Model year record

2006 KENWORTH C500

5 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 1 owner complaint on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 08V099000

Service brakes, air: slack adjusters

Component
Service brakes, air: slack adjusters
Manufacturer
PACCAR INCORPORATED
Vehicles affected
130
Reported to NHTSA
2008-03-04
Owners notified
2008-03-21

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 07V107000

Power train: automatic transmission

Component
Power train: automatic transmission
Manufacturer
PACCAR INCORPORATED
Vehicles affected
4,592
Reported to NHTSA
2007-03-16
Owners notified
2007-05-09

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 07V090000

Service brakes, air

Component
Service brakes, air
Manufacturer
PACCAR INCORPORATED
Vehicles affected
65
Reported to NHTSA
2007-03-09
Owners notified
2007-05-21

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 06V391000

Power train: driveline

Component
Power train: driveline
Manufacturer
PACCAR INCORPORATED
Vehicles affected
572
Reported to NHTSA
2006-10-13
Owners notified
2006-10-09

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Recall campaignNHTSA 05V570000

Engine and engine cooling

Component
Engine and engine cooling
Manufacturer
PACCAR INCORPORATED
Vehicles affected
30,995
Reported to NHTSA
2005-12-22
Owners notified
2006-04-17

Defect description

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.

Safety risk

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

Manufacturer 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.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Electrical system: wiring1

The 2007 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.