2007 FREIGHTLINER CUSTOM CHASS M-LINE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

PARKING BRAKE LOCKUP ON 2007 FREIGHTLINER FRED ________________________________________ I HAVE A 2007 TIFFIN ALLEGRO BAY ON A FREIGHTLINER FRED (FRONT ENGINE DIESEL) CHASSIS. WHILE DRIVING YESTERDAY I NOTICED A SUDDEN DECREASE IN ENGINE POWER AND THE BRAKE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. CHECKED SERVICE BRAKES AND THEY WERE STILL WORKING OK. BEING ON A NARROW HILL COUNTRY TEXAS 2 LANE WITH NO PLACE TO PULL OVER, I HAD TO KEEP DRIVING. FINALLY FOUND A PLACE TO SAFELY STOP. WHEN I DID I FOUND A HEAVY BRAKE BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE AREA OF THE REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER CALLING FREIGHTLINER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM, THEY IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE PARKING BRAKE (PB) IS A SPRING ACTUATED BAND THAT CLAMPS AROUND A DISK LOCATED ON THE DRIVESHAFT IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE TRANSMISSION AND IS AUTOMATICALLY ACTUATED WHEN SHIFTING INTO PARK. THIS BAND IS HELD OPEN BY HYDRAULIC PRESSURE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS SNIFFED OUT OF PARK INTO A DRIVE GEAR. SOMETHING BROKE AND STOPPED THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE SO THE SPRING ACTUATED BAND CLOSED ON THE DRIVE SHAFT DISK, EFFECTIVELY APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. FREIGHTLINER SERVICE SOLUTION # 3602 REPLACES THE ENTIRE PARK BRAKE SYSTEM WITH A MECHANICAL ONE. THEY PROVIDE PARTS BUT OWNER HAS TO PAY LABOR TO CORRECT A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL! A DEFECTIVE PARKING BRAKE IS A SAFETY ISSUE, NOT NICE TO HAVE SERVICE ISSUE. MY CONTINUED DRIVING COULD EASILY HAVE STARTED A FIRE BUT I HAD NO CHOICE, DRIVE OR STOP IN A DRIVING LANE OF A HEAVILY TRAVELED ROOD AS SPEEDS OF >60 MPH.. THIS IS TEXAS! THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT KNOWN TO FREIGHTLINER, YET NO RECALLS. VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE ON ROADSIDE UNTIL TOWED AND REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED.