2003 Freightliner Columbia: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2003 Freightliner Columbia. The newest campaign is 17V810000. NHTSA received the report on 15 Dec 2017. The NHTSA record gives the component Equipment. NHTSA has 9 complaints on file for this model year. 2 NHTSA investigations name 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, 17V810000, in the NHTSA record

DTNA will notify owners, and instruct them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began on April 11, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712, or contact Kidde customer service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-759.

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 29 Mar 2018. Recall file through 29 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

5 campaigns, newest first. 116,030 units in total.

17V81000015 Dec 2017Equipment
07V30200016 Jul 2007Service Brakes, Air / Supply / Check Valve
05V0010003 Jan 2005Seats
04V2050004 May 2004Power Train / Manual Transmission
03V5000004 Dec 2003Service Brakes, Air

17V810000Received 15 Dec 2017. 24,860 units.
Equipment
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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 that may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or excessive force may be needed to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
DTNA will notify owners, and instruct them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began on April 11, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712, or contact Kidde customer service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-759.
Report filed by Daimler Trucks North America LLC. Manufacturer campaign number FL-759. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 11 Apr 2018.
07V302000Received 16 Jul 2007. 75,000 units.
Service Brakes, Air / Supply / Check Valve
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Certain freightliner school bus chassis, heavy trucks, and thomas built school buses manufactured between july 2002 and july 3, 2007, equipped with bendix sr-7 spring brake control valves. The parker scv brass 90 degree single check valves (scv) which attach to the supply port of a bendix sr-7 spring brake modulating valve can break apart. Pieces of the parker scv can become lodged inside the sr-7 spring brake modulating valve, potentially causing either leakage out of the sr-7 valve or preventing air from properly exhausting from the sr-7 valve. Also, due to a manufacturing defect in the internal rubber check valve inside the sr-7 spring brake modulating valves, the valves can become deformed and not seat properly.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
These conditions could either result in leakage and cause a delay in the application of the spring brake without warning or possibly lead to unintended vehicle rollaway or brake drag which could result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or death.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Freightliner will notify owners and repair the vehicles free of charge. The recall began on january 11, 2008 to freightliner, sterling, and freightliner custom chassis owners; to thomas built bus owners on february 1, 2008. Owners can contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER LLC. Manufacturer campaign number FL-504. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 11 Jan 2008.
05V001000Received 3 Jan 2005. 1,770 units.
Seats
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain trucks equipped with seats built by gra-mag, the seat pivot bolts can loosen and possibly fracture or dislodge, causing the seat back to fail to provide full support to the driver's back.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
A possible vehicle crash could occur should the seat fall backwards during use.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will repair these vehicles. The recall began on april 20, 2005. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER LLC. Manufacturer campaign number FL-438. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Apr 2005.
04V205000Received 4 May 2004. 14,000 units.
Power Train / Manual Transmission
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain trucks equipped with manual transmission, the tapered joint that attaches the shifter to the transmission may become loose making it difficult to put the transmission into gear.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If shift lever detachment occurs, tha ability ro accelerate ot maintain speed will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will re-secure the shift lever to the transmission using threadlock and re-torquing the fastening bolt. Owner notification began on may 21, 2004. Owners should contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER LLC. Manufacturer campaign number FL-420. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 21 May 2004.
03V500000Received 4 Dec 2003. 400 units.
Service Brakes, Air
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain trucks equipped with air brakes, the plastic push-to-connect air line fitting cartridge could be improperly welded into the nylon junction block housing allowing an air line to become disconnected.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This could lead to reduced brake control, loss of service brake control, or the emergency brakes automatically applying, possibly resulting in a crash without prior warning.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a new cab air manifold. Owner notification is expected to begin on january 21, 2004. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact freightliner at 800-547-0712.
Report filed by FREIGHTLINER LLC. Manufacturer campaign number FL-418. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 26 Jan 2004.

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

9 complaints, 11 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

2003 Freightliner Columbia: component mentions in complaints
Component		Mentions
Engine and Engine Cooling		6
Exterior Lighting		2
Structure		2
Power Train		1

Complaints that report a crash: 0
Complaints that report a fire: 0
Injuries in the complaints: 3
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 30 Apr 2008

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 2003 Freightliner Columbia, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2003, with 5 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 2003 Freightliner Columbia
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
AQ18002	Audit query	Daimler Trucks North America Recalls	Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch	23 Apr 2018	11 Jul 2024
PE04036	Preliminary evaluation	DIESEL EXHAUST GAS INTRUSION	Engine and Engine Cooling / Exhaust System / Emission Control	12 Apr 2004	6 Dec 2004

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 2003 Freightliner ColumbiaThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 2003 Freightliner Columbia: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/freightliner/columbia/2003/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 29 Mar 2018
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: Daimler Trucks North America LLC

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 2003 Freightliner Columbia?: 116,030 units in 5 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Freightliner Columbia have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 63 recall campaigns for the Freightliner Columbia, model years 1997 to 2021. 5 of them name the 2003 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 2003 Freightliner Columbia name most often?: Engine and Engine Cooling: 6 of 11 component mentions.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2003 Freightliner Columbia open?: No. Each of the 2 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.