- Vehicles
- 5,771
- Built between
- Apr 2004 – Oct 2005
- Models
- 8
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- NHTSA investigation
- Owners notified
- 17 April 2006
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between April 2004 and October 2005. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2004-2006 Freightliner ClassicBuilt April 2004 to October 2005
- 2004-2006 Freightliner Classic XLBuilt April 2004 to October 2005
- 2004-2006 Freightliner ColumbiaBuilt April 2004 to October 2005
- 2004-2006 Freightliner FLD120SDBuilt April 2004 to October 2005
- 2004-2006 Sterling A-LineBuilt April 2004 to October 2005
- 2004-2006 Sterling L-LineBuilt April 2004 to October 2005
- 2004-2006 Western Star 4900Built April 2004 to October 2005
- 2004-2006 Western Star 6900Built April 2004 to October 2005
What the defect is
On certain trucks equipped with caterpillar diesel engines, the variable valve actuation oil line may wear against the sharp edge of the cylinder head if not positioned correctly.
What could happen
The oil line may be cut on the cylinder head causing an oil leak and a possible fire.
What gets fixed
CATERPILLAR, IN CONJUNCTION WITH FREIGHTLINER, WILL BE CONDUCTING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN FREE OF CHARGE.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtApril 2004 to October 2005
- Recall reported to NHTSA8 February 2006
- Owners notified17 April 2006
Your rights
A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.
That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 8 February 2006.
To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.
Manufacturer contact
Owners may call caterpillar at 309-675-6496, or freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- FL-471
- Recalling manufacturer
- FREIGHTLINER LLC
- Recall initiated by
- ODI
Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Additional notes
Freightliner recall no. FL-471.CUSTOMERS may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
Check your own vehicle
This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.
A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.