2000 Kenworth C500 recalls and problems

The 2000 Kenworth C500 has 7 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2000 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

7recalls

0complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

—median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

7 recalls

Service Brakes

Mar 31, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V126000 · 45 vehicles

Problem: Certain trucks equipped with meritor p 18X7 brakes with 36" brake chambers fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) no. 121, "air brake systems." these trucks were manufactured with a combined air reservoir volume less than 12 times the combined volume of all service brake chambers.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MERITOR P 18X7 BRAKES WITH 36" BRAKE CHAMBERS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THESE TRUCKS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A COMBINED AIR RESERVOIR VOLUME LESS THAN 12 TIMES THE COMBINED VOLUME OF ALL SERVICE BRAKE CHAMBERS.

Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will add an additional tank or change one of the existing air tanks to a larger size. Owner notification began on May 5, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Kenworth at 1-425-828-5440.

Kenworth recall no. 03KW3. Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Steering

Jul 15, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V037003 · 4,513 vehicles

Problem: Heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain arvinmeritor and dana axles. Peterbilt will recall 1,434 vehicles equipped with arvinmeritor axles manufactured from December 11, 1999, to May 14, 2000, and from July 22 to September 30, 2000. Kenworth will recall 859 vehicles equipped with arvinmeritor vehicles manufactured from December 11, 1999, to May 23, 2000, and from July 27, 2000, to September 30, 2000 and kennworth will recall an additional 4,151 vehicles equipped with dana axles and manufactured from June 23 to December 6, 1999, and from May 23 to September 30, 2000. The tie rod and drag link ball stud ends contain bearings that are below the specified case depth and/or hardness.

Original NHTSA wording

HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRW TIE ROD ENDS ON CERTAIN ARVINMERITOR AND DANA AXLES. PETERBILT WILL RECALL 1,434 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ARVINMERITOR AXLES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 11, 1999, TO MAY 14, 2000, AND FROM JULY 22 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2000. KENWORTH WILL RECALL 859 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ARVINMERITOR VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 11, 1999, TO MAY 23, 2000, AND FROM JULY 27, 2000, TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2000 AND KENNWORTH WILL RECALL AN ADDITIONAL 4,151 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DANA AXLES AND MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 23 TO DECEMBER 6, 1999, AND FROM MAY 23 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2000. THE TIE ROD AND DRAG LINK BALL STUD ENDS CONTAIN BEARINGS THAT ARE BELOW THE SPECIFIED CASE DEPTH AND/OR HARDNESS.

Risk: This can lead to premature wear with possible separation of the ball stud from the socket, increasing the risk of loss of control of the vehicle.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CAN LEAD TO PREMATURE WEAR WITH POSSIBLE SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE SOCKET, INCREASING THE RISK OF LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began July 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Peterbilt at 1-940-591-4201 or Kenworth at 1-425-828-5440.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical System

Feb 4, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V033000 · 44 vehicles

Problem: On some heavy duty trucks equipped with alcoa fujikura ltd. (afl) power distribution boxes (pd box), the pd boxes were manufactured with insufficient torque applied to the nut of the main power feed-through stud.

Original NHTSA wording

ON SOME HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH ALCOA FUJIKURA LTD. (AFL) POWER DISTRIBUTION BOXES (PD BOX), THE PD BOXES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH INSUFFICIENT TORQUE APPLIED TO THE NUT OF THE MAIN POWER FEED-THROUGH STUD.

Risk: Insufficient torque can lead to (1) electrical arcing of the wires inside of the pd box, or (2) an interrupted power supply to the vehicle's electrical system, either of which can lead to a loss of vehicle electrical power and possibly vehicle control without warning.

Original NHTSA wording

INSUFFICIENT TORQUE CAN LEAD TO (1) ELECTRICAL ARCING OF THE WIRES INSIDE OF THE PD BOX, OR (2) AN INTERRUPTED POWER SUPPLY TO THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EITHER OF WHICH CAN LEAD TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE ELECTRICAL POWER AND POSSIBLY VEHICLE CONTROL WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and tighten the nut on the main power feed-through stud. Owner notification began February 25, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Kenworth at 1-425-828-5440.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Steering

Aug 28, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V140006 · 2,294 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain meritor axles. The tie rod and drag link ball stud ends contain bearings that are below the specified case depth and/or hardness.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRW TIE ROD ENDS ON CERTAIN MERITOR AXLES. THE TIE ROD AND DRAG LINK BALL STUD ENDS CONTAIN BEARINGS THAT ARE BELOW THE SPECIFIED CASE DEPTH AND/OR HARDNESS.

Risk: This can lead to premature wear with possible separation of the ball stud from the socket, increasing the risk of loss of control of the vehicle.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CAN LEAD TO PREMATURE WEAR WITH POSSIBLE SEPARATION OF THE BALL STUD FROM THE SOCKET, INCREASING THE RISK OF LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began October 24, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Peterbilt at 1-940-591-4000 or Kenworth at 1-425-828-5000.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Suspension

May 17, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V167001 · 390 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks equipped with chalmers 1000 series and 800 series suspension kits. These suspension kits May have insufficient penetration of the weld attaching the torque rod eye to the torque rod tube.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CHALMERS 1000 SERIES AND 800 SERIES SUSPENSION KITS. THESE SUSPENSION KITS MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT PENETRATION OF THE WELD ATTACHING THE TORQUE ROD EYE TO THE TORQUE ROD TUBE.

Risk: Failure of the weld could result in separation of the eye and tube, causing a lock of axle retention, which could result in loss of vehicle control.

Original NHTSA wording

FAILURE OF THE WELD COULD RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE EYE AND TUBE, CAUSING A LOCK OF AXLE RETENTION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace all chalmers fixed torque rods on these vehicles. Owner notification began July 27, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Peterbilt at 1-940-591-4000 or Kenworth at 1-425-828-5000.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Suspension

Feb 20, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V051000 · 209 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Vehicles equipped with 54" rear axle spacing configuration of the airglide 200 suspension with the service application identified as logger, dump truck, or tanker. The rear suspension is regularly subjected to extreme articulation, resulting in flexing of the joint.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 54" REAR AXLE SPACING CONFIGURATION OF THE AIRGLIDE 200 SUSPENSION WITH THE SERVICE APPLICATION IDENTIFIED AS LOGGER, DUMP TRUCK, OR TANKER. THE REAR SUSPENSION IS REGULARLY SUBJECTED TO EXTREME ARTICULATION, RESULTING IN FLEXING OF THE JOINT.

Risk: Failure of the lower sway arm attaching bolts could result in loss of vehicle control.

Original NHTSA wording

FAILURE OF THE LOWER SWAY ARM ATTACHING BOLTS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the lower sway arm brackets. Owner notification began March 27, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Kenworth at 1-425-828-5000.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Electrical System

Feb 5, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V021000 · 1,992 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks equipped with an optional firewall-mounted circuit breaker. The main cab power and battery power leads were attached incorrectly. This condition can result in the main cab power being unprotected.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL FIREWALL-MOUNTED CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE MAIN CAB POWER AND BATTERY POWER LEADS WERE ATTACHED INCORRECTLY. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE MAIN CAB POWER BEING UNPROTECTED.

Risk: If a wiring short occurred anywhere along the cab power circuit, the available battery power could arc and cause subsequent damage to the vehicle or a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

IF A WIRING SHORT OCCURRED ANYWHERE ALONG THE CAB POWER CIRCUIT, THE AVAILABLE BATTERY POWER COULD ARC AND CAUSE SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and correct the problem, as needed. Owner notification began February 26, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Kenworth at 1-425-828-5000.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

2000 vs. other Kenworth C500 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2000. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2000 Kenworth C500 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Kenworth C500, the latest from Mar 31, 2003 (service brakes). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Kenworth C500?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2000 Kenworth C500.