- The problem
- 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."
- The risk
- If the driver unknowingly operates the vehicle without the ABS functioning, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2015 Peterbilt 388 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 2015 Peterbilt 388 with NHTSA, most often about the wheels & tires (3) and the body, doors & structure (2). It is covered by 7 recalls, the latest in April 2020 for the electronic stability control (ESC). For comparison, the 2014 has 17 and the 2016 has 0.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical 388 year, for its age
#319 most complained-about 2015 vehicle
- Complaints
- 3
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2015 Peterbilt 388 problems
Share of all 3 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2015 Peterbilt 388 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
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2015 Peterbilt model 388 vehicles manufactured from January 28, 2014, through February 3, 2014. The affected vehicles were built with Michelin MN295/60 R22.5 XZA front tires and 8.25" wheels and were certified to a GAWR greater than the maximum 12,350 lbs allowed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 120, "Tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other Than Passenger Cars."
- The risk
- If the truck exceeds the load rating on the tire, the tire may suddenly fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Peterbilt will notify owners, and dealers will replace the 8.25" front wheels with 9.00" wheels and re-program the maximum vehicle speed to the appropriate settings, free of charge. The recall began on January 14, 2016. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4000. PACCAR's recall campaign number for this recall is 1115Q.
- The problem
- 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.
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- If the alternator cable rubs through its insulation, an electrical short may occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- 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)."
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2009-2015 Peterbilt 320, 365, 367, 388, and 389 trucks manufactured July 21, 2008, to February 28, 2014. The front axle tie rod end clamp bolts may be improperly torqued.
- The risk
- Undertorqued tie rod end clamp bolts are susceptible to corrosion, which may cause loose bolts to separate resulting in a loss of vehicle control and an increased risk of a crash.
- The fix
- PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle tie rod assembly on any vehicle where the factory installed assembly has not been previously replaced, free of charge. Owners were mailed interim notices on May 11, 2015. The recall began on April 4, 2016. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 215-C.
- The problem
- 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.
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
What owners say
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3 complaints about the 2015 Peterbilt 388
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
6 Peterbilt my company operates are 2014 and 2015 car haulers. All are consistently destroying rear axel tires both sides driver and passenger (thread is coming out). Damaged seems to happen due to overheat of tires. We tried using different brand of tires, but blow out did not stop. We took trucks to [[redacted]] and they are unable to find any issues. With each occurrence thread from drive tire is coming off and tire still holds air. It damages all lights on truck then it damages mud guards and breaks safety...
Read the full complaint
wings on the trailer. Each time costs about 2000$ plus road service. Only solution we found at this time to run all position tires on drive tires. So far we did not have any issues for past 30 days. Last truck we purchased from [[redacted]] , they agreed to swap tires at their own expense to all position... No solution is offered to us. We have lost over $40,000 so far on brand new trucks... Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr
Tractor blew a michelin xza (295/60/22.5) Passenger side steer tire. Driver felt a vibration and was in the process of pulling over when it blew. *Tr
2015 Brand new pete 388 car hauler. Front original tire michelin xza 2 size 295/60/22.5 Blew up. Damaged front of the truck and 2 tires were damaged on drive same side. Paid $1500 for road service. Hood, bumper light are damaged. Truck only 3 month old. 4Th blow out in 2 month on 4 separate trucks. *Tr
Peterbilt 388: every year compared
All 388 years2015 Peterbilt 388 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Peterbilt 388 | 3 | 7 | C | |
| 2015 Peterbilt 389 | 7 | 10 | D | Compare |
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.
Questions about the 2015 Peterbilt 388
Does the 2015 Peterbilt 388 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2015 Peterbilt 388: electronic stability control (ESC) (April 2020); tires (December 2015); tires (November 2015); alternator / generator / regulator (July 2015) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Peterbilt 388?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the wheels & tires (3), body, doors & structure (2), electrical system (1).
How many complaints has the 2015 Peterbilt 388 had?
3 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on November 4, 2014 and the latest on November 18, 2014. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2015 Peterbilt 388 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 48 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Peterbilt 388 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 Peterbilt 388 years have the most complaints?
2014 (17), 2015 (3). See every Peterbilt 388 year compared.
What should I do if my 2015 Peterbilt 388 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