- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Peterbilt 365, 367, 389, 535, 536, 537, 548, 567, 579, and 2021-2025 Kenworth T180, T280, T380, T480, T680, T880 and W990 trucks. The right-hand gear shifter stalk connectors may have been improperly crimped, resulting in a loss of communication.
- The risk
- A loss of communication between the gear shifter and the transmission may result in the vehicle becoming disabled after coming to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect and replace the gear shifter assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 15, 2025, then phased after that. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5888 or Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 24PBE and 24KWE.
Vehicle safety record
2021 Peterbilt 536 Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 2021 Peterbilt 536 have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 6 recalls, the latest in March 2024 for the column shift.
NHTSA data checked
AFar fewer problems than a typical 536 year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
2021 Peterbilt 536 recalls 6
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 2021-2024 Kenworth T280, T380, 2020-2024 Peterbilt 548, 536, 2024 Peterbilt 537, and 2020-2024 Kenworth T480 trucks. The timing of the trailer brake release may be delayed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
- The risk
- A delay in the trailer brake release can create instability to the trailer and increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the fittings and hoses in the affected valves, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt's customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 23KWJ and 23PBJ.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Kenworth T280, T380, T480, Peterbilt 536, 537, and 548 vehicles. When the brake pedal is fully applied and then released rapidly, the pedal plunger that connects the brake pedal to the brake valve may become disconnected, causing the service brakes to fail.
- The risk
- Service brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will add a pedal restraint bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2023. Owners may contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-588 and Peterbilt's customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 23KWB and 23PBB.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Peterbilt 567, 579, 2021-2022 Peterbilt 536, 2017-2021 Kenworth T880, 2016-2022 Kenworth T680, 2018-2020 Kenworth T440, 2020 Kenworth T270, and 2021 Kenworth T280 vehicles. The methane detection system will not function if the system loses power.
- The risk
- The operator may be unaware of a system malfunction or the presence of excessive methane levels, increasing the risk of injury or fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will re-wire the warning alarm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 1, 2022. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220, and Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5888. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWH and 21PBN.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Peterbilt 536, 537, 548 and Kenworth T270, T280, T370, T380, T440, T470, and T480 vehicles equipped with Cummins L9 diesel engines. A fuel leak may occur from the fuel hose between the fuel pump and the remote fuel filter head.
- The risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- Cummins will replace the fuel hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed in October 2021. Owners may contact PACCAR's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth) and 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21PBG and 21KWF.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling one 2021 Peterbilt 536 vehicle equipped with a Cummins Westport Inc. B6.7N engine that has certain engine control module calibrations. The engine control module software may be calibrated incorrectly, causing the engine to not limit engine speed or torque as intended for certain safety-related functions such as vehicle braking, traction and stability control, speed control, or collision avoidance.
- The risk
- If safety-related functions such as vehicle braking, stability, speed, and collision avoidance do not function properly, it can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- PACCAR owns the vehicle affected, and it was repaired as of March 3, 2021. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 21PBC.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 2021 Peterbilt 536 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.
Peterbilt 536: every year compared
All 536 years2021 Peterbilt 536 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Peterbilt 536 | 0 | 6 | A | |
| 2021 Peterbilt 389 | 1 | 6 | C | 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 2021 Peterbilt 536
Does the 2021 Peterbilt 536 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2021 Peterbilt 536: column shift (March 2024); service brakes, air (September 2023); service brakes, air (February 2023); wiring (December 2021) 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 2021 Peterbilt 536 had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 2021 Peterbilt 536 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 79 out of 100 (grade A: far fewer problems than a typical Peterbilt 536 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.
What should I do if my 2021 Peterbilt 536 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