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2012 Peterbilt 386 problems

The most common problem on the 2012 Peterbilt 386 is tires. It has 2.0 times the complaints of a typical 386 model year.

Typical year2.0x the typical complaints
Owner complaints
2
Recalls
7
Service bulletins
20
Worst area
Tires

The worst 2012 Peterbilt 386 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Tires
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Tires
    1

Recalls 7

Electronic stability control (ESC)Reported April 6, 2020 · 460,515 vehicles affected
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

TiresReported November 9, 2015 · 1,876 vehicles affected
What is wrong
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Peterbilt 340, 2010, 2012, and 2015-2016 Peterbilt 337, 2010 Peterbilt 335, 2011-2016 Peterbilt 348, 2009 and 2011-2016 Peterbilt 365, 2009 and 2012-2013 Peterbilt 386, 2009-2015 Peterbilt 388, 2015-2016 Peterbilt 389, and 2015 Peterbilt 567 auto hauler vehicles. The affected trucks are equipped with Michelin 295/60R22.5 XZA-2 front tires that have a speed rating less than the vehicle is governed to.
Risk
Higher vehicle speeds and other factors such as tire load and road temperatures may result in premature tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Peterbilt will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the engine's vehicle speed parameters to limit the maximum vehicle speed to the tire speed rating, free of charge. The recall began on January 4, 2016. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1‑940‑591‑4000. PACCAR's number for this recall is 1115P.

Recall number 15V740000 · Recall details

Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulatorReported July 22, 2015 · 288 vehicles affected
What is wrong
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2012-2016 Peterbilt 365, 367, 384, 386, 388, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks manufactured January 13, 2011, to April 20, 2015. The affected trucks, equipped with extended-body Leece Neville alternators, have alternator charge cables that may chafe against a formed metal freon discharge line.
Risk
If the alternator cable rubs through its insulation, an electrical short may occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Peterbilt will notify owners, and dealers will reroute the alternator charge cable away from the metal freon line and install a plastic insulator on the cable end, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2015. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1‑940‑591‑4000. Peterbilt's number for this recall is 715-K.

Recall number 15V456000 · Recall details

Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulatorReported May 8, 2015 · 1,494 vehicles affected
What is wrong
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Kenworth T660, T680, T880 trucks manufactured February 18, 2013, to April 10, 2015, and 2011-2016 Peterbilt 386, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks manufactured December 13, 2010, to April 20, 2015. The affected trucks, equipped with PACCAR MX-13 engines and Delco-Remy 40SI alternators, have alternator charge cables that may chafe against a formed metal freon discharge line.
Risk
If the alternator cable rubs through its insulation, an electrical short may occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will reroute the alternator charge cable away from the metal freon line, free of charge. PACCAR issued an interim notification to owners on July 10, 2015. The recall began on September 16, 2015. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1‑425‑828‑5000 or Peterbilt customer service at 1‑940‑591‑4000. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 15KWE and 515-F.

Recall number 15V270000 · Recall details

Equipment: other: labelsReported November 25, 2013 · 561 vehicles affected
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

Service brakes, air: supply: check valveReported January 30, 2012 · 15,932 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Paccar is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 kenworth t170, t270, t370, t440, t470, t660, t700, t800, w900, and peterbilt 320, 330, 337, 348, 365, 367, 382, 384, 386, 388, 389, and 587 vehicles, manufactured from january 31, 2011, through january 19, 2012, and equipped with bendix atr-6 antilock traction relay valves. In extremely cold conditions, these bendix relay valves may potentially develop internal leakage. Internal leakage can lead to air pressure being delivered to affected primary or secondary brake causing continuous brake application.
Risk
Unexpected continuous brake application can cause the brakes to overheat and lead to a fire. Unexpected continuous brake application can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Also, the brakes may be applied without illuminating the brake lights, failing to give proper warning to other drivers.
Remedy
Paccar will notify owners, and provide a temporary repair until bendix develops a permanent remedy. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on february 10, 2012. Owner may contact kenworth at 1‑425‑828‑5440 and peterbilt at 1‑940‑591‑4196.

Recall number 12V026000 · Recall details

Fuel system, other: storage: tank assemblyReported February 23, 2011 · 4,664 vehicles affected
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

See all 7 recalls for the 2012 Peterbilt 386

Defect investigations

Intermittent Loss of Power Steering AssistOpened May 1, 2020, closed March 27, 2024

On May 1, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE20006 to investigate complaints of intermittent loss of power steering assist in Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), Volvo Trucks of North America (Volvo) and PACCAR vehicles equipped with a ZF/TRW (TRW) THP60 steering gear. The investigation focused on 2010-2020 DTNA Freightliner Cascadia, M2 and WST; Volvo VN, VAH and VHD and PACCAR 337, 365, 389, 567, 579 model vehicles.Field reports and interviews with fleet drivers allege that high power steering fluid temperatures could result in internal seal and bearing failures causing pressure fluctuation, affecting left and right-hand turns. The inability of the driver to steer the vehicle as intended can increase the risk of a crash and injury. ODI analyzed data provided by TRW, DTNA, Volvo, and PACCAR in response to individual information request letters.ODI found that most failures occurred within the first two years and/or 50,000 miles of service.  The claim rate decreased with time and miles in service and remained less than 0.5%. ODI normalized data from each of the manufacturers and determined that there was not a substantial difference in the failures.Additionally, TRW improved a seal in the steering gear in December 2015.Trucks built on or after 2016 (as 2017 and newer model years) show a decreasing trend of failures. In view of the overall low failure rate, the nature of early-life failure, and failure rate trending downward for model years 2017 and newer, this Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist.The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to

PE20006

Technical service bulletins for the 2012 Peterbilt 386 20

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 20 bulletins for the 2012 Peterbilt 386

What 2012 Peterbilt 386 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Aug 26, 2024 · Tires · 800 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2012 Peterbilt 386 equipped with Kelly Tires, Tire Line: Armor Steel RSA2, Tire Size: 295/75/R22.5, DOT Number: 04N37XETW. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the tread separated from the front driver's side tire core. The contact stated that the tire was a replacement tire. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The tire failure mileage was approximately 800. The vehicle failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Aug 9, 2023 · CA

I [xxx] , [xxx] I purchase three (3) trucks from ritchie brother auction in georgia on 3/23/2023 (1) 2012 freightliner truck was locate in georgia, and two trucks was locate in chehalis wa (1) 2012 peterbilt (1) 2016 freightliner. The 2012 peterbilt was a problem from the start (see attach repairs) the truck was towed to peterbilt in salem or, the service advisor: micheal [xxx] prepare a diagnostic test on the truck, it was determined that all the problem that you are having with this truck is the def system has been erased, this def system can’t be tamper with, sale or purchase a truck without a def system acivity working on all trucks on the road the chief operation officer (coo) [xxx] sr, had contact with that branch of ritchie brothers in chehalis wa, talking to them about sale a truck with a default missing erased def system we have been trying to get full restitution concering this truck. I’m requesting a full investigation on ritiches brothers selling faulty trucks and severely fine the company for failure to comply with the emission law information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

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Questions about the 2012 Peterbilt 386

Is the 2012 Peterbilt 386 reliable?

Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 2012 Peterbilt 386, 2.0 times a typical 386 model year.

What is the most common problem with the 2012 Peterbilt 386?

Tires, with 1 complaint.

How many recalls does the 2012 Peterbilt 386 have?

7 recalls, covering electronic stability control (esc), tires and electrical system.

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