2001 Kenworth T300 recalls and problems

The 2001 Kenworth T300 has 5 recalls and 2 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is suspension.

How the 2001 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 4 T300 model years — 2nd most.

5recalls

2complaints

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 →

5 recalls

Trailer Hitches

May 5, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V168000 · 483 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with jost International jsk 37U series fifth wheels, a fatigue crack can develop in the bracket pin weld under certain loading conditions.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH JOST INTERNATIONAL JSK 37U SERIES FIFTH WHEELS, A FATIGUE CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE BRACKET PIN WELD UNDER CERTAIN LOADING CONDITIONS.

Risk: If left undetected or corrected it could lead to the separation of the fifth wheel top plate from its mounting structure, possibly resulting in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF LEFT UNDETECTED OR CORRECTED IT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE FIFTH WHEEL TOP PLATE FROM ITS MOUNTING STRUCTURE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the bracket pins and repair instructions free of charge. Peterbilt's owner notification began June 20, 2003. Kenworth's owner notification began June 12, 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 Peterbilt at 940-591-4201 or Kenworth 425-828-5440.

Peterbilt recall no. 403-C/Kenworth recall no. 03KW4.also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Service Brakes

Jan 15, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V018001 · 2,302 vehicles

Problem: On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor wabco pneumatic anitlock brake system (ABS) valve packages, the assembly bolts on these valve packages were not tightened correctly.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MERITOR WABCO PNEUMATIC ANITLOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) VALVE PACKAGES, THE ASSEMBLY BOLTS ON THESE VALVE PACKAGES WERE NOT TIGHTENED CORRECTLY.

Risk: Bolts torqued below specification will not reliably prevent air leakage at the affected ABS valve package interface joints once the component begins normal vehicle operation. If air leaks develop at any of the ABS valve package interface joints, brake system pressure reductions could occur during braking or normal operation with units equipped with the traction control option, potentially extending stopping distances, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

Original NHTSA wording

BOLTS TORQUED BELOW SPECIFICATION WILL NOT RELIABLY PREVENT AIR LEAKAGE AT THE AFFECTED ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS ONCE THE COMPONENT BEGINS NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. IF AIR LEAKS DEVELOP AT ANY OF THE ABS VALVE PACKAGE INTERFACE JOINTS, BRAKE SYSTEM PRESSURE REDUCTIONS COULD OCCUR DURING BRAKING OR NORMAL OPERATION WITH UNITS EQUIPPED WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL OPTION, POTENTIALLY EXTENDING STOPPING DISTANCES, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will tighten the fasteners to the proper specification. Owner notification began February 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 Kenworth at 1-425-828-5440 or Peterbilt at 1-940-591-4201.

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

Visibility

Sep 26, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V305000 · 2,670 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Certain heavy duty trucks fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 103, "windshield defrosting and defogging systems." the mode door in an HVAC system can become inoperable. The mode door cam and actuator could bind, causing the cam retaining tabs to shear off.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEMS." THE MODE DOOR IN AN HVAC SYSTEM CAN BECOME INOPERABLE. THE MODE DOOR CAM AND ACTUATOR COULD BIND, CAUSING THE CAM RETAINING TABS TO SHEAR OFF.

Risk: This failure May inhibit the ability to direct air blowing from the HVAC system to the windshield, potentially reducing the driver's visibility.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS FAILURE MAY INHIBIT THE ABILITY TO DIRECT AIR BLOWING FROM THE HVAC SYSTEM TO THE WINDSHIELD, POTENTIALLY REDUCING THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the mode door operation and replace the HVAC cab mode housing assembly if necessary. Owner notification began November 7, 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

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).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Suspension2

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

2001 vs. other Kenworth T300 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2001. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2001 Kenworth T300 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns covering the 2001 Kenworth T300, the latest from May 5, 2003 (trailer hitches). 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 2001 Kenworth T300?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention suspension (2). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.