The Used Car Index

2003 Freightliner FS-65 School BUS Chassis problems

NHTSA lists 1 complaints for the 2003 Freightliner FS-65 School BUS Chassis, 0 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 0 complaints mention an injury, with 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as FREIGHTLINER FS-65 SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS.

At a glance

Complaints
1
With crash
0
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
16,000
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
0

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
STRUCTURE1100.0%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY1
STRUCTUREFRAME AND MEMBERS1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

2 recalls.

05V205000

Date: 2005-04-27. Systems: FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL.

Defect: 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.

Consequence: SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN USE, A POSSIBLE VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: 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.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

03V488000

Date: 2003-12-04. Systems: STEERING.

Defect: ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUS, XC RV, AND SHUTTLE BUS CHASSIS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN FEBRUARY 1 AND JULY 18, 2003, INCORRECT AXLE STEERING STOP BOLTS WERE INSTALLED ON AAC FRONT AXLES. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO TURN THE FRONT WHEELS IN EITHER DIRECTION UNTIL THE TIRES CONTACT OR DAMAGE OTHER STEERING COMPONENTS.

Consequence: THE DRIVER CAN POSSIBLY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IF THE TIRES CONTACT THE STEERING COMPONENTS WHILE THE BUS IS IN MOTION.

Remedy: FREIGHTLINER WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPAIR THE BUSES FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2003. 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 503-745-5219.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

0 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
FS-65 SCHOOL BUS CHASSIS1

Same model, other years

All model years | All Freightliner models

Other Freightliner models, 2003

Sources

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