Center pin in front leaf springs is not long enough to enter hole in front axle which, keeps them from moving side to side and front to rear. This caused axle to move front and back egg shaping the spacers and causing u bolts to loosen. This could have been catastrophic if it had not been caught by mechanic after I noticed something not being right. The front axle could have folded under the weight of the truck had I had to apply the brakes hard to stop which could have caused a terrible accident. This has kept me in the shop for over a week. Now I have a huge bill and a truck note to pay because of negligence on behalf of western star trucks.There are other trucks that have experienced this same problem and no cure found from western star not to mention how many truck are on the highway right now with the same issue like a ticking time bomb. They have denied responsibility for this but, the truck came from their factory this way and the new springs had the the same size center pin so, the mechanic had to find longer center pins that would actually go down into the axle. I have some pictures and crows truck center in Memphis did the work and we have kept all of the old parts. The mechanic notated his findings on the invoice.
The worst 2020 Western Star 4900 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Suspension1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Suspension1
Recalls 8
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020 Western Star 4900, 2024 Freightliner Cascadia, and 2027 Western Star 49X vehicles. The Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) listed on the Federal Certification Label is incorrect, which can allow the vehicle to be overloaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
- Risk
- An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The remedy is currently under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 5, 2027. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1045.
Recall number 26V736000 · Recall details
Tires
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Freightliner 114SD, 2023 Freightliner 122SD, 2020 Western Star 4700, 2019-2022 Western Star 4900, 2019-2023 Freightliner Business Class M2, and 2021 Freightliner Cascadia vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with tires that are not compatible with their 8.25-inch rims. 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
- Driving with tires that are not compatible with their rims can reduce tire performance, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-962.
Recall number 22V919000 · Recall details
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
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Western Star 4700 and 4900 and Freightliner Coronado, 108SD and 114SD vehicles. The vehicle certification label contains incorrect information, stating a Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) that exceeds the tire capacity rating. 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
- Incorrect weight rating information on the certification labels could result in potential overloading of the axles, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will install accurate GAWR labels, free of charge. The recall began November 25, 2020. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-864.
Recall number 20V634000 · Recall details
Suspension: multiple axle
- What is wrong
- Daimler Truckers North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Freightliner 114SD, 122SD and Western Star 4700, and 4900 vehicles equipped with certain SL2065 steerable lift axles. The lower rear pivot cap screws may not be long enough to sufficiently engage the locking feature of the corresponding nuts.
- Risk
- If the screws are not long enough to engage the corresponding nuts, the hardware may separate from the suspension system, becoming a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash and/or injury.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lower rear pivot cap screws for the proper length, correcting the hardware as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-862.
Recall number 20V539000 · Recall details
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020 Freightliner 108SD and 2020-2021 Freightliner Coronado, 114SD, and Western Star 4700 and 4900 vehicles. The Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the certification label may be incorrect, possibly resulting in the vehicle being overloaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 120, "Wheels and Rims - Other Than Passenger Cars."
- Risk
- An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will update the GAWR labels, free of charge. The recall began May 28, 2020. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL847.
Recall number 20V211000 · 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
Structure: body: door
- What is wrong
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 Western Star 4900 and 5700 vehicles. The adhesive bond may fail allowing the baggage or sleeper side door to separate from the hinges.
- Risk
- A baggage or sleeper side door that separates from the vehicle while in motion can cause road debris, increasing the risk of an injury or crash.
- Remedy
- DTNA will notify owners and dealers will install reinforcement clips with mechanical fasteners on each baggage and sleeper door hinge, free of charge. DTNA issued owners an interim notification on December 6, 2019. The recall began September 21, 2020. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1‑800‑547‑0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL834.
Recall number 19V722000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2020 Western Star 4900 156
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...
- Parts Bulletin for Fluorosilicone Fuel Tank Cap Seals
- Technical Service Bulletin for TufTrac M12 Bolts
- CX Advocate for ConMet Oil Pan Insert Additional Issues
- Parts Bulletin for Tie Rod Assembly Part Breakdown
- CX Advocate for NOx conversion low faults
- Technical Service Bulletin for GHG17 and Newer DD Platform Heavy Duty Oil Pan Drain Plug Inserts
- CX Advocate for CARB tightening the Readiness Criteria applied to On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) test...
- Service Solution for Detroit Successful Regen Reference for GHG17 DD Engines
- Important Campaign Information letter for DDC D23M3
What 2020 Western Star 4900 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Compare the 2020 Western Star 4900
Other model years
Questions about the 2020 Western Star 4900
Is the 2020 Western Star 4900 reliable?
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2020 Western Star 4900, close to a typical 4900 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Western Star 4900?
Suspension, with 1 complaint.
How many recalls does the 2020 Western Star 4900 have?
8 recalls, covering equipment, tires and suspension.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Western Star 4900 suspension?
Yes, 1 recall: 20V539000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
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