- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- 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.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2003 Freightliner MT-45 Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 2003 Freightliner MT-45 have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in July 2007 for the check valve.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical MT-45 year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
2003 Freightliner MT-45 recalls 2
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
- Certain van chassis with single rear tires fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "Tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars." The rear tire rating was incorrectly entered in the gawr/gvwr calculation program on certain single rear tires. The rear gawr and gvwr will be incorrect when the gawr is limited by the tire capacity on chassis with these tires.
- The risk
- This could cause premature tire tread wear or tire failure during normal driving which could cause a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will mail new chassis identification labels with the correct gawr, gvwr, and tire information. The recall began on september 12, 2005. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 2003 Freightliner MT-45 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 MT-45: every year compared
All MT-45 years2003 Freightliner MT-45 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Freightliner MT-45 | 0 | 2 | C | |
| 2003 Freightliner Columbia | 10 | 5 | D | Compare |
| 2003 Freightliner Business Class | 7 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2003 Freightliner Century | 4 | 2 | B | Compare |
| 2003 Freightliner Century Class | 2 | 1 | D | Compare |
| 2003 Freightliner Business Class M2 | 1 | 5 | A | Compare |
| 2003 Freightliner Discovery | 1 | 0 | - | 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 2003 Freightliner MT-45
Does the 2003 Freightliner MT-45 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2003 Freightliner MT-45: check valve (July 2007); labels (April 2005). 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 2003 Freightliner MT-45 had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 2003 Freightliner MT-45 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Freightliner MT-45 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 2003 Freightliner MT-45 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