FREIGHTLINER 2008-2010: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Recall Insight

This NHTSA action (record #10V112000) was formally reported on March 23, 2010. It is classified under Moderate severity, with a current status of Active. FREIGHTLINER is listed as the recalling firm. The number of affected units is not disclosed in the agency filing, which is common for drug and food recalls where lot-level tracking supersedes unit counts.

The documented reason for this recall is: DAIMLER TRUCKS HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2010 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA, FLD, STERLING 9500 AND WESTERN STAR 4900 EMERGENCY VEHICLES. THE ENGINE MAY SHUT DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN A DIE… The specific hazard cited in the filing is: UNEXPECTED EMERGENCY VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTDOWN UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD HAMPER RESCUE OPERATIONS AND PLACE THE PUBLIC AT RISK.. Distribution data in the federal record shows the product reached: United States. Distribution scope directly affects the consumer exposure window and determines whether a recall remains regional or escalates into a nationwide advisory. The remedy documented by the agency is: THE ENGINE CONTROL LOGIC WILL BE REPROGRAMMED TO ILLUMINATE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT WITHOUT REQUESTING ENGINE SHUTDOWN. REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY DETROIT DIESEL. PLEASE SEE DAIMLER TRUCKS … — consumers holding this product should act on that instruction rather than relying on general guidance.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 1 were also issued by NHTSA. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 16 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.