- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Kenworth T270, T370, T440, T470, T660, T680, T880, T800, W900, W990; and 2018-2020 Peterbilt 330, 337, 348, 365, 367, 389, 520, 567, and 579 vehicles. The Dana D-Series axle steer arm fasteners that attach the steering arm to the steering knuckle may fail.
- The risk
- Fastener failure can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace and torque the steer arm fasteners, at no charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2022. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 22 PBB and 22 KWB.
Vehicle safety record
2018 Peterbilt 579 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 6 complaints about the 2018 Peterbilt 579 with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system (3) and the brakes (3). Those complaints describe 2 fires. It is covered by 14 recalls, the latest in April 2022 for the critical fasteners. For comparison, the 2017 has 2 and the 2019 has 2.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical 579 year, for its age
#220 most complained-about 2018 vehicle
- Complaints
- 6
- Recalls
- 14
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2018 Peterbilt 579 problems
Share of all 6 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2018 Peterbilt 579 recalls 14
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 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 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.
- The problem
- 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.
- The risk
- An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- Transportation Power, Inc. (TransPower) is recalling certain 2017-2018 electric trucks built on Peterbilt 579 chassis. The vehicles do not have stabilization hardware and software that interacts with the braking system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 136, "Electronic Stability Control Systems on Heavy Vehicles."
- The risk
- Without a Electronic Stability Control system, there is a greater chance of loss of stability control, which increases the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- TransPower will notify owners, and dealers will install an Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system, free of charge. The recall began September 26, 2019. Owners may contact TransPower customer service at 1-858-248-4255.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Peterbilt 337, 348, 365, 367, 389, 567, 579 and 587 trucks and 2018-2019 Kenworth C500, T270, T370, T440, T660, T680, T800, T880 and W900 trucks equipped with automated manual transmissions. An internal component in the clutch assembly may fail, possibly resulting in unintended vehicle movement.
- The risk
- Unintended movement of a vehicle can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will update the transmission control module, free of charge. The recall began February 23, 2019. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 18PBE and 18KWH.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2018 Kenworth T680 and T880, and Peterbilt 567 and 579 trucks. The seat belt buckle assemblies on these vehicles may have been glued and not sewn during manufacturing, possibly causing the assembly to come apart under load, such as in the event of a crash.
- The risk
- If the seat belt buckle assembly separates, it can prevent the occupant from being properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt buckle assemblies that were not sewn, free of charge. PACCAR issued owners an interim notification on February 4, 2019. The recall began February 28, 2019. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-918-259-3258. PACCAR's numbers for this recall is 18KWG, and 18PBD.
- The problem
- 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."
- The risk
- Missing reflex reflectors can reduce the vehicle's visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- 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.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Kenworth C500, T600, T660, T680, T800, T880 and W900 trucks, as well as Peterbilt 367, 386, 389, 567, 579 and 587 trucks, equipped with Cummins ISX15 or X15 diesel engines. In certain driving conditions, such as on a long down-hill grade, the fuel line may burst if the fuel pump cooling circuit screen becomes restricted.
- The risk
- If the fuel line bursts, fuel may leak onto the road resulting in a roadway hazard for other motorists. The engine may also stall without warning, resulting in the vehicle's inability to restart, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Cummins will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect fuel pump cooling circuit screen, free of charge. The recall began November 21, 2018. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 18E081.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Peterbilt 567 and 579 trucks and 2015-2018 Kenworth T660, T680, T800, T880 and W900 trucks. 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 July 30, 2018. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1-918-259-3258 or Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5000.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kenworth T680 and T880 trucks, and Peterbilt 567 and 579 trucks, all equipped with an automated Eaton UltraShift Plus or Eaton Advantage Transmission with right hand stalk shifter. The display that indicates which transmission gear the driver selected may display incorrectly. The display can indicate 'N' when the shifter is set into 'D' or 'R', and the as a result, the truck will not move. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence/Starter Interlock/Transmission Braking Effect," and number 101, "Control and Displays."
- The risk
- A truck that does not move as expected can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will install a transmission software update, free of charge. The recall began on March 9, 2018. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5000 or Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall is 18KWA and 118-A.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2018 Peterbilt 567, 579, Kenworth T680, and T880 trucks, equipped with certain Eaton Endurant and PACCAR AMT transmissions. The transmission control module (TCM) may allow the engine to crank briefly even if the transmission shifter is not in neutral. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence/Starter Interlock/Transmission Braking Effect."
- The risk
- If the transmission is not in neutral when the engine begins running, there may be unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will update the TCM software, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2018. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4000, or Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5000. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 1217F and 1717KWF.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Peterbilt 367, 389, 567, 579 and 587 trucks, and 2018 Kenworth C500, T680, T800, T880 and W900 trucks equipped with Cummins ISX 15L engines. These engines have a fuel pump whose drive gear could possibly slip on its drive shaft, causing a fuel pump function loss, resulting in an engine stall.
- The risk
- An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Cummins will notify the vehicle purchaser, and Cummins dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2017. Owners may contact Cummins customer service at 1-800-286-6467 or PACCAR customer service at 1-425-468-7400. PACCAR's number for this recall is C1909.
- The problem
- PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Kenworth K370, T680, T880 and 2017-2018 Peterbilt 567 and 579 trucks. The plastic fuel tee fittings on these trucks may leak fuel.
- The risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- Kenworth and Peterbilt will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect fuel tees, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5000 and Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4000. PACCAR's numbers for this recall is 17KWA and 217-A.
What owners say
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6 complaints about the 2018 Peterbilt 579
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
See attached document for complaint.
This vehicle about 6-8 weeks ago started throwing codes for all systems above (over 100 codes). This issue affected all systems of the vehicle including but not limited to the speed and braking of the vehicle, plus the fuel system and adaptive driving systems. We took it to the dealer Performance Peterbilt in Tifton, GA. They cleared the codes and said they resolved it by replacing a NOX sensor. We left the repair shop and within 50-100 miles the exact same issue started up again. We took it back to the same shop,...
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they worked with Paccar and determined it needed a new ECM (Computer), this was changed out and still did not resolve issue. They then changed out the main wire harness. This resolved some issues but not all issues. Now the repair dealer is stating it needs a dash wire harness. This vehicle has relatively low miles 500K and has only been serviced by Peterbilt dealers through it's life. This issue causes the vehicle to accelerate and brake randomly plus many other issues by stopping power in hauling. We have another IDENTICAL vehicle which is now doing the same thing but have not brought it into the shop yet until manufacturer can get this 1st truck fixed properly to ensure safety.
Front axle begins popping and making metal to metal noises when hitting bumps and or turning. We took it to the shop and they found the nuts to the U-bolts that hold the leaf springs to the front axle had begun backing off and were out of torque spec. Upon receiving the truck back the front end no longer made this noise. Approximately 8 months later we are hearing the same metal on metal and popping noises that we heard previously. We have also noticed similar year Peterbilt 579's with this same noise and popping so this isn't specific to our vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 peterbilt 579. The contact stated that while the driver was driving, the rear brakes and turn signals failed to function. The next day the running lights on the drivers side failed, the passenger side of the turn signal and brake also failed to function. The contact stated that the main electrical harness coming out of the main computer and running the entire span underneath the cab had little to no protective sheathing/ cord wrap/ aluminum wrap protecting the wires. The harness was...
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routed through a u-bolt type flange as well as hangs near several metal parts that, while in motion, rub against the wire causing them to fray. As a result, several items began to short out and also caused numerous wires to heat up and melt. It was discovered that the running light brake lights intern signals began to fail. The harness could cause fraying and a potential fire as well as several modules to fail. The contact called northern ohio peterbilt dealer, (1330 w trenton ave, findlay, oh 45840, (419) 423-3441) and was informed that the vehicle was over the one year hundred thousand miles for the warranty and did not assist. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,375.
Bendix wingman collision mitigation system, this system as am trying to brake the vehicle determined that the vehicle in front was closer than it really was and locked the brakes and steering, at such time the driver looses control of the vehicle completely, this was the fourth time it did this, the third time it locked the brakes I was trying to brake while a car was driving out of a driveway, second time I was trying to pass a car and it detected the car to close and locked the brakes, first time bumper to bumper...
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it was raining, on a highway a vehicle cut in front of me tried to apply the brakes and the system locked up the brakes and steering, there was plenty of room for me to stop without this system having to lock the brakes up on me
The main electrical harness coming out of the main computer and running the entire span underneath the cab had little to no protective sheathing/cord wrap/aluminum wrap protecting the wires. The harness is routed through a u-bolt type flange as well as hangs near several metal parts that, while in motion, rub against the wires causing them to fray. This in turn caused several items to begin to short out and also caused numerous wires to heat up and melt. It was discovered when the drivers side headlight failed and...
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the same side running lights came on and stayed on. This also caused the washer fluid pump to turn on and run constantly, heating it to the point of scalding to the touch. Not having any type of protective wrap around the harness could cause fraying and a potential fire as well as several modules to fail as it did in this case. *Dt consumer stated peterbilt warranty(1 year/100,000 miles) was not covered under warranty.*Jb
Peterbilt 579: every year compared
All 579 years2018 Peterbilt 579 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Peterbilt 579 | 6 | 14 | D | |
| 2018 Peterbilt 567 | 1 | 13 | 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 2018 Peterbilt 579
Does the 2018 Peterbilt 579 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 14 recalls for the 2018 Peterbilt 579: critical fasteners (April 2022); wiring (December 2021); electronic stability control (ESC) (April 2020); cables (March 2020) 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 2018 Peterbilt 579?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the electrical system (3), brakes (3), steering (2).
How many complaints has the 2018 Peterbilt 579 had?
6 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on March 6, 2019 and the latest on May 9, 2025. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2018 Peterbilt 579 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 32 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Peterbilt 579 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 579 years have the most complaints?
2022 (7), 2018 (6), 2023 (4). See every Peterbilt 579 year compared.
What should I do if my 2018 Peterbilt 579 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