Vehicle recall 97V112000 · July 16, 1997

1995-1997 Freightliner Century

Vehicle description: heavy duty truck.

Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.

Summary: Vehicle description: heavy duty truck. Leaks through the firewall or steering shaft boots allows water to run down the steering shaft. The steering shaft slip spline corrodes causing it to seize.
Consequence: Increased steering effort can result increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering shaft with a new design that is installed in an inverted orientation so no water can enter the splines.
Notes: Owner notification:owner notification began July 30, 1997. 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 1-503-735-8682.ALSO contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-800-424-9393.

Recall details

NHTSA campaign: 97V112000
Reported to NHTSA: July 16, 1997
Filed by: FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION
Owner notification: July 30, 1997
Vehicles potentially affected: 11,366
Initiated by: the manufacturer
Components: Steering › Steering wheel/handle bar

Recall 97V112000 on nhtsa.gov, with the manufacturer’s documents

Vehicles covered

As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.

Freightliner Century (1995-1997): 1997, 1996, 1995

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