1996 Freightliner Century: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 1996 Freightliner Century. The newest campaign is 98V326000. NHTSA received the report on 21 Dec 1998. The NHTSA record gives the component Visibility / Windshield Wiper/Washer / Linkages. NHTSA has no complaint on file for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation names this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 98V326000, in the NHTSA record

Dealers will replace the connecting linkages with new links that are properly lubricated.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

7 campaigns, newest first. 45,861 units in total.

98V32600021 Dec 1998Visibility / Windshield Wiper/Washer / Linkages
98V08500021 Apr 1998Suspension / Front
97V11200016 Jul 1997Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
97V00600021 Jan 1997Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
96V23300320 Nov 1996Suspension / Rear
96V1970008 Oct 1996Visibility / Defroster/Defogger/HVAC System
96V18100124 Sep 1996Vehicle Speed Control

98V326000Received 21 Dec 1998. 6,720 units.
Visibility / Windshield Wiper/Washer / Linkages
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The windshield wiper connecting linkage sockets can wear out prematurely due to insufficient greasing during assembly.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This can lead to a separation of the linkage and loss of wiper function, impairing the driver's visibility.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the connecting linkages with new links that are properly lubricated.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number FL-228A. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Apr 1999.
98V085000Received 21 Apr 1998. 22,186 units.
Suspension / Front
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor interaxle driveline u-joints. Deflector rings, a part of the system to seal the u-joints from contaminates, are loose. This allows water to enter the u-joint bearing area result in dilution of the lubricant, oxidation of the bearing and seal surfaces, and loss of lubricant.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If this problem goes undetected, the interaxle driveline can separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the u-joints with the current design u-joints.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Jul 1998.
97V112000Received 16 Jul 1997. 11,366 units.
Steering / Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: heavy duty truck. Leaks through the firewall or steering shaft boots allows water to run down the steering shaft. The steering shaft slip spline corrodes causing it to seize.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Increased steering effort can result increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the steering shaft with a new design that is installed in an inverted orientation so no water can enter the splines.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 30 Jul 1997.
97V006000Received 21 Jan 1997. 121 units.
Seat Belts / Front / Anchorage
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Due to undersized rivets and oversized holes, the b-pillar anchorage will not meet the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In the event of a crash, the seat belt assembly anchorage may not hold an occupant increasing the risk of personal injury or death.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will make the necessary repairs to the seat belt assembly anchorages.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 12 Apr 1997.
96V233003Received 20 Nov 1996. 1,410 units.
Suspension / Rear
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: all vehicles equipped with eaton drive axles and axilok spindle nuts. The drive axle housings consist of a plate steel center section and two forged spindles, one of which is welded to each end of the center section. Each spindle contains a keyway slot in which the locking tab for the wheel bearing nut locking mechanism is inserted. The length of the keyway slot may not be long enough to accommodate the tab causing the tab to be deformed or damaged during installation.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This locking tab prevents the wheel bearing nut from loosening during vehicle operation. If this tab is deformed, the nut can loosen allowing the wheel to separate from the axle increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the drive axle housing nuts with a conventional wheel nut hardware system.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 18 Dec 1996.
96V197000Received 8 Oct 1996. 3,800 units.
Visibility / Defroster/Defogger/HVAC System
Defect, in the NHTSA record
An electrical short can occur in the auxilliary heater/airconditioning blower if exposed to water.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The shorted relay can result in a fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will remove and replace the relay with one that resists shorting if contacted by water and does not support combustion even if shorted.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 11 Oct 1996.
96V181001Received 24 Sep 1996. 258 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
Defect, in the NHTSA record
These vehicles are equipped with a detroit diesel optimized idle system. If the ignition is turned on and the fuse for the electronic control module (ecm) power feed line is removed or burned out, the safety features designed to prevent injury to persons working in the vicinity of the engine will be bypassed, and unintentional cranking of the engine will occur.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If unintentional cranking of the engine occurs, persons working in the vicinity of the engine could be injured and the vehicle could move.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Detroit diesel distributors will rewire the vehicles using a revised ecm which will eliminate unintentional cranking.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

The NHTSA complaint file has no complaint for this model year.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1996 Freightliner Century
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
PE02088	Preliminary evaluation	INTEGRAL HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLY	Wheels	22 Nov 2002	1 May 2003	03E019000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1996 Freightliner CenturyThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1996 Freightliner Century: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/freightliner/century/1996/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1996 Freightliner Century?: 45,861 units in 7 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Freightliner Century have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 38 recall campaigns for the Freightliner Century, model years 1995 to 2013. 7 of them name the 1996 model year.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1996 Freightliner Century open?: No. The 1 investigation that names this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.