Tl*the contact owns a 2008 peterbilt 386 tractor. The contact stated that the regeneration cycle related to the diesel engine (used to burn soot from the exhaust) would not function properly. As a result, the engine would shut off. Prior to the failure, the engine warning light would illuminate on the instrument panel. The failure occurred everytime the vehicle was operated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer numerous times, but none of the remedies were sufficient. The vehicle was also repaired according to the federal safety agency campaign id number 08v487000; however, the failure continued. The manufacturer could not assist. The current mileage was 100,680 and failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
The worst 2008 Peterbilt 386 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine4
- Electrical1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine4
- Electrical1
Recalls 14
Service brakes, air: antilock: ABS warning light
- What is wrong
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2008-2019 Peterbilt 330, 335, 337, 340, 348, 365, 367, 384, 386, 387, 388, 389, 567, 579 and 587 vehicles and 2008-2020 Kenworth T170, T270, T370, T660, T680, T800, T880, and W900 vehicles equipped with NAMUX Software. In the event that the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) loses battery and/or ignition power to the controller, the dash warning light for the ABS may not illuminate to warn the driver of the loss of ABS. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 121, "Air Brake Systems," and 136, "Electronic Stability Control System on Heavy Vehicles."
- Risk
- If the driver unknowingly operates the vehicle without the ABS functioning, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will update the NAMUX software within the cab control module, free of charge. PACCAR issued owners an interim notification on June 4, 2020. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1‑425‑828‑5888 or Peterbilt customer service at 1‑940‑591‑4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 20pbc AND 20KWB.
Recall number 20V199000 · Recall details
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- Paccar Incorporated (Paccar) is recalling certain 2004-2013 Peterbilt 379, 357, 378, 367, 388, 365, 389, 385 and 386 trucks manufactured from April 3, 2003, through October 25, 2013 and equipped with tri-drive rear axles and a tag or pusher axle. The affected vehicles may be missing required information from the certification label, specifically the tag or pusher axle the gross axle weight rating, suitable tire and rim information, and recommended tire pressure information. Without this information, the vehicles do not comply with the requirements of 49 C.F.R. Part 567, "Certification."
- Risk
- As a result, the axles may be overloaded or the wrong tires could be installed or the tires could be improperly inflated. All of these issues increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Peterbilt will notify owners and dealers will inspect and replace the certification labels missing the necessary information. The recall is expected to begin in January 2014. Customers can contact Peterbilt at 1‑940‑591‑4000. Peterbilt's number for this campaign is 1113-F.
Recall number 13V593000 · Recall details
Electrical system: software
- What is wrong
- Paccar is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 kenworth t660, t700, and t800 vehicles manufactured from april 19, 2010, through may 13, 2011, and model year 2008, 2010, and 2011 peterbilt 365, 367, 384, 386, 387, 388 and 587 vehicles manufactured from april 20, 2010, through june 11, 2011, and equipped with paccar mx engines and eaton ultrashift dm or allison automatic transmissions (without auto-neutral). The fast idle control may be activated by the operator while the transmission is in gear.
- Risk
- If the fast idle control function is engaged with the transmission in gear, the vehicle could unexpectedly accelerate and override the parking brake and , creating a risk of a crash and damage to other vehicles or property and the potential for injury to nearby pedestrians.
- Remedy
- Kenworth and peterbilt dealers will update the engine software for the affected chassis. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on august 22, 2011. Owners may contact kenworth at 1‑425‑828‑5440 and peterbilt at 1‑940‑591‑4196.
Recall number 11V380000 · Recall details
Fuel system, other: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Paccar is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 kenworth t2000, t660, t700, t800, and w900, as well as model year 2009-2012 peterbilt 365, 367, 384, 386, 387, 388, 389, and 587 trucks equipped with paccar mx engines. The oil module centrifugal spinner filter cap in the paccar mx engine may become loose, possibly allowing the cap to come off and engine oil to partially discharge from the oil module onto exhaust components.
- Risk
- The discharge of engine oil onto exhaust components which are hot, such as when the engine is under significant load, may cause a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will re-torque the oil module filter cap and install a secondary retention device on the secondary centrifugal spinner filter cap. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during march 2011. Owners may contact kenworth at 1‑425‑828‑5440 and peterbilt at 1‑940‑591‑4196.
Recall number 11V127000 · Recall details
Power train: axle assembly
- What is wrong
- Paccar is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 kenworth and peterbilt vehicles manufactured from february 2, 2006 through april 30, 2007. The bearing surfaces of the extended lube universal joint that attaches the inter-axle driveline to the drive axle may become prematurely worn due to breakdown of lubrication and/or excessive heat. Prematurely worn bearing surfaces may result in the u-joint becoming loose and/or binding. This condition may result in universal joint failure, allowing the inter-axle driveline to detach from the axle.
- Risk
- Detachment of the driveline from the axle may cause the vehicle to lose power and become disabled in the roadway. Also, the driveline could drop from the vehicle into the roadway increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Paccar is working with its supplier to remedy the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during february 2011. Owners may contact kenworth at 425‑828‑5440 and peterbilt at 940‑591‑4196.
Recall number 10V634000 · Recall details
Steering: column
- What is wrong
- Paccar is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 trucks equipped with trw steering shafts. The circumferential weld around the steering shaft tube that welds the splined tube to the non-splined tube may be mislocated. Mislocation of the circumferential weld may allow the splined tube and non-splined tube to rotate relative to one another during a low speed, high torque turn, possibly resulting in a separation of the two tubes.
- Risk
- A separation of the splined and non-splined tubes would cause a loss of steering control and increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the steering shaft using a weld placement gauge provided by trw. Any steering shaft found to have been welded improperly will be replaced free of charge. The safety recall began on july 30, 2010. Owners may contact kenworth at 425‑828‑5440 and peterbilt at 940‑591‑4196.
Recall number 10V308000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: diesel
- What is wrong
- Paccar is recalling 4,883 my 2006-2009 kenworth t600, t660, t800, w900, t2000 and my 2008-2009 peterbilt 365, 367, 379, 384, 386, 387, 388 and 389 trucks. Inadequate stiffness of the diesel particulate filter (dpf) bracket could result in separation of the dpf from the chassis.
- Risk
- A vehicle crash could occur if another vehicle strikes the dpf on the roadway.
- Remedy
- Paccar is working with caterpillar to repair these vehicles (please see 08e041). Owners may contact caterpillar at 1‑800‑447‑4986 or kenworth at 1‑425‑828‑5440 or peterbilt at 1‑940‑591‑4196.
Recall number 08V487000 · Recall details
Trailer hitches
- What is wrong
- Paccar is recalling 318 my 2007-2009 kenworth t800, w900, and peterbilt 357, 365, 367, 378, 379, 384, 385, 386,388, and 389 trucks equipped with premier trailer hitch assemblies. The pintle hitch assemblies may have been manufactured in a manner resulting in a reduction of fatigue strength of the pivot pins.
- Risk
- This reduction of fatigue strength could cause the pivot pin to crack and eventually break, causing the trailer to detach from the truck while in motion, which could cause a crash that could result in personal injury or death.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the potentially defective pivot pin free of charge. The recall began on april 18, 2008. Owners may contact kenworth at 1‑425‑828‑5440 or peterbilt at 1‑940‑591‑4196.
Recall number 08V104000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- Paccar is recalling 6,169 my 2008 kenworth t300, t660, t800, t2000, w900 and c500 vehicles and my 2008-2009 peterbilt models 365, 367, 384, 387, 388, 389 and 389 kits. Certain door latch assemblies on these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 206, 'door locks and door retention components." the rotor in some of these door latch assemblies did not receive the proper heat treatment and may be soft.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, force could cause the rotor to crack and the door would not have primary or secondary closing security which could possibly lead to injury of the vehicle occupant.
- Remedy
- Paccar is working with trimark and will inspect and replace the door latch if it is found to be defective. The recall began on march 14, 2008. Owners may contact kenworth at 1‑425‑828‑5440 or peterbilt at 1‑940‑591‑4196.
Recall number 08V065000 · Recall details
Service brakes, air: supply: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Certain trucks equipped with eaton synflex eclipse brand extruded nylon air brake hose tubing fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 106, "brake hoses." the tubing was manufactured with only four layers of nylon material, instead of the specified five layers.
- Risk
- The diameter of the hose affects the fittings which may allow air to leak from the brakes and create the potential for a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the air brake hoses and, if necessary, replace the hoses. The recall began on february 22, 2008. Owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact kenworth at 1‑425‑828‑5440 or peterbilt at 1‑940‑591‑4196.
Recall number 08V002000 · Recall details
Steering: gear box: shaft sector
- What is wrong
- On certain kenworth and peterbilt heavy duty trucks equipped with tas-85 trw steering gears, the inner surface of the outer sector shaft teeth of the steering gears may have an incorrect involute profile, which may lead to chipping and damage of the gearing system.
- Risk
- This type of damage may cause a "bind/stick" condition in the vehicle steering during a turn increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will repair and replace any suspect tas-85 steering gear assembly free of charge. The recall began on january 9, 2008. Owners may contact kenworth at 425‑828‑5440 and peterbilt at 940‑591‑4201.
Recall number 07V591000 · Recall details
Fuel system, diesel: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- On certain peterbilt trucks, the longitudinal seams on the fuel tanks were fabricated using an incorrect weld speed for the given material thickness. This error resulted in a weld which did not completely penetrate the entire material thickness.
- Risk
- Fuel tanks possessing this defect could leak diesel fuel in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace any defective fuel tanks free of charge. The recall began on october 8, 2007. Owners may contact peterbilt at 940‑591‑4201.
Recall number 07V409000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- On certain trucks built with cummins ism c876 engines, the electronic control module fails to recognize inputs of the vehicle electronic control unit or from a driver actuated dash switch thereby increasing the risk of unintended (or unexpected) elevated exhaust temperatures.
- Risk
- While this condition does not involve a risk of fire in the vehicle itself, it could present a fire hazard in a situation where the vehicle's exhaust is in close proximity to materials or substances that can melt, burn, or explode.
- Remedy
- Cummins, in conjunction with paccar, will conduct the remedy campaign. Cummis will install new ECM software. Owners can contact cummins at 1‑800‑343‑7357, peterbilt at 940‑591‑4201 or kenworth at 425‑828‑5440.
Recall number 07V287000 · Recall details
Trailer hitches
- What is wrong
- On certain trucks, the removable tow hitch ,when used to tow or lift a vehicle, can fail due to defective material in the tow hitch.
- Risk
- If the tow hitch assembly fails while a vehicle is being towed or lifted, it may cause an accident that could result in personal injury or death.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the tow pin assembly free of charge. The recall began on september 4, 2007. Owners may contact kenworth at 425‑828‑5440 or peterbilt at 940‑591‑4201.
Recall number 07V269000 · Recall details
See all 14 recalls for the 2008 Peterbilt 386
Defect investigations
Driveshaft separates from tractor
SummaryOn July 13, 2010, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened an investigation on model year (MY) 2007-2009 Peterbilt tractors equipped with the (SPL170XL extended lube inter-axle driveline).ODI opened this investigation based on one Vehicle Owners Questionnaire (VOQ) and certain Peterbilt field reports.During the course of the investigation, ODI reviewed PACCAR's IR (October 22, 2010) response with associated data related to Warranty and complaint information, mined field data, interviewed customers and visited local dealers within the Washington Metropolitan area.PACCARconducted testing regarding torsional loading and identified various causative factors contributed to this safety defect finding.The Defect is a consequence of the bearing surfaces of the SPL170XL extended lube universal joint that attaches the inter-axle driveline to the drive axle becoming prematurely worn due to a breakdown of lubrication and/or excessive heat.Prematurely worn bearing surfaces may result in the u-joint becoming loose and/or binding.This condition may result in universal joint failure, allowing the inter-axle driveline to detach from the axle, which may cause the drive shaft to separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of personal injury or property damage hazard.ODI learned that the affected population of the alleged defect extended to peer models within PACCAR.In summary, the following vehicles are being recalled: MY 2007 and 2008 Kenworth trucks, models T600, T660, T2000, T800 and W900 and MY 2007/2008 Peterbilt trucks, models357, 378, 379, 385, 386, 387, 388, and 389 allequipped with extended lube inter-axle drivelines manufactured by Dana Corporation.The recall affects vehicles manufactured between February 2, 2006 and April 30, 2007.At this time PACCAR has not yet identified a fix for the inner-axle safety defect and is currently conducting testing with the intent to provide a solution to the failure.ODI will monitor the development of PACCARS testing and ensure a timely repair for the consumer.This investigation is closed.
PE10029
Horton Fan Hub Failures
PACCAR is conducting an Owner Notification Program (ONP) for select vehicles within the subject and peer populations.The ONP are attached to the closing report and can be found in the federal safety agency Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) database. (TSB: 10033585, 10033584)See Closing report for investigation details.
EA09008
Technical service bulletins for the 2008 Peterbilt 386 20
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- "Kenworth: Dealers should check the chassis list and SIR weekly for VIN changes
- 1210F - spl 170XL
- Information Only – Windshield washer pumps have a high No Trouble Found rate
- Fix as Fail: For all conventional models, except 387/587, equipped with Side-of-Cab (“SOC”) exhaust and...
- Information Only: This bulletin provides dealers with a battery warranty quick reference guide to ensure...
- Information only: Hendrickson Softek front axle maintenance intervals and requirements.
- Safety Recall Bulletin: Updated with permanent repair path for phase 1 vehicles
- Safety Recall Interim Bulletin: The Tractor ABS Lamp May Not Illuminate When ABS Controller Loses Battery...
- Information Only: Proper jump-starting voltage will eliminate high voltage related issues and equipment...
- Information Only – Vehicles may have the connector seals on the wheel speed sensor incorrectly installed,...
What 2008 Peterbilt 386 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
2008 peterbilt 386 road tractor with a cummins isx 550 hp engine. Purchased 9-10-07. Electrical issues. The door locks were blowing fuses, the GPS and radio would go off and on, the power windows and windshield wipers stopped working, the dash lights and buzzers would flash and alarm when on rough roads, the low coolant light staying on. Some sensors;fuses replaced. In january having oil pressure issues. Pressure would drop to 0 and truck would shut off. Told this a clogged oil filter. Changed the filter. Continued to have the problem. In february we took the it in for this, and the electrical; they could found nothing. We picked it up, drove about 3 miles and the oil pressure began to fluctuate. Took it back, it was kept several days and they still found nothing. Then the fuel was not equalizing between tanks and the truck would run out of fuel. We brought it in on 4-23-08. We noted the oil pressure, the electrical and the fuel not equalizing. After 2 days, again nothing was found. Picked it up on 4-25-08, picked up a local load to deliver on the 28th. 5:30pm the truck broke down. It was towed to the shop. The mechanic said it was an electrical issue with the oil pressure system. The next morning a mechanical gauge was put on the truck and showed no oil pressure. A gear had sheared off the oil pump. It was replaced. We pick up the truck on 5-2-08, would not start and had to be jump started. Drove approximately 30 miles the engine threw a rod through the side. It is still in the shop. Cummins opted to rebuild the engine rather than replace it. The truck is equipped with a sleeper which we are afraid to use because of the wiring. We have been told that our truck is not the only one with oil pump failures. Therefore we would like to request a full investigation into this matter.
Diesel particulate filter leaks vanadium pentoxide fumes and/or liquid residue. Peterbuilt and cummins are fighting over who is responsible. Peterbilt says there is no solution to this problems now, although they claim a team of engineers is working on it. It concerns me that they see no problem with allowing a cancerous substance to come in contact with unsuspecting people, myself included.
Diesel particulate filter leaks vanadium pentoxide fumes and/or liquid residue. Peterbilt and cummins are fighting over who is responsible. Peterbilt says there is no solution to this problem now, although they claim a team of engineers is working on it. It concerns me that they see no problem with allowing a cancerous substance to come in contact with unsuspecting people, myself included.
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Questions about the 2008 Peterbilt 386
Is the 2008 Peterbilt 386 reliable?
Owners have filed 4 complaints about the 2008 Peterbilt 386, 4.0 times a typical 386 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Peterbilt 386?
Engine and cooling, with 4 complaints. Next is electrical (1).
How many recalls does the 2008 Peterbilt 386 have?
14 recalls, covering service brakes, air, equipment and electrical system.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Peterbilt 386 engine?
Yes, 2 recalls: 08V487000, 07V287000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
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