This 2023 model shows concerning reliability, primarily driven by 6 recallsβabove the FREIGHTLINER averageβcentered on the steering.
Key Factor:elevated steering issues
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Safety Alert
Safety Alert: This model has a higher recall frequency (6) than the average FREIGHTLINER vehicle (0.5). Owners should prioritize checking these components.
6 recalls for this vehicle0.5 avg. recalls per vehicle (brand)
πWhy This Matters
Brake and steering systems are the foundation of vehicle control. Issues in these areas directly influence insurance risk assessments.
Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.
Given this model year's elevated concern level, budget for a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
Focus Area:critical safety systems
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Expert Analysis
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Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
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Primary Risk Area:Fire
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Vs Brand: Worse than avg (0.5)
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Summary:
Safety & Reliability Score
42/100
Score Breakdown
Recall Impact-48
Complaint Impact-0.5
Investigation Impact-10
Technical Specifications
Key specifications for the 2023 FREIGHTLINER Cascadia
Model Year2023
MakeFREIGHTLINER
ModelCascadia
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle
Safety History Timeline
Scroll for more β
Jan22
RECALLRecall Issued
Aug22
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan23
NEWProduction
Jan23
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan23
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
ISSUEFirst Report
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Oct23
RECALLRecall Issued
Consumer Complaint Analysis
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Most Reported Issue
3 complaints (30% of total)
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Complaint Trend
Stable
No trend data
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Safety Incidents
No critical incidents
Complaint Severity Distribution
Breakdown of 10 consumer complaints by severity level.
π High
2(20%)
π‘Medium
3(30%)
π’Low
5(50%)
π οΈ DIY Diagnosis Center
Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).
Primary Risk Areas
STEERINGENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGSERVICE BRAKES, AIRELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Official Safety Recalls (6)
Campaign: 22V405000
STEERING
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Summary
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.
Consequence
A fractured steering gear can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 22V554000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)
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Summary
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.
Consequence
Unexpected engine shut down can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 22V817000
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:MODULATOR
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Summary
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 23V073000
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
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Summary
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).
Consequence
Brakes that pull to one side may cause a sudden change in vehicle direction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 23V238000
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
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Summary
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.
Consequence
A detached steering arm can result in a sudden loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 23V299000
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
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Summary
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 Systems on Heavy Vehicles."
Consequence
Understeering during a J-turn may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Investigations
2 investigations
Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2023 Cascadia.
INV-2023-1000π’ Closed
NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Cascadia performance issues.
Opened: Affected Units: 49,705
INV-2023-1001π’ Closed
NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Cascadia performance issues.
Opened: Affected Units: 53,306
Consumer Complaints
10 total complaints
Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2023 Cascadia.
Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis
Fire30%
Warning30%
Check Engine Light10%
Leak10%
Engine/Powertrainπ΅ Low
POWER TRAIN
See attached document for complaint
Safety SystemsπΆ Medium
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
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 wasnβt rear ended by anyone and there were three lanes of traffic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electricalπ΅ Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Malfunction check engine lights on and show faults 520349. 14
Otherβ οΈ High
FIRERELATED
See attached document for complaint.
Otherβ οΈ High
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FIRERELATED
See attached document for complaint
ElectricalπΆ Medium
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 ambulance to a hospital, where medical attention was provided. The airbags deployed. There was an unknown substance leaking from the vehicle. There was no reported fire. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
Body/Interiorπ΅ Low
STRUCTURE
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 brushing past your engine compartment or passenger side. Also needed for parking towards the blind spot passenger side or docking without a spotter. I noticed there a group of such Freightliner missing the two hood rear view mirrors
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 that there is a problem. Nobody seems to know what to do to correct the problem. We are owner operators and long haul drivers and needcruise control. Freightliner dealers are almost impossible to get anything repaired because they do not accept appointments and they have so many trucks sitting around waiting for repairs.
Safety SystemsπΆ Medium
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
While operating the vehicle on an open section of highway I passed under an overpass. The collision mitigation system sounded an audible warning and the vehicle abruptly applied momentary maximum braking. Had another vehicle been behind me It likely would have resulted in a rear end collision.
Safety Systemsπ΅ Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
The CMV was on a straight road on a sunny day approaching a standard railroad crossing, and for no apparent reason the emergency braking system engaged. We have video of this incident from the truck. I tried to download it but your system would not allow the format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any recalls for the 2023 FREIGHTLINER Cascadia?
Yes, the 2023 FREIGHTLINER Cascadia has 6 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including STEERING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM), SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:MODULATOR.
Is the 2023 FREIGHTLINER Cascadia safe to drive?
The 2023 FREIGHTLINER Cascadia has 6 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.
Where can I check if my 2023 FREIGHTLINER Cascadia has open recalls?
You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local FREIGHTLINER dealer.
πYear-over-Year Context
πImproving Trend
Compared to earlier years, the 2023 model shows improving reliability trends, largely due to manufacturing refinements addressing 2022 issues. Recall frequency decreased 67%.
π―Risk Areas & Recommended Actions
Based on recall data, these components require verification:
1
Steering
Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm steering recalls are complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all steering recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaigns:22V40500023V238000
2
Electronic stability control (esc)
Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm electronic stability control (esc) recalls are complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all electronic stability control (esc) recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaigns:23V07300023V299000
3
Engine and engine cooling
Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm engine and engine cooling recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all engine and engine cooling recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaign:22V554000
π‘Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your FREIGHTLINER dealer to verify recall completion status.
π§What This Means for You
Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.
If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.
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If You Own This Vehicle
Verify all 6 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your FREIGHTLINER dealer.
If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyβrecall repairs are always free.
Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used
Request full service history and documentation of all recall completions.
Consider whether adjacent model years (2022 or 2024) show better safety metrics.
Budget for thorough pre-purchase inspection focusing on known problem areas.