The worst 2016 Western Star 4900 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
Recalls 10
Tires
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2012-2021 Freightliner SD 108, Freightliner SD 114, 2016-2020 Freightliner Coronado, 2013 Western Star 6900, 2013-2022 Western Star 4700, Western Star 4900, and 2022 49X vehicles. The tires and rims are not approved and rated for these vehicles from the Tire and Rim Association or tire manufacturer. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 120, "Wheels and Rims-Other Than Passenger Cars."
- Risk
- Unapproved tires that are not rated for the vehicle can cause tire performance issues, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealer will inspect and replace, as necessary, tires and rims, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 22, 2022. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall FL-908.
Recall number 21V896000 · Recall details
Visibility: defroster/defogger/HVAC system: rear window
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2016-2020 Western Star 4900 and 5700 vehicles equipped with sleeper cab vent windows. Due to improper adhesive, the vent window may detach from the vehicle.
- Risk
- If the vent window detaches while the vehicle is in motion, it can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vent windows, free of charge. DTNA issued owners an interim notification on December 27, 2019. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-836.
Recall number 19V792000 · Recall details
Service brakes, air
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2012-2019 Western Star 4900 trucks built with Lowmax hoods and disc brakes. There may be insufficient clearance between the front brake hose and the hood resulting in the brake hose being chafed.
- Risk
- Front brake hose chafing may causing air loss, possibly reducing braking effectiveness and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle brake hose, free of charge. DTNA issued owners an interim notification on July 27, 2018. The recall began November 27, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-773.
Recall number 18V351000 · Recall details
Equipment
- 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
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2008-2018 Freightliner Cascadia, Western Star 4700, 4900, 5700, and 6900 trucks. After hard brake applications, the brake light pressure switch may not activate the brake lights with a light application of the brake pedal.
- Risk
- If the brake lights fail to illuminate, there would not be a signal to other motorists that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles, free of charge. Daimler issued interim notifications to owners on January 22, 2018. The recall began on May 9, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-756.
Recall number 17V761000 · Recall details
Steering: linkages: tie rod assembly
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2016 Western Star 4900 and Freightliner Cascadia vehicles, equipped with certain Spicer D-Series and E-Series steer axles. The castellated nut on the steer axles may not be properly torqued, allowing the tie rod to loosen.
- Risk
- If the tie rod loosens, it may disconnect from the steering knuckle, causing a complete loss of steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the torque of the castellated nut and tie rod, tightening it as necessary. If the tie rod stud and knuckle on units cannot be sufficiently torqued, the dealer will replace the knuckle and tie rod end assembly, free of charge. DTNA issued an interim to owners on December 4, 2017. The recall began on March 7, 2018. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-751.
Recall number 17V628000 · Recall details
Service brakes, air
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Western Star 4900 trucks. The aluminum air tanks on these vehicles may have improper welds possibly resulting in a rapid loss of air pressure.
- Risk
- A rapid loss of air pressure without warning may cause a sudden application of the park brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the aluminum air tanks with steel, triple compartment, air tanks, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2017. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-732.
Recall number 17V124000 · Recall details
Seat belts
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2014-2017 Western Star 4900 and 5700 trucks manufactured March 22, 2013, to September 23, 2016 and equipped with a Stratosphere sleeper cab. The seat belt mounting plate may have a drill hole that is too large.
- Risk
- If the plate has a hole that is too big, the plate may fail when it stressed such as in the event of a crash, preventing the seat belt from adequately restraining the seat occupant, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the seat belt mounting plate, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners on December 7 2016. The final remedy is now available. A second notice was mailed to owners on February 24, 2017. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-725.
Recall number 16V711000 · Recall details
Power train: axle assembly
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America, Inc. (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Freightliner 108SD, 114SD, Business Class M2, and Western Star 4900 vehicles manufactured September 26, 2014, to November 6, 2015, and equipped with certain drive axles manufactured by Marmon-Herrington. The affected axles have hex nuts on the flange yoke that may not have been properly tightened.
- Risk
- If the hex nuts are not tightened to specification, the driveshaft may disconnect from the drive axle, resulting in a loss of propulsion and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the hex nuts, tightening them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on February 5, 2016. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑745‑8000, or Marmon-Herrington customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-699.
Recall number 15V859000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition: module
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain model year 2016 Freightliner Cascadia, Business Class M2, 108SD, 114SD, and 122SD, Western Star 4700 and 4900, Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2, and Freightliner MT55 vehicles manufactured August 7, 2015, to August 26, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with certain Cummins ISB6.7, ISL9, ISX12 or ISX15 engines whose engine control module (ECM) may short circuit and blow a fuse resulting in the engine stalling without warning.
- Risk
- An engine that stalls without warning increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECM free of charge. The recall began on October 22, 2015. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑745‑8000. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-690.
Recall number 15V620000 · Recall details
See all 10 recalls for the 2016 Western Star 4900
Defect investigations
Daimler Trucks North America Recalls
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
Technical service bulletins for the 2016 Western Star 4900 718
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Warranty Information letter for Detroit Line or Line Seal, High Pressure Fuel Injector Standard Repair...
- Technical Service Bulletin for StarNet Manuals Moving to Technical Literature
- CX Advocate for NOx conversion low faults
- CX Advocate for turbo oil drain cracking
- CX Advocate for CARB tightening the Readiness Criteria applied to On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) test...
- CX Advocate for DD13 Gen 5 engines operating at high altitude experience EGR slow response fault.
- CX Advocate for GATS2.4 being expanding to DD15
- Important Campaign Information letter for DDC D24R4
- Important Campaign Information letter for DDC D24R4
- Detroit Emission recall for GHG14 DETROIT DD16 Software Reprogramming
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Questions about the 2016 Western Star 4900
Is the 2016 Western Star 4900 reliable?
Owners have filed 0 complaints about the 2016 Western Star 4900.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Western Star 4900?
There are not enough complaints to tell.
How many recalls does the 2016 Western Star 4900 have?
10 recalls, covering tires, visibility and service brakes, air.
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