2001 Freightliner FS-65 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other FS-65 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Freightliner FS-65. That is the most of any FS-65 model year in the database (9 years). The most reported problem area is fuel system, diesel (8 complaints, 67%). There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 12owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 Freightliner FS-65 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Diesel | 8 | 67% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 25% | 56,581 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 17% | 38,730 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 8% | 65 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Freightliner FS-65 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, diesel
Problem: Certain 1998-2003 my freightliner fs-65 school bus chassis and mb-45, mb-55, and xb shuttle bus chassis, and thomas built bus: mvp-er and mvp-ef school bus and non-school bus models equipped with cummins isb diesel engines and equipped with federal-mogal 12 and 24 volt fuel lift pumps. The fuel pump could fail to transfer fuel appropriately creating an engine stall condition.
Risk: Should the engine stall while the vehicle is in use, a possible vehicle crash could occur.
Fix: Cummins will notify the customers of freightliner and thomas built and replace the fuel lift pump free of charge. Owners may contact cummins at 1-800-diesels.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: On certain school buses chassis equipped with caterpillar engines and hydraulic brakes. A braided ground strap for the starter may rub on a steel chassis brake line potentially causing a fluid leak.
Risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking effectiveness and increase the stopping distance, which could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the brake line and replace it, if necessary. The braided ground strap will be replaced with an insulated cable. The recall began on august 10, 2004. Owners may contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: On certain school buses, the brake hoses from the chassis to front brake chambers could develop leaks due to the hose routing that could overstress the hose during sharp turns.
Risk: The vehicle could have reduced braking capacity, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for improper routing. If improper routing is found, dealers will replace and correct the hose routing. Owner notification began april 29, 2002. 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 1-800-547-0712.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Vehicle description: bus chassis vehicles. An electrical pass-through connector may not fit in the firewall mounting hole correctly, resulting in the connector dislodging and an electrical terminal contacting the firewall.
Risk: This can cause an electrical short and potential fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect vehicles for proper mounting of the electrical pass through and correct if necessary. Owner notification began october 9, 2001. 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 1-800-547-0712.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Front air brake hose leakage (PE02024) — opened Feb 22, 2002, closed Mar 25, 2002, led to recall 02V084000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to depress the brake pedal at 35 mph, the pedal would not completely depress. The brake pedal felt as if it was "rock-hard". The brakes did not stop the vehicle. Three years prior to this incident a recall notification letter regarding the rotors was…
Dt:edthe contact owns a 2000 freightliner. Contact was unable to get recall repair work work on fuel system done because the manufacturee will not pay the dealership enough to do the repair work. Had 20 of these vehicles, 2000-2001 year models. Could do the repairs themselves, but they could not do…
Dt: contact owned a 2000 freightliner. Contact was unable to get the recall work don on fuel system because the manufacturer will not pay the dealership enough to do the repair work. Had 20 of these vehicles, 2000-2001 year models. Could do the repairs themselves, but they could not t do fast…
Dt: the contact owned a 2000 freightliner. Contact was unable to get recall repair work don eon fuel system because the manufacturer will not pay the dealership enough to do the repair work. Had 20 of these vehicles, 2000-2001 year models. Could do the repairs themselves, but they could not do fast…
Dt: the contact owned a 2000 freightliner. Contact was unable to get recall repair work on fuel system done. Had 20 of these vehicles, 2000-2001 year models. Could do the repairs themselves, but they could not do fast enough for the vehicle to be done before school started. The dealer will not let…
Other Freightliner FS-65 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 FS-65 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 FS-65 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 FS-65 | 5 | 3 |
| 2001 | 12 | 4 |
| 2000 FS-65 | 12 | 6 |
| 1999 FS-65 | 2 | 7 |
| 1998 FS-65 | 1 | 4 |
| 1997 FS-65 | 0 | 3 |
| 1996 FS-65 | 0 | 2 |
See all Freightliner FS-65 problems by year, every Freightliner model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Freightliner models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Freightliner FS-65?
Owners most often report fuel system, diesel, service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system problems. The top one, fuel system, diesel, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Freightliner FS-65?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 Freightliner FS-65 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other FS-65 model years, the 2001 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.