2015 Peterbilt 579 problems

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

What is wrong

PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Peterbilt 365, 389, 567, and 579 vehicles equipped with a left-hand under hood jumper terminal (option code 2539410). The positive battery jumper terminal cable may be too long, allowing it to chafe against the left front suspension spring and result in an electrical short circuit.

Risk

An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy

PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the battery jumper terminal cables, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 30, 2020. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1‑940‑591‑4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 20PBA.

Recall number 20V130000 · Recall details

What is wrong

PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2013-2019 Kenworth T680 and T880 and Peterbilt 579 trucks, greater than 30 feet long and equipped with side extender mounted intermediate marker lamp/turn signals that do not include a reflex reflector. Since both intermediate side marker lamps and reflex reflectors are required, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Risk

Missing reflex reflectors can reduce the vehicle's visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

PACCAR will notify owners and dealers will install reflex reflective tape, free of charge. The recall began January 15, 2019. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1‑918‑259‑3258. PACCAR's number for this recall is 18KWF, and 18PBC.

Recall number 18V816000 · Recall details

What is wrong

PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2013-2017 Peterbilt 567 and 579 Kenworth T680 and T880 trucks equipped with optional spotlights. The spotlight circuit may not be adequately protected in the event of a short.

Risk

A short in the spotlight circuitry may increase the risk of a fire at the cab fuse block.

Remedy

PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will change the polyfuse switch in the spotlight circuit to a standard fuse, free of charge. The recall began on September 19, 2017. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1‑940‑591‑4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 17KWC and 717-B.

Recall number 17V471000 · Recall details

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

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

What is wrong

PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2006-2016 Peterbilt 587, 579, 567, 389, 388, 387, 385, 382, 379, 378, 367, 365 and 357 trucks manufactured July 25, 2005, to February 26, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with Tire and Rim Certification Labels that list a tire pressure below the actual correct amount. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 120, "Tire selection and rims and motor home/recreation vehicle trailer load carrying capacity information for motor vehicles with a GVWR of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds)."

Risk

If the tires are underinflated due to the incorrect inflation pressure listed on the label, the truck may not be able to carry the maximum gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) load listed without experiencing tire failure which would increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Peterbilt will notify owners and mail them a corrected Tire and Rim certification label, free of charge. The recall began on June 19, 2015. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1‑940‑591‑4000. PACCAR's number for this recall is 215-D.

Recall number 15V132000 · Recall details

What is wrong

PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2015 Peterbilt 367, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks manufactured from May 23, 2014, to February 13, 2015, and 2015 Kenworth T270, T370, T440, T470, T660, T680, T800, T880, and W900 trucks manufactured from May 23, 2014, to February 13, 2015, equipped with certain air brake actuators. The affected vehicles may experience brake drag due to an improperly seated diaphragm in the brake chamber.

Risk

Brake drag may result in a wheel end fire.

Remedy

Kenworth and Peterbilt will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the brake chamber, as necessary, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners March 3, 2015. The recall began on May 14, 2015. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1‑425‑828‑5000 (Kenworth), or 1‑940‑591‑4000 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's number for this recall is 14KWP (Kenworth), and 1214L (Peterbilt).

Recall number 14V810000 · Recall details

What is wrong

PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Peterbilt 579, 388, 384, 367, 365, 348, and 337 trucks manufactured October 30, 2009, through May 21, 2014. In the affected vehicles, if power is interrupted to the seat electronic control unit (ECU), such as when the fuse for that circuit blows, the side air bag would be disabled but there will not be a warning lamp indicator to notify the operator of the malfunction.

Risk

Without a warning of a problem existing in the side air bag system, the driver may continue to operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury from the side air bag not deploying in the event of a rollover.

Remedy

PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will install a new electrical harness to correct them problem, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1‑940‑591‑4220. Paccar's number for this recall is 514-F.

Recall number 14V283000 · Recall details

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