2007 Western Star 4900 problems

What is wrong

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:

Risk

In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

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.

Recall number 17V810000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler trucks (dtna) is recalling certain model year 2006-2013 freightliner, sterling, and western star vehicles, equipped with detroit diesel epa07 and epa10, dd13 and dd15/16 engines, manufactured from january 20, 2006, through february 20, 2012. The pump to rail high pressure fuel line support system used on these engines is sensitive to assembly torque and may be damaged during service work. As a result of other repairs, the line supports may loosen, potentially leading to fuel line cracking and a fuel leak.

Risk

A fuel leak could create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash. Also a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.

Remedy

Dtna will notify owners, and where necessary, the high pressure fuel line support system will be replaced by dtna authorized service facilities, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 27, 2012. Owners may contact dtna at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 12V074000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler trucks is recalling certain model year 2004 through 2008 heavy trucks manufactured from july 11, 2003, through september 28, 2007, equipped with epa04 model mbe4000 engines built with plastic low pressure fuel lines and fuel filters mounted near the center of the engine on the left-hand side. The plastic low pressure fuel line between engine mounted fuel filter and engine block may develop a substantial diesel fuel leak.

Risk

This could create a road hazard increasing the risk of a crash. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

Remedy

Daimler trucks will notify owners and the remedy will be performed by detroit diesel corporation authorized repair facilities. Vehicles will be inspected and the plastic low pressure fuel line will be replaced with a steel low pressure fuel line. This service will be performed free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on october 28, 2011. The safety recall began on february 21, 2012. Owners may contact daimler trucks at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 11V478000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler trucks (dtna) is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2011 freightliner, cascadia, century, columbia fld, and m2, sterling 9500, and western star 4900 heavy trucks manufactured from march 20, 2006, through june 30, 2010, equipped with specific mbe4000 epa07 model engines. The intake air grid heater may short circuit and fail due to excessive internal temperatures.

Risk

A short circuited grid heater could result in a vehicle fire and injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy

Dtna will notify owners of the recall during march 2011. Another notification will be issued once the remedy is released. Dtna expects the remedy to be available by december 1, 2011. Repairs will be performed by dtna dealers free of charge. Owners may contact dtna toll-free at 1‑800‑547‑0712. This recall is asscociated with a previous recall, campaign number 10v‑341.

Recall number 11V146000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler trucks is recalling certain model year 2007 through 2011 freightliner, fccc, sterling, and western star heavy trucks manufactured from september 5, 2006, through june 30, 2010, equipped with specific mbe900 epa04 and epa07 model engines. The intake air grid heater may short circuit and fail due to excessive internal temperatures.

Risk

A short circuited grid heater could result in a vehicle fire and injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy

Daimler trucks will notify owners and dealers will repair the buses free of charge. Repairs will be performed by detroit diesel corporation authorized repair facilities. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about july 29, 2011. Owners may contact daimler trucks toll-free at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 10V341000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler trucks is recalling model year 2007-2010 freightliner, sterling and western star vehicles equipped with detroit diesel dd15 epa07 engines which were manufactured with grid heaters. Increased internal grid heater resistance caused by improperly tightened screws may melt the solder on the grid heater circuit board leading to a short circuit.

Risk

A short-circuited grid heater could result in a vehicle fire and injury to vehicle occupants.

Remedy

The engine control logic will be reprogrammed free of charge by detroit diesel authorized repair facilities and direct warranty customers to provide cold weather starting without the need of a grid heater. The safety recall began on november 4, 2009. Owners may contact detroit diesel at 1‑313‑592‑5800 and daimler trucks at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 09V400000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler trucks is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2010 heavy trucks manufactured between january 17, 2006 and march 31, 2009, equipped with epa07 model mbe4000 engines built with plastic low pressure fuel lines. The plastic lines may experience leaks due to fatigue cracks caused by stress and vibration combined with high internal pressure.

Risk

If a diesel fuel leak continues undetected under certain conditions fuel may ignite on a hot engine surface and/or fuel may spill on the road increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Daimler trucks will notify owners and the remedy will be performed by detroit diesel corporation authorized repair facilities and direct warranty customers. The safety recall began on may 7, 2010. Owners may contact daimler trucks at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 09V391000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler trucks is recalling model year 2004-2010 trucks equipped with caterpillar c15 engine. The variable valve actuation oil line may rub against the p-clips retaining the oil line, causing an oil leak.

Risk

An oil leak may result in a fire.

Remedy

Daimler trucks is working with caterpillar to remedy these vehicles. Please see caterpillar's defect report 09e-020. Caterpillar will inspect and repair the necessary components free of charge. The recall began on may 5, 2009. Owners may contact caterpillar toll-free at 1‑800‑447‑4986 or daimler trucks at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 09V366000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Daimler trucks is recalling 62,000 my 2005-2007 freightliner business class, century class, columbia, coronado, fld, classic, sterling a-line, l-line, and western star 4900 trucks. A fractured fuel line could leak diesel fuel.

Risk

If a leak continues undetected under certain conditions, fuel may ignite at a hot engine surface and/or fuel may be spilled on the road surface.

Remedy

High pressure fuel lines and transfer tubes will be inspected and replaced free of charged. The recall began on july 9, 2008. Owners may contact daimler trucks at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 08V113000 · Recall details

What is wrong

On certain heavy duty trucks built with sisu fr2p-21, sisu fr2p-26, sisu fr3p-33, or sisu fr3p-48 rear axles, a counter-bore machined in both ends of the worm wheel opening of the slack adjuster housing reduces material thickness between the worm wheel opening and the worm shaft opening. Under normal service a crack may develop in this area rendering the slack adjuster inoperable and reducing brake effectiveness.

Risk

Reduced vehicle braking could lead to a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the slack adjusters, and replace the adjuster if found defective. The recall began on july 31, 2008. Owners may contact freightliner at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 07V571000 · Recall details

What is wrong

On certain truck-tractors equipped with holland simplex se or se ii fifth wheels, the latch lever pivot bolt assembly may have been over-tightened which could distort the pivot bolt spacer sleeve. Corrosion or contaminates in the pivot may cause it to bind and prevent the fifth wheel jaw from latching securely around the trailer king pin.

Risk

There is a possibility that the fifth wheel may fail to latch without the driver's knowledge. When the occurs, the driver could drive away and the trailer could become disengaged increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the pivot bolt and sleeve with a hex head shoulder bolt and washer. The recall began on january 3, 2008. Owners may contact freightliner at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 07V530000 · Recall details

What is wrong

On certain trucks, a manufacturing error in the fuel-water separator preheater thermoswitch may prevent the fuel preheater from turning off if the ignition is left on. If the ignition switch is left on when fuel is added to the fuel- water separator at the factory or during a filter element change, a small flame may occur inside the filter cover.

Risk

The potential exists for the flame to spread resulting in possible personal injury.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect the fuel filter date code and thermoswitch lot code to determine if they contain the suspect component free of charge. The recall began on october 4, 2007. Owners may contact freightliner at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 07V335000 · Recall details

What is wrong

On certain trucks equipped with tuftrac rear suspensions, the center casting brackets may be out of specification. An out of square casting may have unacceptable stress in the bracket when it is installed and may cause it to crack in service.

Risk

The drive axle may not be held in position if a cracked bracket fractures completely. This will affect vehicle control and may cause a crash without warning.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and castings that are out of specification will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on december 12, 2007. Owners may contact freightliner at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 07V316000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Freightliner is recalling certain school bus chassis, heavy trucks, van chassis, rv motorhome chassis manufactured from january 5 to may 17, 2007, equipped with axle alliance company (aac) front axles. During the front axle assembly, the fasteners that attach the steering arm or tie rod arms to the spindle may be over or under tightened.

Risk

Incorrectly tightened steering arm fasteners may fatigue and fracture which could cause a crash without warning.

Remedy

Thomas built will notify owners, inspect the fasteners, and replace the steering arm if necessary. The recall began on december 21, 2007. Owners can contact freightliner at 1‑800‑547‑0712.

Recall number 07V306000 · Recall details

On April 23, 2018, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“the federal safety agency”) opened Audit Query (AQ18002) to assess the timeliness and scope of four recalls filed by Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (“DTNA”). the federal safety agency subsequently expanded AQ18002 to examine the timeliness and scope of three additional DTNA recalls and compliance with early warning reporting and manufacturer communications reporting requirements. the federal safety agency and DTNA entered into a Consent Order on December 29, 2020, to resolve the federal safety agency’s assertions that certain recalls within the scope of AQ18002 were untimely, DTNA failed to timely submit certain manufacturer communications to the federal safety agency, and DTNA failed to submit field reports to the federal safety agency as required. As part of the Consent Order, DTNA agreed to a total civil penalty of thirty million dollars ($30,000,000), of which ten million dollars ($10,000,000) was paid on January 12, 2021. Also, of that total civil penalty, DTNA agreed to spend five million dollars ($5,000,000) on the specific performance obligations to develop advanced data analytics capabilities to enhance its ability to detect and study emerging safety-related defect trends on its vehicles (“Safety Data Analytics infrastructure”) and an advanced data analytics and reporting platform that integrates data on emerging safety-related defect trends on its vehicles and recall lessons learned (“Safety Communications Platform”). The Consent Order also held fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) of the civil penalty in abeyance pending DTNA’s satisfactory completion of the requirements of the Consent Order, and its compliance with the Safety Act, and regulations thereunder. the federal safety agency and DTNA agreed to a two-year term for the Consent Order—with an option for the federal safety agency to extend the Consent Order for an additional year, if warranted. In the Consent Order, DTNA agreed to numerous performance obligations, including monthly meetings with the federal safety agency to discuss potential safety issues, recent manufacturer communications, and recall decision-making, among other things; quarterly meetings with the federal safety agency to discuss DTNA’s progress on the performance obligations under the Consent Order, including the Safety Data Analytics infrastructure and Safety Communications Platform, and any issues related to compliance with the Consent Order, Safety Act, or regulations; development of written procedures and employee training materials to help DTNA comply with its legal obligations to timely identify and report safety defects and noncompliances, submit complete and accurate recall filings, and timely submit manufacturer communications and field reports to the federal safety agency; and identifying and reporting previously unreported manufacturer communications and field reports. Also, via the Consent Order, DTNA acknowledged that the failure or inability to identify a specific root cause, develop an adequate remedy or repair, or confirm the affected population of vehicles are not bases for delaying filing a recall with the federal safety agency. On December 22, 2022, the federal safety agency extended the Consent Order for a term of one year due to concerns about DTNA’s compliance with its recall-related obligations. Specifically, the federal safety agency expressed concerns about the completeness of DTNA’s recall reports and issues identified with owner notification letters during the term of the Consent Order, as well as the length of time that DTNA took to consider a straightforward noncompliance issue before filing a recall and DTNA’s interactions with the federal safety agency during the term of the Consent Order. the federal safety agency addressed these concerns with DTNA during the third year of the Consent Order. The extended term of the Consent Order expired on December 28, 2023. Based on the Consent Order, this investigation, AQ18002, is closed. Closure of this AQ has no bearing on the terms of the Consent Order or DTNA’s ongoing legal obligations, and it does not represent a determination by the federal safety agency as to DTNA’s performance under the Consent Order.

AQ18002

On november 19, 2007, freightliner filed defect report 07v‑530 which outlines a safety recall program to notify the affected owners and correct the affected vehicles.

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