Peterbilt 386
Owners filed 12 complaints across 16 model years of the Peterbilt 386. The 2008 drew the most (4); the 2019 the fewest (0).
Model years16
Complaints12
Recalls83
Fires2
Deaths0
Every Peterbilt 386 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2018 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2017 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2016 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2015 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2014 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2013 | 1 | 6 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2012 | 2 | 7 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2011 | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2010 | 1 | 5 | — | — | Visibility | Routine | |
| 2009 | 1 | 10 | — | — | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2008 | 4 | 14 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Emission Control › Catalytic Convertor | Routine | |
| 2007 | 1 | 8 | 1 | — | Service Brakes, Air | Routine | |
| 2006 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2005 | 1 | 4 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Routine | |
| 2004 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine |
Which Peterbilt 386 years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2008 is the weakest year on record, with 4 complaints concentrated in the engine and engine cooling › exhaust system › emission control › catalytic convertor. It carries 14 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.