The Used Car Index

2001 Freightliner FS-65 problems

NHTSA lists 12 complaints for the 2001 Freightliner FS-65, 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 2026-10-07.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as FREIGHTLINER FS-65.

At a glance

Complaints
12
With crash
0
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Recalls
4
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
16,000
Investigations
1
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
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL866.7%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC325.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM216.7%
STRUCTURE18.3%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICFOUNDATION COMPONENTS3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMSTARTER ASSEMBLY2
STRUCTUREBODY1

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

4 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.

04V343000

Date: 2004-07-12. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.

Defect: ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR ENGINES AND HYDRAULIC BRAKES. A BRAIDED GROUND STRAP FOR THE STARTER MAY RUB ON A STEEL CHASSIS BRAKE LINE POTENTIALLY CAUSING A FLUID LEAK.

Consequence: A BRAKE FLUID LEAK CAN REDUCE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS AND INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE LINE AND REPLACE IT, IF NECESSARY. THE BRAIDED GROUND STRAP WILL BE REPLACED WITH AN INSULATED CABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 10, 2004. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FREIGHTLINER AT 1-800-547-0712.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

02V084000

Date: 2002-04-02. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.

Defect: ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES, THE BRAKE HOSES FROM THE CHASSIS TO FRONT BRAKE CHAMBERS COULD DEVELOP LEAKS DUE TO THE HOSE ROUTING THAT COULD OVERSTRESS THE HOSE DURING SHARP TURNS.

Consequence: THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE REDUCED BRAKING CAPACITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR IMPROPER ROUTING. IF IMPROPER ROUTING IS FOUND, DEALERS WILL REPLACE AND CORRECT THE HOSE ROUTING. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 29, 2002. 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 1-800-547-0712.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

01V215000

Date: 2001-06-26. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BUS CHASSIS VEHICLES. AN ELECTRICAL PASS-THROUGH CONNECTOR MAY NOT FIT IN THE FIREWALL MOUNTING HOLE CORRECTLY, RESULTING IN THE CONNECTOR DISLODGING AND AN ELECTRICAL TERMINAL CONTACTING THE FIREWALL.

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND POTENTIAL FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT VEHICLES FOR PROPER MOUNTING OF THE ELECTRICAL PASS THROUGH AND CORRECT IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 9, 2001. 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 1-800-547-0712.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 0 open.

PE02024

Opened: 2002-02-22. Closed: 2002-03-25.

FRONT AIR BRAKE HOSE LEAKAGE

There is no summary currently available

Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.

Linked campaign numbers: 02V084000.

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-6512

Same model, other years

All model years | All Freightliner models

Other Freightliner models, 2001

Sources

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