2006 Kenworth C500 recalls and problems

The 2006 Kenworth C500 has 5 recalls and 1 owner complaint on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2006 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 4 C500 model years — the most of any year.

5recalls

1complaints

0crashes

1fires

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 →

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.

Service Brakes

Mar 9, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V090000 · 65 vehicles

Problem: Certain trucks fail to comply with the brake timing regulatory requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 121, "air brake systems." the brake valve was moved to the opposite rail, increasing the length of the air line, which in turn increased the wheelbase requiring a dual relay valve system. The vehicles were manufactured with a single valve system.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE BRAKE TIMING REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE BRAKE VALVE WAS MOVED TO THE OPPOSITE RAIL, INCREASING THE LENGTH OF THE AIR LINE, WHICH IN TURN INCREASED THE WHEELBASE REQUIRING A DUAL RELAY VALVE SYSTEM. THE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A SINGLE VALVE SYSTEM.

Risk: If stopping distance was limited, a vehicle crash could result.

Original NHTSA wording

IF STOPPING DISTANCE WAS LIMITED, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will convert the single relay valve to a dual relay valve system free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2007. Owners May contact Kenworth at 425-828-5440.

Kenworth recall no. 07KW2.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.

Power Train

Oct 13, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V391000 · 572 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with chalmers rear suspensions, the adjustable torque rod end castings May be brittle. A brittle rod end casting May fracture without warning, causing the vehicles' rear axles to become misaligned.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CHALMERS REAR SUSPENSIONS, THE ADJUSTABLE TORQUE ROD END CASTINGS MAY BE BRITTLE. A BRITTLE ROD END CASTING MAY FRACTURE WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLES' REAR AXLES TO BECOME MISALIGNED.

Risk: This misalignment can cause the vehicle to lose directional stability at speeds that May result in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS MISALIGNMENT CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY AT SPEEDS THAT MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the vehicles to determine if they were manufactured with a suspect torque rod end. If a suspect torque rod end is found, the entire torque rod will be replaced. The recall began on October 9, 2006. Owners May contact Peterbilt at 1-940-591-4196 or Kenworth at 1-425-828-5440.

Kenworth recall no. 06KW1 and Peterbilt recall no. 1006C.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.

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.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Electrical System1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

NHTSA investigations

TRAILER LIGHT PLUG FAILURE

PE08011 · opened Feb 8, 2008 · closed May 5, 2008 · led to recall 08V190000

Summary

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF KENWORTH PRODUCTS BASED ON THEIR FIELD COMMUNICATION TIB # 34-31.KENWORTH INTRODUCED THE QCS II STA-DRY TRAILER CABLE IN MAY 2006.THE TECHNICAL INFORMATION BULLETIN STEMMED FROM FIELD FEEDBACK THAT INDICATED A FLEXIBILITY PROBLEM WITH THE QCS II CABLE CONNECTION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF LIGHTING TO THE TRAILER.ODI BELIEVES A LOSS OF LIGHTING WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE TRAILER'S VISIBILITY. FURTHER, THE RESULTING LOSS OF BRAKE LIGHTS IS INHERENTLY CRITICAL TO HIGHWAY SAFETY, DAY OR NIGHT.KENWORTH HAS UPGRADED THE TIB REPAIR TO A SAFETY RECALL.KENWORTH DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT BRACKET BETWEEN THE BACK OF THE QCS II MOLDED BOOT AND THE FRAME BRACKET, THUS PROVIDING ABETTER CABLE CONNECTION. THE DEFECT NOTIFICATION WAS SUBMITTED ON 4/25/08 (COPY ATTACHED).TRAILERS BUILT BETWEEN MAY 24 AND NOVEMBER 21, 2006 (MODEL YEAR 2007 TRAILERS) WILL BE REMEDIED.THE POPULATION TO BE REMEDIED IS 3,573 IN THE UNITED STATES.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

2006 vs. other Kenworth C500 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2006. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2006 Kenworth C500 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2006 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 2006 Kenworth C500?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.