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2003 Peterbilt 379 Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Serious

3 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.00 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious03V410000

Steering:Linkages:Knuckle:Spindle:Arm

IF THE CRACK SHOULD PROPAGATE OVER TIME, THE BALL COULD BECOME LOOSE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE KNUCKLE AND STEER ARM ASSEMBLIES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KENWORTH AT 1-425-828-5440 OR PETERBILT AT 1-940-591-4201.

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH DANA SPICER INTEGRAL KNUCKLE AND STEER ARM ASSEMBLIES, THE STEER AXLE ASSEMBLIES MAY HAVE A LONGITUDINAL CRACK IN THE STEER ARM.

Serious03V288000

Power Train:Axle Hubs

FAILURE TO PROPERLY ENGAGE THE LOCKING FEATURE INTO THE NUT COULD CAUSE THE NUT TO LOOSEN WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE WHEEL BEARING TO OVER HEAT AND FAIL IF UNDETECTED.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HUBS TO DETERMINE IF THE LOCKING TABS ARE PROPERLY BENT. IF THE LOCKING TABS ARE NOT BENT, THEN DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE APPROPRIATE COMPONENTS FOR PREMATURE WEAR AND REPLACE SUCH COMPONENTS AS REQUIRED AND PROPERLY SECURE THE RETAINING NUT BY BENDING OVER THE LOCKING TAB. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 17, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KENWORTH AT 1-425-828-5440 OR PETERBILT AT 940-591-4201.

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS, THE LOCKING TAB THAT LOCKS THE OUTER SPINDLE NUT ONTO THE SPINDLE WAS NOT ENGAGED OR PROPERLY BENT OVER.

Serious03V168000

Trailer Hitches:Fifth Wheel Assembly

IF LEFT UNDETECTED OR CORRECTED IT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE FIFTH WHEEL TOP PLATE FROM ITS MOUNTING STRUCTURE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRACKET PINS AND REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS FREE OF CHARGE. PETERBILT'S OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 20, 2003. KENWORTH'S OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 12, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT PETERBILT AT 940-591-4201 OR KENWORTH 425-828-5440.

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH JOST INTERNATIONAL JSK 37U SERIES FIFTH WHEELS, A FATIGUE CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE BRACKET PIN WELD UNDER CERTAIN LOADING CONDITIONS.

Serious07V044000

Service Brakes, Air

THE ABSENCE OF THIS AIR HOSE COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE DRIVE AXLE BRAKE PERFORMANCE WHILE A TRAILER IS BEING PULLED, RESULTING IN LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

PETERBILT WILL INSPECT THE AIR HOSE PLUMBING OF THE DRIVE AXLE BRAKE SYSTEM AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 22, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PETERBILT AT 1-940-591-4196.

ON CERTAIN NON-ABS EQUIPPED TRUCKS, AN AIR HOSE BETWEEN THE TRACTOR PROTECTION VALVE AND THE BACK OF THE CAB BULKHEAD WAS OMITTED.

Moderate03V343000

Service Brakes, Air:Slack Adjusters

IF THE LEFT BRAKE CANNOT FULLY BE APPLIED OR IF IT WERE TO BECOME STUCK AND NOT RELEASE, THIS COULD AFFECT THE VEHILCE STOPPING DISTANCE AND STABILITY.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE "UNHANDED" AUTOMATIC SLACK ADJUSTER WITH A "HANDED" AUTOMATIC SLACK ADJUSTER THAT HAS A SIDE MOUNTED PAWL NUT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 6, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE FREMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT PETERBILT AT 1-940-591-4201.

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MERITOR 15X4 FRONT BRAKES AND DANA E1200 STEER AXLE, THE LEFT BRAKE CANNOT FULLY APPLY OR IT WOULD BECOME STUCK AND NOT RELEASE.

Complaint volume

3 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

0Crashes
0Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 3 complaints. Severity Index 0.00.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Wheels · Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/…1 · 33%Engine And Engine Cooling…1 · 33%Fuel System, Diesel · Sto…1 · 33%
  1. Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs — 1 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 1 reports
  3. Fuel System, Diesel:Storage:Tank Assembly — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 · 1996 (1) · 1997 · 1998 (2) · 1999 (6) · 2000 (6) · 2001 (4) · 2003 · 2004 (4) · 2005 (6) · 2006 (7) · 2007 (9)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.