- The problem
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain meritor axles. The tie rod and drag link ball stud ends contain bearings that are below the specified case depth and/or hardness.
- The risk
- This can lead to premature wear with possible separation of the ball stud from the socket, increasing the risk of loss of control of the vehicle.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began november 8, 2001. 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 1-800-547-0712.
Vehicle safety record
1999 Freightliner FLN Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1999 Freightliner FLN have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 12 recalls, the latest in September 2001 for the tie rod assembly.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical FLN year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 12
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1999 Freightliner FLN recalls 12
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with hydraulic brakes and a durapark park brake system manufactured by arvinmeritor. Air is entering the hydraulic rear brake cylinders through an unknown path and the rear self-adjusting brakes may not be operating properly.
- The risk
- This results in spongy or soft feel to the brake pedal and a loss of rear braking capability.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove and replace the abs ecu and inspect the brake pedal for proper travel. If excessive travel is detected, the brake system will be bled and rear brakes adjusted. As an interim measure, freightliner will notify all owners to have their vehicles inspected to assure proper function of the brake system. This will include adjusting and bleeding the brakes. Also, owners will be instructed that on a regular basis they should do several hard brake applications while stopped. This will exercise the self-adjusting system and if they observe a low or spongy brake pedal they will be instructed to take their vehicle in for additional service. Owner notification began march 21, 2002. 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 1-800-547-0712.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: trucks, school bus and motor home chassis, and transit buses equipped with tie rod assemblies manufactured by trw. The suspect tie rods contain 24-dl model ball sockets. Certain of the tie rod ball-socket bearings have a below-specification case depth and/or hardness, which can lead to premature wear of the socket.
- The risk
- If this condition occurs, the driver can lose partial control of the right front wheel, possibly resulting in a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the defective ball sockets and/or drag links. Owner notification began may 22, 2001. 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 1-800-547-0712 or trw customer service at 1-866-280-3287.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: shuttle buses, recreational vehicles, utility vans, and heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor wabco phase 1, d-version antilock brake system (abs), fail to comply to the requirements of fmvss no. 105, "Hydraulic and electric brake systems." An internal diagnostic system in the abs may not detect an extreme wheel speed sensor air gap. Such a condition could possibly occur during (1) original assembly or (2) subsequent wheel end service.
- The risk
- The abs fault light will not activate and the abs will not function at this wheel position, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove and replace the abs ecu or the ecu will be reprogrammed. Owner notification began february 6, 2001. 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 1-800-547-0712.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: certain tractors fail to comply with fmvss no. 121, "Air brake systems." The air lines may not be routed properly to the drive axle service brake relay.
- The risk
- These vehicles are not in compliance with the standard.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect for correct air line routing and reroute if necessary.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. A heat shield between an abs (anti lock brake system) modulating valve and a muffler was omitted.
- The risk
- This condition could result in longer stopping distances in emergency braking situations.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a heat shield between the abs modulating valve and the muffler.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The outboard bearing on the steering axle hubs can fail due to water intrusion through a hubcap vent.
- The risk
- This condition can result in a separation of the wheel.
- The fix
- Dealers will remove the hubcap and inspect for water intrusion and corrosion. The hub and bearing assembly will be replaced if there is evidence of corrosion. A non-vented hubcap will be installed.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: trucks with steering linkages converted to stand-up right-drive by fontaine modification company. These vehicles have a steering cross shaft that connects the right side steering column to the left side steering column, with a miter box, and u-joint at each side. The cross shaft, miter box shaft, and u-joint have keyways and the u-joint has a set screw at both connections. The keys can work loose and fall out.
- The risk
- This condition can result in a loss of steering on the right hand side.
- The fix
- Dealers will install nuts and bolts through the universal joint ends and shafts which will create a positive lock between the steering gear boxes.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with caterpillar engines and eaton autoshift transmissions. The engines can stall because of software problems.
- The risk
- INCREASED STEERING EFFORT CAN OCCUR.
- The fix
- Caterpillar is conducting the owner notification and remedy of this recall. Dealers will update these engines with software changes.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: trucks equipped with tuftrac suspensions. The rear suspension axle clamps can fracture, allowing the rear axle to shift.
- The risk
- This condition could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will install new upper and lower axle clamps.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with dual steering. The steering column pinch bolts may be under-torqued or missing.
- The risk
- This condition could result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect for the presence of the required fasteners, install fasteners is missing, and retorque to specifications.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor air brake automatic slack adjusters. Some of the automatic slack adjusters had insufficient torque applied to the guide pawl cap screw.
- The risk
- Without sufficient torque on the guide pawl cap screw, the brakes could gradually lose adjustment, increasing the vehicle stopping distance.
- The fix
- Dealers will check the torque on the automatic slack adjuster guide pawl. If there is no torque, the brakes will be adjusted and the guide pawl will be tightened to 15-20 ft. Lbs.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 1999 Freightliner FLN yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Freightliner FLN: every year compared
All FLN years1999 Freightliner FLN vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Freightliner FLN | 0 | 12 | F | |
| 1999 Freightliner Conventional | 11 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 1999 Freightliner Century | 6 | 7 | D | Compare |
| 1999 Freightliner FL-70 | 5 | 1 | B | Compare |
| 1999 Freightliner Business Class | 1 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 1999 Freightliner FL130 | 1 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 1999 Freightliner Eldorado | 1 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 1999 Freightliner Classic | 1 | 0 | B | Compare |
| 1999 Freightliner Century Class | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1999 Freightliner FLN
Does the 1999 Freightliner FLN have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 12 recalls for the 1999 Freightliner FLN: tie rod assembly (September 2001); foundation components (March 2001); tie rod assembly (February 2001); antilock (September 2000) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 1999 Freightliner FLN had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1999 Freightliner FLN a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 2 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Freightliner FLN year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
What should I do if my 1999 Freightliner FLN has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data