Cascadia Leaky Windshield

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Injun, Jun 22, 2010.

  1. Injun

    Injun Road Train Member

    8,501
    9,491
    May 15, 2010
    West o' the Big Crick
    0
    A heads-up to Cascadia owners and drivers...

    The seal around the windshield on the Freightliner Cascadias has a design flaw that makes them prone to leak. Freightliner is aware of this, but has not, that I am aware of, issued a recall since 2009's SAM chassis recall. They are honoring the warranty on this, though, and I am right this moment sitting in the Freightliner parking lot waiting for the windshield guy to show up and seal up my windshield.

    Mine has apparently been leaking for quite some time and I didn't know about it because the leak was in the upper right corner of the passenger side pane. The water was going behind the plastic piece that has the "Oh Crap" handle on it. It wasn't until I was in the middle of a windy thunderstorm and getting dumped on to the tune of an inch of rain per 15 minutes and saw the water pouring in through the seal.

    The problem is partly the design of the seal itself and partly the fact this seal is not supposed to need caulking of any kind to be effective. Well, that theory has been proven incorrect. So, if you look up in that corner while it's raining or while you're getting a wash and find it leaking, let either your service dept or Freightliner know about it.

    Cheers!
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. stranger

    stranger Road Train Member

    3,640
    4,958
    Oct 10, 2006
    NC
    0
    Freightliner trucks have always needed a raincoat and hat as standard equipment. The old cabovers would leak into the headliner. When you hit a hard bump, it seemed like a gallon of water would dump out onto you, right out of the radio speaker above your head.

    It's nice to know they still employ the same engineers over 30 years later.
     
  4. Winchester Magnum

    Winchester Magnum Road Train Member

    1,492
    1,647
    Jan 4, 2009
    Alaska highway
    0
    I've said for years that Freightliner should hand out a complimentary case of silicone with every truck purchase, LOL.

    Stranger, you are right. But we must admit Freightliner has consistantly mastered one thing over the decades - Building the cheapest POS truck humanly possible.
     
    The Challenger and jtrnr1951 Thank this.
  5. stranger

    stranger Road Train Member

    3,640
    4,958
    Oct 10, 2006
    NC
    0
    You ever drive a Sterling and watch the tops of the doors, up at the windshield A pillar where the mirror is mounted, move in and out everytime a gust of wind hits it? On the daycabs with out side fairings, there is also a very loud whistling roar above 50 mph. I checked everywhere trying to find that noise.

    I taped cardboard over mirror brackets, door handles, ect. Finally I taped a long piece of cardboard from the door over the grab handle. That was it. It astounded me that engineers could not find that problem and fix it. All it would take is a flat grab handle instead of round, or a round with ridges to break up the wind. The noise was so loud it would make me tired just listening to it. More Freightliner engineering.
     
  6. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    10,353
    11,159
    May 28, 2009
    Rancho Mirage, Ca.
    0
    I like FRT-LINERS, but the windshields have always leaked and I've been in trucks since 1976. But, wait, aren't they the company that says they spent millions on research to make a better product (Cascadia)?
     
  7. stranger

    stranger Road Train Member

    3,640
    4,958
    Oct 10, 2006
    NC
    0
    It appears those millions have worked. The trucks don't leak onto your head anymore, they leak down the windshield post. Much better.
     
    slow.rider and Big Don Thank this.
  8. FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY

    FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY Light Load Member

    270
    131
    Apr 28, 2009
    Cincinnati, ohio
    0
    their is a service bulletin on the cascadia for the windshields leaking. thier is 2 different seals. one seal you use one type of sealer and a different type for the other seal. also we have found that removing the windshields, grinding seal area down to bare metal then reinstalling windshields has solved the problem with windshields leaking
     
  9. GRAYMATTERS

    GRAYMATTERS Light Load Member

    180
    92
    Apr 13, 2009
    Colorado
    0
    Not to "bust yer chops" or anything like that....... BUT.........

    "Their is a service bulletin..." NO....... THERE is a service bulletin......

    "their is 2 different seals." NO....... THERE ARE 2 different seals.

    And lastly...... "grind seal area down to bare metal and then reinstall windshield" NO....... I don't think so....... I think I'll buy a Kenworth instead, thank you very much.
     
  10. boneebone

    boneebone Road Train Member

    2,230
    2,262
    Mar 13, 2009
    0
    Since the truck is made in Mexico, I believe they meant "Millions of Pesos", which isn't much at all. That's why no matter what new truck Freightshaker designs, engineers and makes it will still and always be a POS Throwaway truck.
     
  11. Big Don

    Big Don "Old Fart"

    17,996
    35,640
    Sep 8, 2007
    Utah's DIXIE!
    0
    So what is the excuse for their older trucks that were NOT made in Mexico?:biggrin_25510:
     
    bullhaulerswife Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.