1998 Freightliner Century Problems
- Complaints
- 9filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 54,950miles, 1 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 5campaigns on record
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1998 Freightliner Century (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 9 consumer complaints for the 1998 Freightliner Century. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 3 complaints (33% of the total), followed by fuel system (2) and steering (2). 1 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 54,950 miles. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 1 technical service bulletin for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Engine cooling3 33%
- Fuel system2 22%
- Steering2 22%
- Exterior lighting1 11%
- Other or unknown1 11%
- Seat belts1 11%
- Seats1 11%
Also reported: Body and structure (1), Suspension (1).
Example complaints
Engine cooling: “1998 Century class model trailer experiencing multiple problems. The manufacturer informed the consumer that one of the u-joints had gone bad, the flex line had rotted away which connected to the exhaust manifold which caused a leak. The vehicle experienced a power steering leak, also the air filter was replaced. The consumer was assigned another tractor, however it was a 2001 model and he soon discovered the fan blades were completely black and he had to tape a filter over the air intake.”
NHTSA complaint #10048179, filed 2003-11Steering: “Consumer applied brakes firmly and axle fell off. Vehicle is a Century classic, 2000. Cosumer may not be aware of NHTSA recall 99v35 9000/ manufacturer's recall f l-251 concerning tie rod end. Will try and contact consumer to inform system was down.”
NHTSA complaint #8000609, filed 2001-12Transmission and drivetrain: “Consumer felt a vibration in the drivetrain, the driveshaft and connecting components came flying out from under the vehicle, the yoke on the back of the front drive axle was cracked and came apart causing all the parts to come off, the consumer feels that if there were grease fittings on these parts the cracking would have been spotted when doing a grease job.”
NHTSA complaint #557218, filed 2000-11Mileage when problems were reported
0% of the 1 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 54,950 and 54,950 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Recalls and investigations
- 03V112000Mar 21, 2003Suspension › Front › HubCovers: Freightliner Century 1998–2001, FLD 1998–2001, Columbia 1998–2001 +6 more
On certain trucks equipped with truck hub units manufactured by skf exclusively for use on arvinmeritor's ff98x series non-drive steer axles, the hub unit bearings can wear prematurely.
- 00V232002Aug 7, 2000Service brakes, air › AntilockCovers: Freightliner Century 1997–2000, FLD 1997–2000, Thomas MVP EF 1997–2000 +9 more
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks and school bus chassis built with bendix air abs with an ec-17 1030r electronic control unit (ecu), there have been reports of unwanted abs activation at low speeds caused by 1) chafed abs wheel speed sensor wires on…
- 99V359000Dec 29, 1999Steering › Linkages › Tie rod assemblyCovers: Freightliner Century 1998–1999
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The tie rod ends can fracture due to low stress, high cycle, reversed bending fatigue resulting from a system resonance.
- 99V295000Oct 26, 1999Suspension › Front › HubCovers: Freightliner Century 1998–1999, FLD 1998–1999, FLN 1998–1999 +1 more
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The outboard bearing on the steering axle hubs can fail due to water intrusion through a hubcap vent.
- 98V085000Apr 21, 1998Suspension › FrontCovers: Freightliner Century 1996–1998
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor interaxle driveline u-joints. Deflector rings, a part of the system to seal the u-joints from contaminates, are loose. This allows water to enter the u-joint bearing area result in dilution of the…
Recall details for the 1998 Freightliner Century → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
- PE03005Front brake air hose leaksClosed · Feb 7, 2003
- PE02088Integral hub and bearing assemblyClosed · Nov 22, 2002
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1 on record; the latest 1 are shown.
- 10141697Feb 26, 2018Fuel system. sb2057 New Surge Tank Design
Other model years of the Freightliner Century
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 6 | 38,000 | 8 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2000 | 15 | 50,000 | 6 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1999 | 6 | — | 7 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1998 | 9 | 54,950 | 5 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Freightliner Century model years
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1998 Freightliner Century have?
NHTSA recorded 9 consumer complaints for the 1998 Freightliner Century as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1998 Freightliner Century is reported most often?
Engine cooling is named most often, in 3 complaints (33% of the total), followed by fuel system with 2.
Has the 1998 Freightliner Century been recalled?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 1998 Freightliner Century reported?
Among the 1 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 54,950 miles and the middle half falls between 54,950 and 54,950 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.