2001 Peterbilt 379 recalls and problems

The 2001 Peterbilt 379 has 4 recalls and 6 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is suspension.

Pictured: a 2000 model; the 2001 may differ in details. Photo: 2000 Peterbilt 379 by Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2001 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 7 379 model years — 3rd most.

4recalls

6complaints

0crashes

0fires

1injuries

—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 →

4 recalls

Suspension

Apr 1, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V125000 · 154 vehicles

Problem: On certain trucks equipped with truck hub units manufactured by skf exclusively for use on arvinmeritor's FF98X series non-drive steer axles, the hub unit bearings can wear prematurely.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRUCK HUB UNITS MANUFACTURED BY SKF EXCLUSIVELY FOR USE ON ARVINMERITOR'S FF98X SERIES NON-DRIVE STEER AXLES, THE HUB UNIT BEARINGS CAN WEAR PREMATURELY.

Risk: Seizure of the bearings can cause wheel separation or wheel end fire.

Original NHTSA wording

SEIZURE OF THE BEARINGS CAN CAUSE WHEEL SEPARATION OR WHEEL END FIRE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace all front axle hubs. Notification began July 16, 2003. The manufacturer has advised US that parts will not be available until September 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy with a reasonable time should contact Peterbilt at 940-591-4201 or Kenworth 425-828-5440.

Kenworth recall no. 03KW2 and Peterbilt recall no. 303-A.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).

Latches/locks/linkages

Jun 5, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V179000 · 52,500 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks. A change in the internal linkage of certain cab doors has created a possible binding condition.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS. A CHANGE IN THE INTERNAL LINKAGE OF CERTAIN CAB DOORS HAS CREATED A POSSIBLE BINDING CONDITION.

Risk: If the linkage binds, full engagement of the door latch May not occur, allowing the door to open inadvertently.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE LINKAGE BINDS, FULL ENGAGEMENT OF THE DOOR LATCH MAY NOT OCCUR, ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN INADVERTENTLY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will modify the door linkage to correct the potential of binding. Owner notification began June 22, 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.

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

Steering

Mar 7, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V066000 · 1,755 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Heavy duty trucks. The bolts used to secure the steering shaft can fail.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS. THE BOLTS USED TO SECURE THE STEERING SHAFT CAN FAIL.

Risk: This condition can result in the loss of vehicle control without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the defective bolts. Owner notification began April 2, 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.

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

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

2001 vs. other Peterbilt 379 years

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

Questions

Does the 2001 Peterbilt 379 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2001 Peterbilt 379, the latest from Apr 1, 2003 (suspension). 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 Peterbilt 379?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention suspension (3), equipment (2), structure (2). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.