2003 Freightliner Century Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Century years
- Not enough data 5th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Freightliner Century. That ranks 5th out of 19 Century model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is tires (2 complaints, 50%), typically at around 200,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 4owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Freightliner Century problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 2 | 50% | 200,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 25% | 12,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Freightliner Century recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:manual transmission
Problem: On certain trucks equipped with manual transmission, the tapered joint that attaches the shifter to the transmission may become loose making it difficult to put the transmission into gear.
Risk: If shift lever detachment occurs, tha ability ro accelerate ot maintain speed will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will re-secure the shift lever to the transmission using threadlock and re-torquing the fastening bolt. Owner notification began on may 21, 2004. Owners should contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Service brakes, air
Problem: On certain trucks equipped with air brakes, the plastic push-to-connect air line fitting cartridge could be improperly welded into the nylon junction block housing allowing an air line to become disconnected.
Risk: This could lead to reduced brake control, loss of service brake control, or the emergency brakes automatically applying, possibly resulting in a crash without prior warning.
Fix: Dealers will install a new cab air manifold. Owner notification is expected to begin on january 21, 2004. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact freightliner at 800-547-0712.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Freightliner Century CST120 equipped with Yokohama Tires, Tire Line: TY517MC2, Tire Size: 295/75/R22, DOT Number: N/A. The contact stated that the tires had cracked on the sidewalls. The contact called a tire center which scheduled an appointment. The tires were not yet…
7 month old steer tire on freightliner truck. Traveling around 65 mph vibration started and before we could figure out from where or get to a safe section of the road, all the tread separated from the tire. All the tread and several fairly large parts from the truck flew off. Luckily no one was in…
2003 freightliner century caught on fire while driving (ohio traffic crash report). *ts *nm
While driving at any speed accelerator pedal stuck. Dealer inspected vehicle on several occasions, and was unable to duplicate the problem. Since january 2004 consumer was scared to drive this vehicle. *ak *la
Other Freightliner Century years
← 2002 Century · 2004 Century →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 Century | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 Century | 0 | 2 |
| 2011 Century | 0 | 9 |
| 2010 Century | 0 | 11 |
| 2009 Century | 0 | 12 |
| 2008 Century | 1 | 9 |
| 2007 Century | 0 | 9 |
| 2006 Century | 6 | 8 |
| 2005 Century | 2 | 2 |
| 2004 Century | 2 | 3 |
| 2003 | 4 | 2 |
| 2002 Century | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 Century | 4 | 4 |
| 2000 Century | 15 | 6 |
| 1999 Century | 6 | 7 |
| 1998 Century | 9 | 5 |
| 1997 Century | 4 | 4 |
| 1996 Century | 0 | 7 |
| 1995 Century | 0 | 2 |
See all Freightliner Century problems by year, every Freightliner model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Freightliner models
Embed this 2003 Freightliner Century badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Freightliner Century?
Owners most often report tires, engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control problems. The top one, tires, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Freightliner Century?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Freightliner Century a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Century model years, the 2003 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.