The defect
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.
The risk
IF SHIFT LEVER DETACHMENT OCCURS, THA ABILITY RO ACCELERATE OT MAINTAIN SPEED WILL BE LOST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
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.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2002, 2003, 2004 |
| Freightliner Century | 2003, 2004 |
| Freightliner Columbia | 2003, 2004 |
| Sterling HX | 2003, 2004 |
Components: POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2002 | 0 | 5 |
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2003 | 1 | 5 |
| Freightliner Business Class M2 | 2004 | 8 | 9 |
| Freightliner Century | 2003 | 4 | 2 |
| Freightliner Century | 2004 | 2 | 3 |
| Freightliner Columbia | 2003 | 10 | 5 |
| Freightliner Columbia | 2004 | 13 | 10 |
| Sterling HX | 2003 | 0 | 1 |
| Sterling HX | 2004 | 1 | 1 |
Other power train recalls in 2004
22 of the 601 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2004 concerned the power train; FREIGHTLINER LLC filed 99 campaigns in all.
| 04V590000 15 Dec 2004 | FREIGHTLINER LLC |
| 04V449000 13 Sept 2004 | PACCAR INCORPORATED |
| 04V435000 9 Sept 2004 | SPARTAN CHASSIS, INC. |
| 04V408000 19 Aug 2004 | NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 04V409000 18 Aug 2004 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC |
| 04V405000 12 Aug 2004 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA, INC. |
| 04V344000 14 Jul 2004 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE |
| 04V320000 6 Jul 2004 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2004