2024 Freightliner Cascadia

The defect

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2024 FCCC MT45G, MT45, and Freightliner Cascadia vehicles. The steering gear assemblies may have been assembled incorrectly with fewer recirculating balls than are required, which may result in a loss of steering control.

The risk

A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.

The remedy

Dealers will replace the steering gears, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-745-8000. DTNA's number for the recall is FL995.

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC · up to 11 vehicles across all model years covered

The defect

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain short wheelbase 2020-2024 Freightliner Cascadia, 2021-2024 Freightliner M2 Business Class, 2022 Western Star 4700, and 2020 Freightliner Classic Cascadia vehicles. The vehicle is equipped with an electronic stability control system and tire combination that may understeer during a J-turn. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 136, "Electronic Stability Control Systems on Heavy Vehicles."

The risk

Understeering during a J-turn may increase the risk of a crash.

The remedy

DTNA will replace the tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL971.

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC · up to 266 vehicles across all model years covered

crash · towed · 92,500 miles

The contact owned a 2024 Freight Liner PT. The contact stated while the driver was driving at 64 MPH, the driver heard a pop sound, and the vehicle veered off to the left and crashed into a cement guard rail. The contact stated that the driver was steering in the right direction, however, the vehicle independently veered to the left. The vehicle was towed to the tow yard. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance company. In addition, the contact stated that the same vehicle experienced a similar failure in January 2024. The contact stated that the vehicle was jack-knifed, however, the video confirmed that the driver was driving at 48 MPH and did not depress the brake pedal. Also, the …

NHTSA complaint 11624756, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

The forward collision avoidance system fails to distinguish stationary objects from animate objects resulting in immediate engagement of the braking system.

NHTSA complaint 11687882. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint 11668076. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

The cruise control (level 2 autonomous) will turn itself off without any warning sometimes. This happens any time the truck is set for above the speed limit by more than 2 mph. The truck uses a speed limit map, independent of actual posted speed limits. When the truck detects a speed limit drop to below the cruise setting, either real or imagined, the cruise control disengages without any warning or notification. This is a problem when I expect the truck to continue its autonomous function in traffic situations, but it does not, and without warning. The system will even disengage while it is operating; it will be slowing or maintaining a following distance, then disengage. The driver has no …

NHTSA complaint 11633126, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

When approaching stopped traffic, sometimes the truck will respond and begin to slow down. At other times, the truck will continue at set speed toward a detected stopped vehicle, and in situations where the time and distance are way too short to justify no reaction by the system. The truck at sometimes acts like it is auto-driving; at others it acts as if it is only in crash-mitigation mode, and will wait for the driver until the last possible second and then slam on brakes. There have been some times where the truck actually gave a collision warning (alarm and display turns red), but in no way attempted to slow itself. This happens with vehicles detected in the truck's headway for multiple …

NHTSA complaint 11633128, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

When driving in highway traffic at moderate to high speeds (as well as low speeds), the truck will often accelerate with (and towards) a vehicle that is less than 1 second ahead of the truck. Certainly this often happens when there is not a safe distance between the truck and the next vehicle. The trucks systems in no way seem to expect that the next vehicle could slam on brakes at any moment. I have had this happen many times when a vehicle merges too close in front of me and then accelerates. The truck will accelerate with the vehicle (that the truck is now tailgating), even though there is slowing or stopping traffic directly ahead of the vehicle the truck is following. The Safety …

NHTSA complaint 11633132, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

When a vehicle is merging into my lane, the truck will often not detect or react to the encroaching vehicle; this happens even when there is plenty of space, and the encroaching vehicle is halfway into my lane. I have had to intervene several times, since the truck was accelerating toward the previous vehicle in my headway, and ingoring the intervening merging vehicle. In contrast, the sensors in the truck apparently can see when a vehicle is near to the front, and mostly out of the headway of the truck (only part of the front vehicle in my lane, like when exiting). This truck will brake, and continue braking unnecessarily (and unnecessarily hard braking) for a vehicle that is completely …

NHTSA complaint 11633136, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.