Total Complaints
1 filings
Western Star 4900 · model year
2002 Western Star 4900
1 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 2 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
- 1
- Recalls
- 2
The verdict
The 2002 Western Star 4900 posts top-quartile complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.
- Top 25%
- fewest complaints, own model years
- 2
- recall campaigns
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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2002 4900 is tires:sidewall with 1 filings. Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 2 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 2002 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.
1
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
2002 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 |
|---|---|
| TIRES:SIDEWALL | 1 |
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
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.
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 2002 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.