2019 Kenworth T680 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2019 Kenworth T680, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes327.3%
- Body & structure218.2%
- Fuel system218.2%
- Powertrain (other)218.2%
- Electrical19.1%
- Engine19.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
UNIT DRIVING DOWN ROAD AND BRAKE CHAMBER FAILED CAUSING BRAKES TO SLOWLY APPLY WITHOUT OPERATOR BEING AWARE UNTIL SEEN SMOKE COMING FROM DRIVE AXLE BRAKES. THE LOW AIR PRESSURE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE, STAYED HIGH ENOUGH NOT TO ILLUMINATE A LOW AIR WARNING. 2 INDEPENDENT FIRE INSPECTIONS PROVED THIS WAS A HALDEX BRAKE CHAMBER FAILURE. THE CHAMBER WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND IT IS IN THE RANGE WHERE HALDEX HAD MANUFACTURING DEFECTS OF THE POWER COIL IN THE PARKING CHAMBER, HALDEX CONFIRMED THEY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE 3030 CHAMBER, AND NOT ISSUING A RECALL EVEN THOUGH PUBLIC SAFETY AS RISK. SPRING BRAKE BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE RUBBER DIAPHRAGM CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND CAUSING ANOTHER TOTAL LOSS OF TRUCK AND TRAILER. ENTIRE INTERSTATE HAD TO BE SHUTDOWN FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. CAUSING MORE RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY THE HALDEX CHAMBER HAS A FATAL DESIGN FLAW THAT HALDEX HAS ADMITTED TO AND CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKING AND BRAKE FIRES, CAUSING TIRE EXPLOSIONS AND CARGO EXPLOSIONS, WHEN THE SPRING COMPRESSES THE POWER COAT PROTECTIVE COATING IS DAMAGED AND CAUSES THE POWER SPRING TO RUST THIS RUST THEN CAUSES THE SPRING TO BRAKE AND PUNCTURE THE INTERNAL DIAPHRAM OF THE CHAMBER. HALDEX IS ALSO AWARE THAT THE METAL USED IN MAKING THE SPRING CANNOT HANDLE THE PRESSURE FORCED UPON IT WITHOUT BREAKING EITHER BY TOOLING CAUSING MARKS AND FATIGUE IN THE METAL ITSELF. NHTSA HAS ALSO DONE ITS TESTING AND CONFIRMED ALL OF THESE FINDING AS WELL.
AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE COLLISION MITIGATION SYSTEM WILL GO OFF FOR NO REASON CAUSING A SUDDEN HARD BRAKING. THIS SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF VEHICLE IS TRAVELING ON WET OR ICY ROADS, IN CLOSE QUARTER CONSTRUCTION ZONES OR IF VEHICLE HAPPENS TO BE IN A TURN. UNFORTUNATELY IF ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE WOULD BE AN ACCIDENT, WHICH I HAVE HEARD HAS HAPPENED. I HAVE TAKEN TRUCK TO KENWORTH SERVICE TWICE AND THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. IT IS A REQUIRED SYSTEM AND ARE JUST VERY SENSITIVE. I SEE NOTHING GOOD ABOUT THIS SYSTEM. WHEN I COME UPON AN ACTUAL HAZARD IT DOESN'T GO OFF. IT IS STRESSFUL TO DRIVE AND WONDER AT ANY GIVEN TIME IF THE HARD BREAK AND LIGHTS ARE GOING TO GO OFF AND HOPE YOU ARE NOT AROUND OTHER VEHICLES THAT WOULD ALSO BE AFFECTED BY THIS UNEXPECTED STOPPING OF A 80000 POUND VEHICLE. HOPEFULLY DRIVERS WILL NOT FIND OUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OF THIS OCCURRED ON WET OR ICED ROADS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE TRACTOR COMES WITH NO EMERGENCY TRAILER BRAKES HANDLE IN THE CAB LIKE THE REST OF TRUCKS IT MAKE IT VERY DANGEROUS WHILE HAULING 80,000 POUNDS AND THE SERVICE BRAKES TAKES FOREVER TO STOP THE TRUCK ALSO THE TOP OF THE CAB AT THE JOINTS IS LEAKING WATER NOT THE FIRST TO COMPLAIN BOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 2019 KW THEY SAY THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE TRUCKS NOW WITHOUT THE TRAILER BRAKES HANDLE I JUST HAVE TO USE THE SERVICE BRAKES
MY FATHER WAS FUELING THIS BRAND NEW TRUCK WITH CNG (COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS) WHEN ONE OF THE TANKS EXPLODED. THE TRUCK WAS STATIONARY AT THE ANG (AMERICAN NATURAL GAS) STATION IN BUTTONWILLOW CALIFORNIA AT THE INTERSECTION OF INTERSTATE 5 AND HWY 58. MY FATHER IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT THE ICU IN UCLA WITH MULTIPLE BROKE BONES AS WELL AS BLEEDING AND SWELLING ON HIS BRAIN. I HAVE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE TRUCK.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 Kenworth T680. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, there was an abnormal popping noise detected and the vehicle decelerated and the fuel system detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the pump bolt had fractured. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 432,549.
MY FATHER WAS FUELING THIS BRAND NEW TRUCK WITH CNG (COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS) WHEN ONE OF THE TANKS EXPLODED. THE TRUCK WAS STATIONARY AT THE ANG (AMERICAN NATURAL GAS) STATION IN BUTTONWILLOW CALIFORNIA AT THE INTERSECTION OF INTERSTATE 5 AND HWY 58. MY FATHER IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT THE ICU IN UCLA WITH MULTIPLE BROKE BONES AS WELL AS BLEEDING AND SWELLING ON HIS BRAIN. I HAVE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE TRUCK.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
When I was driving on the highway the transmission fault error came on and my truck came to a stop on on the highway. It changed gears weirdly and kept the rpm’s high. Once it came to a stop I turned the truck off and on and it work fine. This has happened multiple times and a nationwide failure of the MTM and transmission is the cause of this. Many of my fellow drivers are having this same issues and are having to replace the whole transmission due to the MTM failing and destroying the transmission.
The Eaton 12 speeds that these trucks come equipped with are failing just after the warranty expires. Lots of drivers with the same problem.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
We have under hood fire during operating the truck. The driver was driving in TX. The police and fire department need to be involved to extinguish the fire. The truck need to be towed to terminal. The two dealers were doing estimate and the try to look up the causes of the fire, but is seems they not able to find it. We asked some privet mechanics and they think that fire could start from starter. The truck is 2019 T680 455,972 miles with engine Paccar MX-13. The truck is available fot inspection.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
We have under hood fire during operating the truck. The driver was driving in TX. The police and fire department need to be involved to extinguish the fire. The truck need to be towed to terminal. The two dealers were doing estimate and the try to look up the causes of the fire, but is seems they not able to find it. We asked some privet mechanics and they think that fire could start from starter. The truck is 2019 T680 455,972 miles with engine Paccar MX-13. The truck is available fot inspection.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .