUBJECTED TO REVERSE POLARITY ELECTRICAL SPIKES.
05V45300005/10/2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS FITTED WITH OPTIONAL IN-CAB BATTERIES, THE DUAL SUCTION/RETURN LINES MAY CONTACT THE CAB POWER HARNESS RESULTING IN CHAFING THROUGH.
Recent Complaints
20141216CrashFatalAIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 WESTERN STAR 4900 TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS IN THE SECOND VEHICLE SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DETAILS OF THE CRASH WERE LIMITED AND THE SPECIFICS ON WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
20080314SUSPENSION:MULTIPLE AXLE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 WESTERN STAR 4964SX (NA). THE VEHICLE SWAYS SIDE TO SIDE EACH TIME IT IS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INSTALLATION COMPANY AND THEY STATED THAT THE PUSHER AXLE WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. THE SPEED AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,068 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.
Mileage: 1,000
Compare 2001Western Star4900 to Similar Vehicles
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 Western Star 4900 have?▼
The 2001 Western Star 4900 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 Western Star 4900?▼
Yes, the 2001 Western Star 4900 has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Western Star 4900?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 Western Star 4900 is SUSPENSION:MULTIPLE AXLE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS.
Is the 2001 Western Star 4900 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.
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 2001 Western Star 4900; 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.