Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Peterbilt 579, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system4
- Service brakes3
- Steering2
- Suspension1
- Engine1
- Firerelated1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 55 2018 579 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 6 people died inside them, and 6 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2018 Peterbilt 579 failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 2018 passenger car (1.65%). Median odometer at inspection: 381,885 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Recalls in Canada
11 Transport Canada recalls for the 2018 Peterbilt 579.
| 2022210 25 Apr 2022 | Steering Issue: On certain trucks, the fasteners that attach the steer arm to the steering knuckle may fail. If this happens, the steer arm could separate from the ste… |
| 2020148 7 Apr 2020 | Lights And Instruments Issue: On certain trucks, the warning light for the tractor anti-lock brake system (ABS) may not turn on if the system loses power. If this happens, the drive… |
| 2020090 5 Mar 2020 | Electrical Issue: On certain trucks, the battery cables to the jump-start terminal may be too long. As a result, the cables could contact and chafe against the left-fron… |
| 2018739 24 Dec 2018 | Powertrain On certain vehicles equipped with an Eaton automated manual transmission and electronic clutch actuator (ECA), the clutch may have been manufactured improperly … |
| 2018702 13 Dec 2018 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the webbing on certain seat belt buckle assemblies may not have been securely fastened during assembly. As a result, in the event of a cras… |
| 2018527 25 Sept 2018 | Fuel System On certain trucks built with a Cummins X15 or ISX15 engine equipped with nylon fuel lines and a banjo bolt on the fuel pump, a blockage in the fuel cooling syst… |
| 2018389 24 Jul 2018 | Brakes Certain vehicles may fail to conform to the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 121 - Air Brake Systems and CMVSS 136 - Electronic Stab… |
| 2018077 8 Feb 2018 | Lights And Instruments Certain vehicles equipped with Eaton Ultrashift Plus or Eaton Advantage automatic transmissions with right hand stalk shifters may not comply with the requireme… |
| 2017664 28 Dec 2017 | Powertrain Certain vehicles may not comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 102 – Transmission Control Functions. The transmission con… |
| 2017361 20 Jul 2017 | Fuel System On certain vehicles equipped with Cummins ISX 15 engines and certain fuel pumps, the drive gear on the fuel pump may spin loose on the drive shaft. This could … |
| 2017093 20 Feb 2017 | Fuel System On certain vehicles equipped with 2017 emissions engines, a tee fitting in the fuel supply was improperly manufactured and could leak fuel. Leaking fuel, in the… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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."
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.
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."
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.
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.
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."
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.
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."
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."
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."
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.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Peterbilt told its dealers about the 2018 Peterbilt 579: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010926 | Info Only Unnecessary starter replacements can result from customer complaints regarding engine starting issues. A new Starter Troubleshooting Guide has been created to provide a comprehensive list of starting system checks, which should reduce unnecessary starter replacements and associated warranty claims. Engine starting system warranty claims now require a completed Starter Checklist, a Battery Pack Midtronics Report, and a Cable Drop Midtronics Report. Claims filed without these documents may be denied. |
| 11009757 | 7/700 Service Agreement - Letter Only. |
| 11005516 | Fix As Fail The height control valve (HCV) rod on vehicles with low air leaf suspensions is prone to toggling over center during rough road conditions. With full suspension articulation, HCV bracket flexes and toggles over center the HCV linkage, which results in either deflated airbags or makes them unable to inflate. Fix-as-fail start date is 07/30/2024. |
| 10244481 | A testing procedure has been created for the coolant level sensor on model 520. |
| 10243354 | For all Peterbilt chassis equipped with an air shifted PTO. Oil from the air shift cover of the PTO may leak into the air line, causing the EOA solenoid to become inoperative. |
| 10238387 | Fix-as-Fail - HVAC Intermittently Stops Blowing Cold Air |
| 10232162 | Fix As Fail Chassis that were manufactured with certain battery cable routing brackets may experience rubbing or chafing of the battery cables. |
| 10232160 | Certain Engine Model Year 2018 PACCAR MX-11 engines must have the crankcase pressure sensor replaced due to contamination during assembly. |
| 10231101 | This campaign is the final opportunity to replace the oil filter screw cap to reduce occurrences of broken bypass valve tabs. Broken oil valve tabs can cause oil flow obstruction to critical engine parts, resulting in serious engine damage. Customers that do not receive this repair may be responsible for progressive engine damage caused by broken oil bypass valve tabs. |
| 10227172 | 21PBN LNG/CNG Methane Detecti on System Will Not Warn Operator if System Loses Power NHTSA ID:21V00N, TC: 2021-793 |
| 10225578 | Info Only - PACCAR is introducing Over-the-Air (OTA) software updates for engine MY17 and newer chassis equipped with Cummins X15, X12, ISX12, ISX12N, L9N, PX-7, and PX-9 engines The technology will leverage the existing Remote Diagnostic cs hardware to deliver secure software updates remotely. This will reduce downtime and save on maintenance costs for eligible vehicles. |
| 10222269 | Fix-As-Fail On certain chassis with Low Air Leaf Suspension or Low-Low Air Leaf Suspension, the Height Control Valve (HCV) arm may be rubbing on other components when the bend in the arm is facing outboard. Flipping the bend in the HCV arm inboard prevents the rub. |
| 10219235 | The service information for Bendix Air Dryer maintenance is being updated to include new procedures. |
| 10210949 | A roof fairing reinforcement kit increases structural support for one-piece 579 roof fairings that are experiencing fatigue from external forces such as reverse towing. |
| 10208758 | Due to major data carriers phasing out 3G networks, chassis currently utilizing first generation Peoplenet Mobile Gateway (PMG001) will experience severe 3G service degradation as early as January of 2022. Chassis currently utilizing 3G antennas as a primary antenna may experience this degradation. |
| 10207154 | Interim Safety Recall Methane detection system will not warn the operator if the system loses power. The driver could be unaware of an issue with the methane detection system or excessive methane present, increasing the risk of a fire, crash and/or personal injury. The repair procedure will be added when it is available. |
| 10206097 | Non-Safety Campaign: Drivers of vehicles equipped with PACCAR TX-12 transmissions may experience harsh shifts and gear grinding noise. Premature Main Drive Gear damage may occur due to clutch housing and main case countershaft bearing bore wear. |
| 10206090 | Safety Recall Work Brake May Unintentionally Disengage NHTSA ID: 21V906, TC: 2021-713. The work brake (also known as winch brake) may unintentionally disengage during winching operations, releasing the service brakes, increasing the risk of crash or injury. The VECU software will be updated to correctly set the speed interlock parameter. |
| 10206084 | Non-Safety Campaign: Eaton Endurant transmissions may experience premature Main Drive Gear damage due to clutch housing and main case countershaft bearing bore wear. A Clutch Housing Front Cover Kit will be installed to address the issue. |
| 10203783 | Non-Safety Campaign - Vehicles with a Cummins X15 engine and Horton fan drive may set Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) 6637 and/or 3838 due to fan speed that results in the fan remaining activated until the power is cycled. A new controller will resolve the issue. |
| 10203780 | Non-Safety Campaign - The TPMS ECU is not communicating properly with TPMS sensors. The result is a delay or failure of communication between the TPMS ECU and the TPMS sensors , causing inaccurate TPMS readings. A firmware update resolves the issue. |
| 10201965 | Fix-As-Fail Due to undersupply issues, only a limited supply of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) sensors are available. As a temporary solution, after PACCAR confirms a DEF sensor is not available, a temporary software update will allow a vehicle to continue operation with a failed DEF sensor by disabling the DEF sensor diagnostics. |
| 10198760 | An engine software update is required to resolve OBD system readiness, DEF doser diagnostics, and otherOBD system software related issues. |
| 10194769 | Selected engines have been identified to receive a camshaft inspection and an update for improved camshaft lubrication. |
| 10191768 | Non-Safety Campaign- Chassis Fairings become loose and rattle. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Quarter Fender Failures
Intermittent Loss of Power Steering Assist
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation