- Vehicles
- 80
- Built between
- Nov 2003 – Sep 2006
- Models
- 1
- Recall type
- Vehicle
- Initiated by
- Manufacturer
- Owners notified
- 28 March 2007
- Repaired
- Not reported
- Unrepaired
- Not reported
Does this affect my vehicle?
This recall covers vehicles built between November 2003 and September 2006. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.
- 2003-2006 Unimog U500Built November 2003 to September 2006
What the defect is
On certain trucks equipped with the eas transmission option, a programming logic error in the transmission automatic shift system may prevent the vehicle's clutch from disengaging when the vehicle is operated in working group or crawler gear range (low-low range).
What could happen
The brake system is not capable of overcoming the engine torque transmitted to the wheel ends when the vehicle is operated in working group or crawler gear range. If the clutch fails to disengage the engine must be shut-down in order to bring the vehicle to a stop potentially resulting in a vehicle crash or personal injury.
What gets fixed
DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT SYSTEM TO PROVIDE REDUCED ENGINE TORQUE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN WORKING GROUP OR CRAWLER GEAR RANGE. THE GEAR SHIFT ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT WILL BE REPLACED AND TWO RELAYS WILL BE ADDED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 28, 2007.
Timeline
- Vehicles builtNovember 2003 to September 2006
- Recall reported to NHTSA30 November 2006
- Owners notified28 March 2007
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 30 November 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 contact freightliner at 1-800-547-0712.
Official source
- Manufacturer's recall number
- FL-486
- Recalling manufacturer
- FREIGHTLINER LLC
- Recall initiated by
- MFR
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-486.CUSTOMERS can 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.