2000 Kenworth T300 recalls and problems

The 2000 Kenworth T300 has 6 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2000 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

6recalls

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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6 recalls

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).

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).

Service Brakes

Aug 23, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V268000 · 3,000 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks equipped with 10,000 or 12,000 pound dana front axles. A condition called brake "sprag", which is characterized by a noise at the end of an applied stop, can develop in the brake system. This noise is the result of a pulsation of the brake lining with the brake drum during brake application. These noise vibrations occur at the resonant frequency of the front axle cross-tube assembly and cause unusually high strain forces in the threaded portion of the tie rod ends that are connected to the cross-tube.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 10,000 OR 12,000 POUND DANA FRONT AXLES. A CONDITION CALLED BRAKE "SPRAG", WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED BY A NOISE AT THE END OF AN APPLIED STOP, CAN DEVELOP IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS NOISE IS THE RESULT OF A PULSATION OF THE BRAKE LINING WITH THE BRAKE DRUM DURING BRAKE APPLICATION. THESE NOISE VIBRATIONS OCCUR AT THE RESONANT FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT AXLE CROSS-TUBE ASSEMBLY AND CAUSE UNUSUALLY HIGH STRAIN FORCES IN THE THREADED PORTION OF THE TIE ROD ENDS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE CROSS-TUBE.

Risk: Failure of the tie rod end can cause loss of steering control and possibly result in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

FAILURE OF THE TIE ROD END CAN CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the brake lining on the front axle of each vehicle with a lining made of a different composition. In addition, the tie rod ends will be replaced free of charge. Owner notification began October 12, 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).

Service Brakes

Jun 12, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V188000 · 23 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Certain vehicles having an intended service code of "fire service" and either type 24 or larger front brake chambers or type 36 rear brake chambers fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 121, "air brake systems." these vehicles were built with a combined air reservoir volume less than 12 times the combined volume of all service chambers.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN VEHICLES HAVING AN INTENDED SERVICE CODE OF "FIRE SERVICE" AND EITHER TYPE 24 OR LARGER FRONT BRAKE CHAMBERS OR TYPE 36 REAR BRAKE CHAMBERS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH A COMBINED AIR RESERVOIR VOLUME LESS THAN 12 TIMES THE COMBINED VOLUME OF ALL SERVICE CHAMBERS.

Risk: Unusually frequent applications of the air brakes could deplete the available air supply more quickly than expected.

Original NHTSA wording

UNUSUALLY FREQUENT APPLICATIONS OF THE AIR BRAKES COULD DEPLETE THE AVAILABLE AIR SUPPLY MORE QUICKLY THAN EXPECTED.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install an additional air tank on chassis with a single rear axle. On tandem rear axle chassis, dealer will replace an existing air tank with a larger air tank. Owner notification began July 16, 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).

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).

Power Train

May 5, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V131001 · 490 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks equipped with eaton autoshift gen II transmission assemblies. Due to a software problem in the transmission assemblies, the transmission will select the wrong gear.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH EATON AUTOSHIFT GEN II TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLIES. DUE TO A SOFTWARE PROBLEM IN THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLIES, THE TRANSMISSION WILL SELECT THE WRONG GEAR.

Risk: If an inappropriate gear is selected without the driver's knowledge, the vehicle will react differently than expected, possibly resulting in injury or crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF AN INAPPROPRIATE GEAR IS SELECTED WITHOUT THE DRIVER'S KNOWLEDGE, THE VEHICLE WILL REACT DIFFERENTLY THAN EXPECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURY OR CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the autoshift transmissions. Eaton performed the campaign for the Kenworth portion. However Peterbilt will be conducting their own campaign.

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 paccar at 1-940-591-4000. 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 T300 years

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

Questions

Does the 2000 Kenworth T300 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Kenworth T300, the latest from Jul 15, 2002 (steering). 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 T300?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2000 Kenworth T300.