U.S. public vehicle records

2009 Freightliner COLUMBIA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

2 owner complaints analyzed

20 distinct recall campaigns

501,114 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2009 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	1	50.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine

Service Brakes

Service Brakes, Air

Engine: 1; Service Brakes: 1; Service Brakes, Air: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 2

150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2013

2013: 2

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10541819 · 2013-09-04 (September 4, 2013)

A COMMERCIAL TRUCK VEHICLE MAINTENANCE VIOLATION, WAS ISSUED DURING A ROAD SIDE INCEPTION BY A CERTIFIED DOT INSPECTOR, FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE HOSE CHAFFING. A VIOLATION OF 393.45B2. OUR INVESTIGATION PROVED BEYOND ANY QUESTIONS THAT THIS IS THE WAY FREIGHTLINERS BUILD IT'S TRUCK FOR THE PAST DECADE AND STILL DOES. WE HAVE OBTAINED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT OUR CLAIM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK, AS COMPROMISING THIS HOSE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIR PSI NEEDED FOR SEPARATING OF THE BRAKE SHOE FROM THE DRUMS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER. …

Owner-reported narrative. 600,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10541819 at NHTSA ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

100.0%Usable mileage2 / 2 records

100.0%Valid incident date2 / 2 records

100.0%Valid filing date2 / 2 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates2 / 2 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Power Train:Clutch Assembly	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10348226 · 330,000 mi 2008 CAT C15 ACERT ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. WE HAVE 3 OF THESE UNITS IN CLASS 8 TRUCKS ALL HAVE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE EXHAUST TREATMENT SYSTEM ALL HAVE BEEN IN FOR REPAIR MANY TIMES. WHEN THE SYSTEM FAILS THE ENGINE DERATES POWER CAUSING A TRAFFIC PROBLEM DUE TO SLOW MOVING VEHICLE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, SOON AFTER IT DERATES THE ENGINE WILL SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY AGAIN A SAFETY ISSUE WITH A STALLED CLASS 8 VEHICLE STOPPED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. *TR Look up ODI 10348226 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Power Train:Clutch Assembly:Bell Housing	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Tires	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System	19.1% ODI 10279432 2007 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA DASH BOARD INSTRUMENT UNIT OWN TRUCK FOR 3 YEARS AND I AM ON MY 3RD ONE, AND LOW VOLTGE SHUT DOWN, SHUTS DOWN ALL NON PRIMARY ELECTRICAL STUFF, THEY FREIGHTLINER DISCONNECTED IT AND ITS NEVER BEEN FIX, CAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, I THINK THAT THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR TRUCK. *TR Look up ODI 10279432 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	19.1% ODI 10320468 · 413,238 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FREIGHTLINER COLUMBIA. UPON ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STARTER AND POWER STEERING PUMP IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 413,238. Look up ODI 10320468 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Gas Recirculation Valve (Egr Valve)	218.2% ODI 10182468 · 1 mi THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE CAB OF A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE. *JB Look up ODI 10182468 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Engine	Too few reports for a range	402,227 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10555060 · 402,227 mi 2008 CATERPILLAR ACERT C13 CRANKCASE BREATHER FILTER CLOGGED BECAUSE OF DESIGN. CAUSED TRUCK TO SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC CREATING A SAFETY INCIDENT. *TR Look up ODI 10555060 at NHTSA ↗
Service Brakes	Too few reports for a range	600,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10541819 · 600,000 mi A COMMERCIAL TRUCK VEHICLE MAINTENANCE VIOLATION, WAS ISSUED DURING A ROAD SIDE INCEPTION BY A CERTIFIED DOT INSPECTOR, FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE HOSE CHAFFING. A VIOLATION OF 393.45B2. OUR INVESTIGATION PROVED BEYOND ANY QUESTIONS THAT THIS IS THE WAY FREIGHTLINERS BUILD IT'S TRUCK FOR THE PAST DECADE AND STILL DOES. WE HAVE OBTAINED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT OUR CLAIM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK, AS COMPROMISING THIS HOSE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIR PSI NEEDED FOR SEPARATING OF THE BRAKE SHOE FROM THE DRUMS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER. … Look up ODI 10541819 at NHTSA ↗
Service Brakes, Air	Too few reports for a range	600,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10541819 · 600,000 mi A COMMERCIAL TRUCK VEHICLE MAINTENANCE VIOLATION, WAS ISSUED DURING A ROAD SIDE INCEPTION BY A CERTIFIED DOT INSPECTOR, FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE HOSE CHAFFING. A VIOLATION OF 393.45B2. OUR INVESTIGATION PROVED BEYOND ANY QUESTIONS THAT THIS IS THE WAY FREIGHTLINERS BUILD IT'S TRUCK FOR THE PAST DECADE AND STILL DOES. WE HAVE OBTAINED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT OUR CLAIM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK, AS COMPROMISING THIS HOSE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIR PSI NEEDED FOR SEPARATING OF THE BRAKE SHOE FROM THE DRUMS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER. … Look up ODI 10541819 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2020: 0 complaints · 2021: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2020	0	0	0
2021	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2020	0	0	0
2021	0	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Engine	Service Brakes	Service Brakes, Air
Engine	—	0	0
Service Brakes	0	—	1 ODI 10541819 · 600,000 mi A COMMERCIAL TRUCK VEHICLE MAINTENANCE VIOLATION, WAS ISSUED DURING A ROAD SIDE INCEPTION BY A CERTIFIED DOT INSPECTOR, FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE HOSE CHAFFING. A VIOLATION OF 393.45B2. OUR INVESTIGATION PROVED BEYOND ANY QUESTIONS THAT THIS IS THE WAY FREIGHTLINERS BUILD IT'S TRUCK FOR THE PAST DECADE AND STILL DOES. WE HAVE OBTAINED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT OUR CLAIM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK, AS COMPROMISING THIS HOSE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIR PSI NEEDED FOR SEPARATING OF THE BRAKE SHOE FROM THE DRUMS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER. … Look up ODI 10541819 at NHTSA ↗
Service Brakes, Air	0	1 ODI 10541819 · 600,000 mi A COMMERCIAL TRUCK VEHICLE MAINTENANCE VIOLATION, WAS ISSUED DURING A ROAD SIDE INCEPTION BY A CERTIFIED DOT INSPECTOR, FOR EMERGENCY BRAKE HOSE CHAFFING. A VIOLATION OF 393.45B2. OUR INVESTIGATION PROVED BEYOND ANY QUESTIONS THAT THIS IS THE WAY FREIGHTLINERS BUILD IT'S TRUCK FOR THE PAST DECADE AND STILL DOES. WE HAVE OBTAINED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT OUR CLAIM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK, AS COMPROMISING THIS HOSE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIR PSI NEEDED FOR SEPARATING OF THE BRAKE SHOE FROM THE DRUMS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION TO THE DRIVER. … Look up ODI 10541819 at NHTSA ↗	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

0 patterns with matching reports.

No narratives match the published patterns.