Reliability & cost of ownership
Western Star 4900 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Western Star 4900? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Western Star 4900 problems by model year
236 recall entries and 17 owner complaints on file across 26 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 4900 | 4 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2022 4900 | 7 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2021 4900 | 9 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2020 4900 | 7 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2019 4900 | 15 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2018 4900 | 16 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2017 4900 | 16 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2016 4900 | 10 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2015 4900 | 14 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2014 4900 | 11 | 3 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2013 4900 | 8 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2012 4900 | 8 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2011 4900 | 14 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2010 4900 | 14 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2009 4900 | 16 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2008 4900 | 17 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2007 4900 | 14 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2006 4900 | 10 | 1 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2005 4900 | 7 | 2 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2004 4900 | 5 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2003 4900 | 2 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2002 4900 | 2 | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2001 4900 | 3 | 2 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2000 4900 | 3 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 1999 4900 | 2 | None on file at try.vin | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 1998 4900 | 2 | 2 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Western Star 4900, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- tires5 complaints
- structure4 complaints
- suspension2 complaints
- visibility2 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system2 complaints
- wheels2 complaints
- air bags1 complaint
- power train1 complaint