2005 Kenworth C500 recalls and problems

The 2005 Kenworth C500 has 5 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2005 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

5recalls

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.

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5 recalls

Service Brakes

Mar 4, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V099000 · 130 vehicles

Problem: Paccar is recalling 130 my 2005-2007 Kenworth C500, T800, W900, and Peterbilt models 357 and 379 tractor trailers equipped with fabco slack adjusters on sisu axles. The slack adjusters May fail as a result of a fatigue crack rendering the slack adjuster inoperative. This could reduce braking effectiveness.

Original NHTSA wording

PACCAR IS RECALLING 130 MY 2005-2007 KENWORTH C500, T800, W900, AND PETERBILT MODELS 357 AND 379 TRACTOR TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH FABCO SLACK ADJUSTERS ON SISU AXLES. THE SLACK ADJUSTERS MAY FAIL AS A RESULT OF A FATIGUE CRACK RENDERING THE SLACK ADJUSTER INOPERATIVE. THIS COULD REDUCE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.

Risk: Reduction in braking capacity could increase the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

REDUCTION IN BRAKING CAPACITY COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and replace the slack adjusters free of charge. The recall began on March 21, 2008. Owners May contact Kenworth at 1-425-828-5440 and Peterbilt at 1-940-591-4196.

Kenworth recall no. 08KW2 and Peterbilt recall no. 208C.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Power Train

Mar 16, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V107000 · 4,592 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks, the wiring, parts, or transmission programming required for the auto neutral feature to function as designed were either not installed, connected, or programmed properly.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE WIRING, PARTS, OR TRANSMISSION PROGRAMMING REQUIRED FOR THE AUTO NEUTRAL FEATURE TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED WERE EITHER NOT INSTALLED, CONNECTED, OR PROGRAMMED PROPERLY.

Risk: If any of these conditions exists, the transmission will not automatically shift into neutral when left in drive with the parking brake set engaged. The vehicle could move without warning increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHEN LEFT IN DRIVE WITH THE PARKING BRAKE SET ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE COULD MOVE WITHOUT WARNING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the affected vehicles to ensure the auto neutral feature functions properly and, if needed, will make the necessary repairs free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2007. Owners May contact Kenworth at 425-828-5440.

Kenworth recall no. 07KW3.customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Engine

Dec 22, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V570000 · 30,995 vehicles

Problem: On certain tractors equipped with caterpillar diesel engines, the variable valve actuation oil line May wear against the sharp edge of the cylinder head if not positioned correctly.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR DIESEL ENGINES, THE VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATION OIL LINE MAY WEAR AGAINST THE SHARP EDGE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD IF NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.

Risk: The oil line May be cut on the cylinder head causing an oil leak and a possible fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THE OIL LINE MAY BE CUT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING AN OIL LEAK AND A POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Caterpillar, in conjunction with paccar, will be conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign free of charge. Owners May call caterpillar at 309-675-6496, Kenworth at 425-828-5440, or Peterbilt at 940-591-4201.

Kenworth recall no. 05KW7 and Peterbilt recall no. 1205E.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236(tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Suspension

May 19, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V237000 · 850 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks and tractors equipped with airglide high-articulation rear suspensions, the C65-1006 sway bar used in this rear suspension May experience a reduction in fatigue life due to either a manufacturing process or a high induced stress during an extreme suspension articulation event.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS AND TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH AIRGLIDE HIGH-ARTICULATION REAR SUSPENSIONS, THE C65-1006 SWAY BAR USED IN THIS REAR SUSPENSION MAY EXPERIENCE A REDUCTION IN FATIGUE LIFE DUE TO EITHER A MANUFACTURING PROCESS OR A HIGH INDUCED STRESS DURING AN EXTREME SUSPENSION ARTICULATION EVENT.

Risk: Both of these conditions can lead to a failure of the sway bar which could cause the rear axle to come loose, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

BOTH OF THESE CONDITIONS CAN LEAD TO A FAILURE OF THE SWAY BAR WHICH COULD CAUSE THE REAR AXLE TO COME LOOSE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

The inspection and repair of these vehicles will depend on the type of vehicle (tractor or truck) and the intended service application. This inspection and repair criteria will be forthcoming. The recall began on June 30, 2005. Owners May contact Kenworth at 1-425-828-5440.

Kenworth recall no. 05KW4.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Suspension

Apr 28, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V189000 · 1,026 vehicles

Problem: On certain heavy duty class 8 trucks, the suspension has transverse beam castings that May fracture under normal loads. If a casting breaks when the vehicle is traveling on a roadway there is the potential for pieces of the casting to become projectiles and the suspension's transverse beam May drop down low enough to contact the road surface.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 TRUCKS, THE SUSPENSION HAS TRANSVERSE BEAM CASTINGS THAT MAY FRACTURE UNDER NORMAL LOADS. IF A CASTING BREAKS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING ON A ROADWAY THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR PIECES OF THE CASTING TO BECOME PROJECTILES AND THE SUSPENSION'S TRANSVERSE BEAM MAY DROP DOWN LOW ENOUGH TO CONTACT THE ROAD SURFACE.

Risk: This could cause sparks that could potentially ignite and cause a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD CAUSE SPARKS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IGNITE AND CAUSE A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and replace the defective transverse beam assemblies free of charge. The recall began on June 10, 2005, with letters being mailed to Peterbilt owners; and on June 17, 2005, for Kenworth owners. Owners May contact Peterbilt at 940-591-4201 or Kenworth at 425-828-5440.

Peterbilt recall no. 405-B and Kenworth recall no. 05KW3.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

2005 vs. other Kenworth C500 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 Kenworth C500 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Kenworth C500, the latest from Mar 4, 2008 (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 2005 Kenworth C500?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Kenworth C500.