NHTSA upgrades 2017–2022 Freightliner and Western Star vehicles probe to engineering analysis: Automatic Emergency Braking Errors
On October 23, 2025, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an Engineering Analysis (EA25006) into 2017–2022 Freightliner and Western Star vehicles, concerning the forward collision avoidance. An Engineering Analysis is the second, deeper stage of an NHTSA defect investigation, opened when ODI wants a closer technical look; it can end with NHTSA asking the manufacturer for a recall. It follows Preliminary Evaluation PE23010. As of NHTSA’s latest data it is still open.
- Action
- EA25006 (Engineering Analysis)
- Status
- Open
- Component
- Forward Collision Avoidance: Dynamic Brake Support/Brake Assist
- Listed
- 12 make/model/year entries in NHTSA’s file
Vehicles under investigation
| Makes | Freightliner, Western Star |
|---|---|
| Models | 5700, Cascadia |
| Model years | 2017–2022 |
As listed in NHTSA’s investigation file. Not every vehicle of a listed model is necessarily affected.
What ODI says
On May 26, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE23010) to assess reports of false positive activation of the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system in model year (MY) 2017-2022 Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) vehicles. The reports alleged that activation of the AEB system occurred while driving with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's forward path, resulting in sudden vehicle deceleration. DTNA indicated that it received of a total of 315 reports that may relate to the alleged defect in MY 2017-2022 DTNA vehicles. DTNA stated that the vast majority of false positive activation of the subject systems occur in very limited durations and result in a five mile per hour deceleration. ODI considered four AEB systems offered by DTNA: Detroit Assurance 2.0, Detroit Assurance 4.0, Detroit Assurance 5.0, and Wabco OnGuard. ODI’s analysis shows that of the Detroit Assurance versions, all are failing at similar rates. The OnGuard AEB systems equipped on the same model and model year vehicles have experienced a significantly lower claim rate. To date, ODI has received a total of 32 consumer complaints of inadvertent activation of AEB in MY 2017-2022 DTNA vehicles. In total, ODI reviewed 347 unique (i.e., non-duplicative Vehicle Identification Numbers) reports that may relate to the alleged defect, which include 24 reports involving a crash, 13 reports involving an alleged injury and one report with a fatality. PE23010 has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis to further assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety related consequences of the inadvertent AEB activations in MY 2017-2022 DTNA vehicles. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Official summary by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation for EA25006, quoted in full (U.S. government work, public domain).
What owners have reported
Owners filed 108 complaints with NHTSA about the model years in this investigation, reporting 14 crashes, 3 fires, 23 injuries, 7 deaths. These are all complaints on file for those vehicles, about any problem, not only this one; complaints are unverified owner reports.
| Vehicle | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 5700 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 5700 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 5700 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 5700 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 5700 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 5700 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 Cascadia | 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2018 Cascadia | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 Cascadia | 29 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 2020 Cascadia | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 Cascadia | 16 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 2022 Cascadia | 13 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
Recalls and problems for these vehicles
Timeline
- ODI opens engineering analysis EA25006
- OpenNo closing date yet
What this means for owners
- An investigation is not a recall. NHTSA has not made a defect finding here, and owners are not asked to do anything yet. If a safety defect is confirmed, the manufacturer recalls the vehicles and the repair is free.
- Check your vehicle for open recalls with a free VIN recall check.
- Had this problem? File a complaint with NHTSA. Owner complaints are the evidence ODI uses to open and expand investigations.
Official record: search EA25006 or your vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls, which lists investigations alongside recalls. Data: NHTSA ODI investigations file, updated daily. All NHTSA investigations.