2021 Kenworth T880

Routine

Owners filed 1 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes. It has been recalled 8 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes1
000

8 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Software24V915000
Filed Dec 9, 2024220,764 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Peterbilt and Kenworth vehicles, equipped with Bendix EC80 Advanced Electronic Control Units (ECU). Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. Electrical noise and low signal to the power line carrier may cause the ECU to incorrectly process commands or stop functioning.

Risk. Safety systems that depend on the ECU (Automatic Traction Control, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Active Cruise Control, and Collison Mitigation System) may not function properly or at all, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will reprogram the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2025. 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 24KWL and 24PBL.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Column Shift24V190000
Filed Mar 20, 202470,509 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. 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.

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.

Remedy. 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.

Service Brakes, Air › Supply › Reservoir/Tank24V145000
Filed Feb 23, 2024936 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2009-2021 Kenworth C500, 2012-2021 Kenworth T440, 2009-2015 Kenworth T660, 2015-2024 Kenworth T680, 2009-2024 Kenworth T800, 2009-2020 Kenworth T370, 2014-2023 Kenworth T880, 2011-2016 Kenworth T470, 2023 Kenworth T480, and 2009-2019 Kenworth W900 vehicles. The air tanks have an insufficient volume of air for the brake system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."

Risk. Insufficient air volume can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will install the correct volume air tanks, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 12, 2024. Additional owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2025. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888. PACCAR's number for this recall is 24KWD.

Electrical System › Wiring21V00N000
Filed Dec 29, 20211,107 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. 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.

Risk. The operator may be unaware of a system malfunction or the presence of excessive methane levels, increasing the risk of injury or fire.

Remedy. 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.

Electrical System › Software21V906000
Filed Nov 19, 2021908 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Kenworth T880, W990, Peterbilt 567, 579, 389, and 2022 Peterbilt 536, 537 wrecker and auto hauler vehicles. The work brake (winch brake) may unintentionally disengage the service brakes during winching operations, causing the vehicle to roll.

Risk. Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy. Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 3, 2022. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth); or 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWG and 21PBM.

Fuel System, Diesel › Fuel Injection System › Fuel Rail21V391000
Filed May 26, 2021612 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Peterbilt 337, 348, 365, 367, 520, 567, Kenworth T270, T370, T440, T470, T800 and T880 vehicles. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot bore holes, allowing the high pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.

Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect the rail threads and fuel lines, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth) or 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWC and 21PBD.

Engine21V080000
Filed Feb 17, 2021132 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Kenworth T680, T880, W990, T800, W900 and Peterbilt 579, 567, 389, 367 vehicles equipped with a Cummins X15 engine. The capscrews that attach the flywheel to the crankshaft may have been improperly torqued, allowing the flywheel to detach.

Risk. A detached flywheel can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, driveline pieces may be ejected from the engine compartment, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will properly torque the capscrews and the engine will also be inspected for damage and, if necessary, repaired, free of charge. The recall began on March 29, 2021. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth) or 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWA and 21PBB.

Power Train › Axle Assembly20V506000
Filed Aug 26, 20201,097 vehiclesPaccar Incorporated

Defect. PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Peterbilt 348, 365, 367, 389, 520, 567 and Kenworth T800, T880, W900, W990 vehicles equipped with Watson and Chalin steerable lift axle suspension systems (model SL2065). The axles may have lower rear pivot bolts that are not long enough to sufficiently engage the locking feature of the corresponding nuts.

Risk. The short screws can cause the hardware to separate from the suspension system and become road hazards, increasing the risk of a crash and/or injury.

Remedy. PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will inspect suspect chassis and replace the pivot bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2020. 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 is 20PBE and 20KWC.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Jan 15, 2021100 milesMI

TRACTOR ABS SYSTEM APPLIES THE BRAKES TO THE TRAILERS WHILE CORNERING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE. THIS USUALLY OCCURS WHILE ENTERING OR EXITING A HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS ABOVE 30 MPH. THE ABS SYSTEM LOCKS UP THE BRAKES UNTIL THE TRACTOR AND TRAILERS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THESE TRUCKS AND TRAILERS WEIGH APPROXIMATELY 155,000 LBS., AND LOSING CONTROL IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ANYONE ON THE ROAD. THESE TRUCKS ARE 2021 MODELS WITH BENDIX ABS SYSTEMS. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF KENWORTH (THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURE) AND BENDIX (THE ABS SYSTEM MANUFACTURE). LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE TO RECTIFY THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SENSE THE TRACTORS WERE PUT INTO SERVICE APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS AGO. THERE IS NO WARNING BEFORE THE ABS SYSTEM LOCKS UP THE TRAILER BRAKES, AND THERE IS NOTHING THE DRIVER CAN DO TO CONTROL THE TRUCK WHILE THE BRAKES ARE LOCKED UP.

1 of 1 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2018
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20270200Routine
20260200Routine
20251900Do not drive
20241700Routine
20230700Routine
20220800Routine
2021 — this page1800Routine
202001000Routine
201901000Routine
201831600Routine
201711100Routine
201621500Routine
201501200Routine
201411200Routine
20130700Routine
20120300Routine
20110200Routine

Compare every T880 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: Dec 9, 2024. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.