2006 Kenworth C500

Routine

Owners filed 1 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › wiring. It has been recalled 5 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System › Wiring1
010

5 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Air › Slack Adjusters08V099000
Filed Mar 4, 2008130 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. PACCAR IS RECALLING 130 MY 2005-2007 KENWORTH C500, T800, W900, AND PETERBILT MODELS 357 AND 379 TRACTOR TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH FABCO SLACK ADJUSTERS ON SISU AXLES. THE SLACK ADJUSTERS MAY FAIL AS A RESULT OF A FATIGUE CRACK RENDERING THE SLACK ADJUSTER INOPERATIVE. THIS COULD REDUCE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS.

Risk. REDUCTION IN BRAKING CAPACITY COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE SLACK ADJUSTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 21, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KENWORTH AT 1-425-828-5440 AND PETERBILT AT 1-940-591-4196.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission07V107000
Filed Mar 16, 20074,592 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE WIRING, PARTS, OR TRANSMISSION PROGRAMMING REQUIRED FOR THE AUTO NEUTRAL FEATURE TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED WERE EITHER NOT INSTALLED, CONNECTED, OR PROGRAMMED PROPERLY.

Risk. IF ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHEN LEFT IN DRIVE WITH THE PARKING BRAKE SET ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE COULD MOVE WITHOUT WARNING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE AFFECTED VEHICLES TO ENSURE THE AUTO NEUTRAL FEATURE FUNCTIONS PROPERLY AND, IF NEEDED, WILL MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 9, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KENWORTH AT 425-828-5440.

Service Brakes, Air07V090000
Filed Mar 9, 200765 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. CERTAIN TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE BRAKE TIMING REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE BRAKE VALVE WAS MOVED TO THE OPPOSITE RAIL, INCREASING THE LENGTH OF THE AIR LINE, WHICH IN TURN INCREASED THE WHEELBASE REQUIRING A DUAL RELAY VALVE SYSTEM. THE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A SINGLE VALVE SYSTEM.

Risk. IF STOPPING DISTANCE WAS LIMITED, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL CONVERT THE SINGLE RELAY VALVE TO A DUAL RELAY VALVE SYSTEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KENWORTH AT 425-828-5440.

Power Train › Driveline06V391000
Filed Oct 13, 2006572 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CHALMERS REAR SUSPENSIONS, THE ADJUSTABLE TORQUE ROD END CASTINGS MAY BE BRITTLE. A BRITTLE ROD END CASTING MAY FRACTURE WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLES' REAR AXLES TO BECOME MISALIGNED.

Risk. THIS MISALIGNMENT CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY AT SPEEDS THAT MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF THEY WERE MANUFACTURED WITH A SUSPECT TORQUE ROD END. IF A SUSPECT TORQUE ROD END IS FOUND, THE ENTIRE TORQUE ROD WILL BE REPLACED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PETERBILT AT 1-940-591-4196 OR KENWORTH AT 1-425-828-5440.

Engine and Engine Cooling05V570000
Filed Dec 22, 200530,995 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. ON CERTAIN TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR DIESEL ENGINES, THE VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATION OIL LINE MAY WEAR AGAINST THE SHARP EDGE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD IF NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.

Risk. THE OIL LINE MAY BE CUT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING AN OIL LEAK AND A POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy. CATERPILLAR, IN CONJUNCTION WITH PACCAR, WILL BE CONDUCTING THE OWNER NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CALL CATERPILLAR AT 309-675-6496, KENWORTH AT 425-828-5440, OR PETERBILT AT 940-591-4201.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System › WiringFire
Filed Feb 6, 2011MI

2006 KENWORTH CONVENTIONAL, WAS TRAVELING ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE AT MILE POST 201 EASTBOUND WHEN THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, LINE/WIRE CAUGHT ON FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0753-91) UPDATED 02/15/11 *BF

1 of 1 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2012
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20250100Routine
20230100Routine
20220100Routine
20210100Routine
20200100Routine
20190400Routine
20180500Routine
20170400Routine
20160300Routine
20150300Routine
20140400Routine
20130200Routine
20121300Routine
20110600Routine
20101400Routine
20090500Routine
20080900Routine
20071600Routine
2006 — this page1510Routine
20050500Routine
20040400Routine
20030300Routine
20020200Routine
20010400Routine
20000700Routine
19991700Routine
19980300Routine
19970300Routine
19960400Routine
19950100Routine
19940100Routine
19930100Routine
19920100Routine
19910300Routine
19900100Routine

Compare every C500 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 4, 2008. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.