Consumer said that he was in a rest area, and the next day noticed oil/ melted hub cap, and left steering axle. He contacted the dealership, and they send him to the near dealership to have it fixed.*ak the worn spindle caused the bearings on the left front and right front steering to become loose and leak oil, which spread all over the wheel resulting in the hub cup melting.
The worst 1997 Kenworth T600 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Steering1
- Suspension1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Steering1
- Suspension1
Recalls 4
Suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: vehicles equipped with 54" rear axle spacing configuration of the airglide 200 suspension with the service application identified as logger, dump truck, or tanker. The rear suspension is regularly subjected to extreme articulation, resulting in flexing of the joint.
- Risk
- Failure of the lower sway arm attaching bolts could result in loss of vehicle control.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the lower sway arm brackets. Owner notification began march 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 kenworth at 1‑425‑828‑5000.
Recall number 01V051000 · Recall details
Electrical system: wiring: front underhood
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with caterpillar 3406e engines. The routing of the electrical and fuel lines can cause chaffing of the wiring harness on the fuel line.
- Risk
- This chaffing can cause fuel leakage and a potential for a fire in the engine compartment.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect, adjust, and repair, if necessary, the fuel line and electrical harness.
Recall number 98V129000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: hub
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with design level 1, rockwell ff980 series front axle. The front axle hub flange can develop cracks due to high stress levels.
- Risk
- Cracks in a hub flange can result in a wheel separation.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove and replace the front hubs with an improved design level 2 hub.
Recall number 97V196003 · Recall details
Suspension: rear
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with kenworth airglide 200 rear suspension. Due to materials used in the sway bar arms and studs as well as the stud plating material, stress corrosion cracking and bending fatigue can occur in the rear suspension sway bar arms and studs causing the stud to fail prematurely.
- Risk
- This could cause a loss of steering control increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the arm assembly manufactured from a different material. New studs will be installed with different threads and different finish.
Recall number 97V139000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Kenworth T600 5
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
What 1997 Kenworth T600 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
French ellison 97v139/97kw2. Dealer does not have the parts. His reply to owner: first come first serve. *
Compare the 1997 Kenworth T600
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Questions about the 1997 Kenworth T600
Is the 1997 Kenworth T600 reliable?
Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 1997 Kenworth T600, 2.0 times a typical T600 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Kenworth T600?
Steering, with 1 complaint. Next is suspension (1).
How many recalls does the 1997 Kenworth T600 have?
4 recalls, covering suspension and electrical system.
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