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Vehicle safety record

2000 Kenworth C500 Problems, complaints & recalls

No owner complaints about the 2000 Kenworth C500 have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 7 recalls, the latest in March 2003 for the service brakes, air.

NHTSA data checked

FFar more problems than a typical C500 year, for its age

Complaints
0
Recalls
7
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0

2000 Kenworth C500 recalls 7

Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do

Service brakes

03V12600045 vehicles affected

The problem
Certain trucks equipped with meritor p 18x7 brakes with 36" brake chambers fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) no. 121, "Air brake systems." These trucks were manufactured with a combined air reservoir volume less than 12 times the combined volume of all service brake chambers.
The risk
This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
The fix
Dealers will add an additional tank or change one of the existing air tanks to a larger size. Owner notification began on may 5, 2003. 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 1-425-828-5440.

Steering: tie rod assembly

02V0370034,513 vehicles affected

The 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.
The 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.
The fix
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.

Electrical system: wiring

02V03300044 vehicles affected

The problem
On some heavy duty trucks equipped with alcoa fujikura ltd. (Afl) power distribution boxes (pd box), the pd boxes were manufactured with insufficient torque applied to the nut of the main power feed-through stud.
The risk
Insufficient torque can lead to (1) electrical arcing of the wires inside of the pd box, or (2) an interrupted power supply to the vehicle's electrical system, either of which can lead to a loss of vehicle electrical power and possibly vehicle control without warning.
The fix
Dealers will inspect and tighten the nut on the main power feed-through stud. Owner notification began february 25, 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 kenworth at 1-425-828-5440.

Steering: tie rod assembly

01V1400062,294 vehicles affected

The 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.
The 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.
The fix
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.

Suspension

01V167001390 vehicles affected

The 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.
The 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.
The fix
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.

Suspension: lower arm

01V051000209 vehicles affected

The problem
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.
The risk
Failure of the lower sway arm attaching bolts could result in loss of vehicle control.
The fix
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.

Electrical system: fuses and circuit breakers

01V0210001,992 vehicles affected

The problem
Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with an optional firewall-mounted circuit breaker. The main cab power and battery power leads were attached incorrectly. This condition can result in the main cab power being unprotected.
The risk
If a wiring short occurred anywhere along the cab power circuit, the available battery power could arc and cause subsequent damage to the vehicle or a fire.
The fix
Dealers will inspect and correct the problem, as needed. Owner notification began february 26, 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.

What owners say

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No complaints about the 2000 Kenworth C500 yet

No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.

Kenworth C500: every year compared

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
20040400-C
20030300-C
20020200-B
20010400-C
20000700-F
19991700Equipment & accessoriesF
19980300-C
19970300-C
19960400-C
All C500 years

2000 Kenworth C500 vs rivals

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

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Questions about the 2000 Kenworth C500

Does the 2000 Kenworth C500 have any recalls?

Yes - NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2000 Kenworth C500: service brakes, air (March 2003); tie rod assembly (July 2002); wiring (February 2002); tie rod assembly (August 2001) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.

How many complaints has the 2000 Kenworth C500 had?

None have been filed with NHTSA so far.

Is the 2000 Kenworth C500 a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 23 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Kenworth C500 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which Kenworth C500 years have the most complaints?
What should I do if my 2000 Kenworth C500 has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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