Freightliner M2 recall includes trucks rolling away while in park

January 4, 2024

Land Line Staff

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Daimler Truck North America is recalling certain Freightliner M2 Business Class trucks after discovering an issue with the gear shifter that can cause the truck to move while in park.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, Daimler Truck is recalling more than 1,300 model year 2024 Freightliner M2 Business Class trucks. The vehicle may be incorrectly equipped with a transmission gear shifter that includes a park position despite the transmission not having a park pawl. When shifted into park, the transmission actually will be in neutral, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway and crash.

As of Dec. 28, Daimler Truck had no remedy available for the defect. Notification letters to affected Freightliner M2 owners are expected to be mailed out on Feb. 20.

For more information, contact Daimler Truck North America’s customer service at 800-547-0712 with recall number FL991. NHTSA’s number for this recall is 23V-895.

In August, Daimler Truck launched an internal investigation after receiving two reports of Freightliner M2 trucks rolling after being shifted to park.

In those instances, the customers indicated that they were able to stop the truck from moving by applying the service brakes and to hold the vehicle in park by applying the parking brake.

During the investigation, Daimler Truck found a similar report recorded in June. That report suggested that the Freightliner M2 was ordered in a configuration that did not have a park position but that the transmission shift lever included a park position. There was no report of that truck rolling, and it was deemed an isolated incident at the time.

In late October, Daimler Truck identified a report for the same model vehicle that was produced at a different manufacturing plant than those from the prior reports, which suggested a vehicle mis-build. It was determined in December that there was in fact a pattern of mis-builds for 2024 Freightliner M2 trucks, but this was confined to only one facility. The voluntary recall was submitted soon after.

Daimler Truck is not aware of any deaths, injuries or property damage claims potentially related to this issue. Only 1% of the recall population of more than 1,300 trucks is expected to have the defect. LL

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