AI Damage1998 Freightliner MT: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Freightliner MT filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and equipment. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 10
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 60% of all complaints
- 2 Equipment 20% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 20% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 10% of all complaints
- Suspension: 6 complaints (60% of all).
- Equipment: 2 complaints (20% of all).
- Steering: 2 complaints (20% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 10 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The bearing rusted in gear box and suddenly locked-up, causing loss of control, resulting in failure.
Suspension does not contain a lock out valve/switch to prevent interaction between the leveling jacks tagaxles and air suspension.
Loss of shock on front end resulted in vehicle being difficult to steer.
Hwh hydraulic leveling jack would not work properly under most parking conditions. The jacks are used to level and stabilize the vehicle when parked. The leveling jack extends and the vehicle would fall off during the leveling process.
The rubbing causes the lines to wear, resulting in transmission fluid spraying on the exhaust manifold, almost causing fire.
When driving the motor home pulled to left and right/wandered. Taken to fifteen different repair shops. It was realigned three times, still having the same problem.
Something wrong with steering that causes vehicle to wander over road; could be caused by too much weight on tires. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 10,921 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).
On average one model year of the MT has 6 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 10, above average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Freightliner MT?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, equipment, steering. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Freightliner MT?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Freightliner MT from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.