Freightliner recall FL-780

Q: Is FL-780 the same recall as 18V491000?

Yes. FL-780 is Freightliner’s own number for it; 18V491000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Freightliner calls it FL-780. NHTSA filed it as campaign 18V491000 on Jul 20, 2018: electrical system on the 2017–2019 Freightliner Cascadia, 43,584 vehicles potentially affected. One recall, two numbers — the dealer quotes the manufacturer’s, the federal record carries NHTSA’s.

The full filing, 18V491000 →Check a VIN at NHTSA

What NHTSA has under this number

Source: 49 CFR Part 573 filings

NHTSA campaign	Vehicles	Component	Filed	Affected	Severity
18V491000	2017–2019 Freightliner Cascadia	Electrical System	Jul 20, 2018	43,584	high

Problem Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Freightliner Cascadia trucks. The Instrument Cluster Unit (ICU) may not perform the required bulb checks for the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) if the ignition is turned from on to off to on too quickly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems," and 136, "Electronic Stability Control Systems on Heavy Vehicles." Risk Without an ABS or ESC bulb check, the operator may unaware that the warning light bulbs are not working. If the warning bulbs are not working, in the event of an ABS or ESC malfunction, the driver may not be notified, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix DTNA will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ICU's to ensure a bulb check is performed each time the ignition is turned on, free of charge. Also, the sub-population with Tire Pressure Monitoring (TMPS) will also require replacement parts, free of charge. DTNA issued owners an interim notification on September 18, 2018. The recall began March 5, 2019. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is FL-780.

The manufacturer’s own words as filed for 18V491000. Every model year it covers, the build window and the filed PDFs →

Two numbers, one recall

Every safety recall carries two identifiers. FL-780 is the number Freightliner assigned in its own system: it is what appears on the owner letter, on the dealer’s service screen and on the repair order. 18V491000 is the number NHTSA filed the same recall under when the manufacturer reported it, and it is the one every federal record, this site included, is keyed on.

The repair is free by federal law for vehicles up to fifteen years old. Whether one particular vehicle is included is settled by its VIN against the manufacturer’s build list, not by its model year.

Check one specific vehicle

Both lookups check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list and say whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is FL-780 the same recall as 18V491000?

Yes. FL-780 is Freightliner’s own number for it; 18V491000 is NHTSA’s. One recall, two references.

Which vehicles does FL-780 cover?

2017–2019 Freightliner Cascadia, 43,584 vehicles by the manufacturer’s count. A recall covers a build range, so the VIN decides whether one particular vehicle is in it.

Does the FL-780 repair cost anything?

No. The manufacturer must remedy a safety defect at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.