WESTERN STAR 4900 · model year

2002 WESTERN STAR 4900

1 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002WESTERN STAR4900 carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, 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 2002 4900 is tires:sidewall with 1 filings. 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. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle, the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

No open NHTSA investigation overlaps the 2002 4900 in the current dataset. 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.

1
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

1 filings

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

ComponentCount
TIRES:SIDEWALL1

Recalls (2)

17V81000015/12/2017

EQUIPMENT

Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2002-2017 Freightliner Cascadia, Century Class, Columbia and Coronado trucks and Western Star 4700, 4900, 5700, 5900 and 6900 trucks. These vehicles are equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers tha

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

20220515CrashTIRES:SIDEWALL

I was driving my dump truck on highway 99 in Washington county, North Carolina carrying a load of milling when the front driver side tire blew out causing me to lose control and end up in a deep ditch on the opposite side of the road. Luckily there was know one traveling in that direction. My dump truck was totaled.

Compare 2002WESTERN STAR4900 to Similar Vehicles

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 WESTERN STAR 4900 have?
The 2002 WESTERN STAR 4900 has 1 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2002 WESTERN STAR 4900?
Yes, the 2002 WESTERN STAR 4900 has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is EQUIPMENT. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 WESTERN STAR 4900?
The most-complained component for the 2002 WESTERN STAR 4900 is TIRES:SIDEWALL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2002 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.

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.