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1998 Western Star 4900 Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Critical

2 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.00 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical03V112000

Suspension:Front:Hub

SEIZURE OF THE BEARINGS CAN CAUSE WHEEL SEPARATION OR WHEEL END FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT HUBS. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 20, 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 1-800-547-0712.

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRUCK HUB UNITS MANUFACTURED BY SKF EXCLUSIVELY FOR USE ON ARVINMERITOR'S FF98X SERIES NON-DRIVE STEER AXLES, THE HUB UNIT BEARINGS CAN WEAR PREMATURELY.

Critical01V387000

Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery:Cables

THIS CONTACT COULD PROVIDE A SHORT CIRCUIT, WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES AND THE BATTERY CABLES WILL BE REPLACED AND/OR RE-ROUTED AS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 18, 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.

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR 3406E AND C-15 ENGINES, INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE AND STUD MOUNTING ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) TO THE ENGINE EXISTS. CHAFING CAN WEAR THROUGH THE BATTERY CABLE INSULATION TO ALLOW CONTACT BETWEEN THE BATTERY CABLE AND THE STUD.

Complaint volume

2 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

0Crashes
0Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 2 complaints. Severity Index 0.00.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

  1. Tires — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1998 · 2001 (3) · 2002 (2) · 2005 (7) · 2006 (10) · 2009 (16) · 2011 (14) · 2012 (8) · 2014 (11) · 2015 (14) · 2019 (15) · 2020 (7)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.