2023 Freightliner Cascadia problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings (2) · Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking (2) · Vehicle Speed Control (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Freightliner Cascadia model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (7)
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 2026-09-09 · campaign 26V583000 · 2,404 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Freightliner Cascadia and 2022 Western Star 49X vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall numbers 23V073 or 22V817. The brake modulator valves on the front axle may corrode and cause the vehicle to pull to one side during braking initiated by Electronic Stability Control (ESC) or Roll Stability Control (RSC).
Risk: Brakes that pull to one side may cause a sudden change in vehicle direction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake modulator valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 8, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1039. Vehicles repaired under the prior recalls will need the new repair completed.
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 2023-04-26 · campaign 23V299000 · 266 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain short wheelbase 2020-2024 Freightliner Cascadia, 2021-2024 Freightliner M2 Business Class, 2022 Western Star 4700, and 2020 Freightliner Classic Cascadia vehicles. The vehicle is equipped with an electronic stability control system and tire combination that may understeer during a J-turn. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 136, "Electronic Stability Control Sy
Risk: Understeering during a J-turn may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: DTNA will replace the tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL971.
Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly 2023-04-04 · campaign 23V238000 · 306 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2022 FCCC Shuttle Chassis, 2022-2023 FCCC RV Chassis, FCCC Van Chassis, Van Chassis Gas, 2023 Freightliner Cascadia, Freightliner Business Class M2, Thomas Built Bus School Bus Chassis, Western Star 4700, Western Star 47X, Western Star 4900, and Western Star 49X commercial buses. The tie rod may be missing a fastener, allowing the steer arm to detach.
Risk: A detached steering arm can result in a sudden loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: DTNA will inspect and repair or replace the tie rod assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL970.
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 2023-02-10 · campaign 23V073000 · 70,167 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Freightliner Cascadia, 2020-2023 Western Star 49X, 2021-2023 Western Star 47X, and 2022 Freightliner 114SD vehicles. The brake modulator valves on the front axle may corrode and cause the vehicle to pull to the affected side during braking initiated by Electronic Stability Control (ESC) or Roll Stability Control (RSC).
Risk: Brakes that pull to one side may cause a sudden change in vehicle direction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front brake modulator valves, as necessary. Some vehicles will have a software update which will alert driver when a replacement is required. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning October 13, 2023. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL966.
Service Brakes, Air:antilock:modulator 2022-11-01 · campaign 22V817000 · 219,390 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Freightliner Cascadia, 2020-2022 Freightliner Business Class M2, and 2022 Freightliner 114SD, and 2020-2023 Western Star 49X, 2021-2023 Western Star 47X, and 2021-2022 Western Star 57X vehicles. The brake modulator valves on the front axle may corrode and cause the vehicle to pull to the affected side during an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) braking event.
Risk: Brakes that pull to one side during an ACC braking event may cause a sudden change in vehicle direction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front brake modulator valves, as necessary. Some vehicles will have a software update which will alert driver when a replacement is required. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning October 16, 2023. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-958. This recall expands and replaces previous recall 20V-390. All vehicles previously repaired under recall 20V-390 will need to have the new remedy performed.
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:engine Control Module (Ecu/Ecm) 2022-07-29 · campaign 22V554000 · 1,375 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2023 Freightliner 108SD, 114SD, Business Class M2, Cascadia, 2023 Freightliner FCCC MC, MT45, S2C 106CAB, XCM, S2RV 106CAB, XCR, XCS, and 2023 Western Star 4700, 49X, and 47X vehicles. The engine control module (ECM) may experience an internal short-circuit, which can result in an unexpected engine shut down.
Risk: Unexpected engine shut down can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Cummins will replace the ECM, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 26, 2022. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-949.
Steering 2022-06-08 · campaign 22V405000 · 5,768 vehicles
Defect: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Freightliner (FCCC) MT45, MT45G and 2022-2023 Freightliner Cascadia vehicles. The steering gears may have been incorrectly assembled, which can cause the gear to fracture.
Risk: A fractured steering gear can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering gears, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 28,2022. Owners may contact DTNA's customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-938.
Service bulletins (266)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Visibility/Wiper 2026-09-10 · TSB-83-163-FTL · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin for hvac stops cooling
Power Train 2026-09-04 · MAN 0000072868 · Other
detroit transmissions manual update for symptom diagnostics — dt12 c/d box range shift to neutral with reversing events (aborts)
Structure:body 2026-09-01 · TSB-60-167-FTL · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
draining water trapped in the upper a-pillar
Service Brakes 2026-08-06 · WI26-009R · Other
revised warranty information letter for missing chamber caging bolts
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings 2026-07-21 · TEM-11-00001 · Other
truck equipment manufacturer upfit guide for detroit assurance forward radar relocation and adjustment
Power Train 2026-07-08 · TSB-42-080-FTL · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
revised technical service bulletin for abs wheel speed fault code correction for mbsp equipped vehicles. updated frequently asked questions.
Showing the 6 most recent of 266 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-03-06 · Service Brakes“while driving a ups freightliner truck (cascadia vin number [xxx] ) on [xxx] on [xxx] in charlotte, north carolina, the tractor brakes locked down causing [xxx] 's arm to jam into shoulder from having all momentum come to abrupt stop causing seatbelt to yank across shoulder ultimately necessitating surgery and putting me out of work for 6 months+ a…”
2026-03-06 · Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking“the front sensor is calibrated wrong. it slams my brakes on road if a shadow is in road, bridges, vehicles parked on side of road, and sometimes if another semi passes me it slams the breaks on. it happens if its just raining out not so much winter because snow and ice blocks the sensor. this has also almost caused accidents as well.…”
2025-08-04 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft“see attached document for complaint…”
2025-06-13 · Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings“i was north of louisville kentucky on [xxx] traveling at 65 mph and i was in the middle lane and the collision lights came on and the truck abruptly started stopping. luckily no one was on my right side. i made it to the shoulder of the road. thank god i wasn’t rear ended by anyone and there were three lanes of traffic. information redacted pursu…”
2025-05-03 · Electrical System“malfunction check engine lights on and show faults 520349. 14…”
2025-03-06 · Firerelated · 🔥 fire“see attached document for complaint. …”
2024-11-21 · Steering · 💥 crash“the contact owns a 2023 freightliner cascadia. the contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, the steering wheel locked up, the vehicle became uncontrollable, and the vehicle flipped over. the vehicle was uncontrollable. all the warning lights illuminated. a police report was filed. the contact received injuries to her back and was taken by ambul…”
2023-12-04 · Structure:body“the vehicle does not have the hood rear view convex mirrors.. the hood mirrors are use for rear to side view blind spot that the passenger or driver side mirrors cannot see. for instance entering or crossing a two way divided highway with no traffic lights, the hood mirrors is use to view when entering without on coming vehicle in a blind spot brus…”
2023-07-29 · Vehicle Speed Control“dash light warning lights come on and causes the cruise control to stop working. a total of 6 fault lights comes on and also causes the adaptive cruise control to not work. this is the 3rd freightliner cascadia that i have driven in the past 3 and a half years and every single truck has had the same problem. freightliner has refused to acknowledge …”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.