2000 Peterbilt 385 recalls and problems

The 2000 Peterbilt 385 has 7 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2000 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

7recalls
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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7 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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

Seat Belts

Feb 22, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V054000 · 6,623 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Class 7 and class 8 vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 207, "seating system," and no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." some fasteners used to attach the shoulder belt anchor bracket to the cab structure were omitted during production.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CLASS 7 AND CLASS 8 VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 207, "SEATING SYSTEM," AND NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." SOME FASTENERS USED TO ATTACH THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR BRACKET TO THE CAB STRUCTURE WERE OMITTED DURING PRODUCTION.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the shoulder belt anchorage May not properly restrain the seat occupant, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHORAGE MAY NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE SEAT OCCUPANT, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will add the necessary fasteners. Owner notification began March 19, 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.

2000 vs. other Peterbilt 385 years

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

Questions

Does the 2000 Peterbilt 385 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns covering the 2000 Peterbilt 385, 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 2000 Peterbilt 385?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2000 Peterbilt 385.