Freightliner Recall: Park Brake Risks

Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) has issued a recall for specific 2024-2025 Freightliner Business Class M2 vehicles due to potential park brake failure or unexpected engagement while driving, which significantly raises the risk of a crash. The issue arises from a defective rubber ball seal in the Intellipark Park Valve Modules (PVM) that may fracture and cause a leak.

Key Highlights

Affected Units: 220 vehicles
Recall Number: 24V335000
Defect: Fractured rubber ball seal in PVM
Risk: Park brake failure or unexpected engagement
Remedy: Free replacement of the Intellipark PVM by dealers
Owner Notification Date: July 12, 2024
Contact: DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712

Recall Summary

Daimler Trucks North America is recalling certain 2024-2025 Freightliner Business Class M2 vehicles. A defect in the rubber ball seal of the Intellipark PVM can cause a significant leak, leading to either park brake failure or unintended engagement while the vehicle is in motion.

Description of Defect and Safety Risk

The defect stems from an improperly molded rubber ball seal, which may contain cracks that can propagate into fractures. This defect can prevent the park brake from engaging when commanded or cause it to engage unexpectedly. Both scenarios pose a serious risk of vehicle movement or sudden stopping, increasing the likelihood of a crash.

According to the PVM supplier, drivers may not hear the typical exhaust sounds associated with parking the vehicle or may notice an excessive leak during pre-trip inspections. The park brake status is indicated to the driver through LED lights on the parking brake control switch and dashboard indicators.

Remedy and Owner Notification

DTNA will remedy the defect by replacing the Intellipark PVM free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on July 12, 2024. Vehicle owners can contact DTNA customer service or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for more information.

DTNA’s Recall Number for this issue is F1000. Owners may also reach out to the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit the website www.nhtsa.gov.

Additional Information

The defect was identified following a notification from Bendix, the PVM supplier, on May 1, 2024. Although DTNA had not received any field reports of PVM failures related to this issue, the company decided to proceed with the recall.

The remedy program involves replacing the faulty Intellipark PVM with units containing defect-free rubber ball seals from a different supplier. Repairs will be performed at no cost to vehicle owners by authorized DTNA service facilities.

Recall Schedule

Planned Dealer Notification Date: June 2, 2024
Planned Owner Notification Date: July 12, 2024

Owners are encouraged to take their vehicles to authorized service centers for the necessary repairs to ensure the safety and reliability of their Freightliner Business Class M2 vehicles.

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