1999 Kenworth T800 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 1999 Kenworth T800, 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
- Suspension250.0%
- Engine125.0%
- Powertrain (other)125.0%
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
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEEL BEARINGS KEEP FAILING, STEERING TIRES KEEP GETTING EATEN UP, WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO PULL TO RIGHT, WHEN THIS HAPPENS BRAKES WOULD CHATTER DUE TO A LACK OF WHEEL BEARINGS. DRUM DROPPED ON BRAKE PADS AND SHOES. BRAKE SHOES WOULD BREAK OFF.*AK *YD
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE CONTINUALLY PULLING TO THE RIGHT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
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
RECENTLY ONE OF MY TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH A CATEPILLAR ENGINE HAD A MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE WHICH CAUSED MY DRIVER TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP ALONG A FREEWAY IN COLORADO. I WAS INFORMED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN. BY MISTAKE A NOTICE SENT BY CATERPILLAR NAMED "CONFIDENTIAL" WAS LEFT ON A COUNTER WHICH I HAPPENED TO PICK UP AND READ. IT STATED TRUCKS WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE STARTING WITH A CERTAIN SERIAL NO. AND ENDING WITH ANOTHER SERIAL NO. HAD THIS TYPE OF ENGINE FAILURE, BROKEN CRANKSHAFT, WOULD BE HANDLED ACCORDING TO THE MILEAGE ON THAT TRUCK. IT ALSO STATED NO REPAIR WAS TO BE ADMINISTERED UNTIL THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED. THE NUMBER OF ENGINES INVOLVED ACCORDING TO THE SERIAL NO. WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000. AFTER READING THEIR BULLETIN IT WAS APPARENT TO ME CATERPILLAR KNEW THEY HAD A FLAW IN THESE CRANK SHAFTS AND INSTEAD OF RECALLING AND REPLACING THESE CRANKSHAFTS THEY WOULD PREFER TO TAKE A CHANCE AND REPLACE, ACCORDING TO THE MILEAGE AT FAILURE, THE FAILED COMPONET. AT ISSUE HERE IS THE TIME AND PLACE THIS ENGINE FAILURE TAKES PLACE. IN OUR SITUATION IT WAS ON A MAJOR FREEWAY WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC. LUCKILY THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS FAILURE OCCURED ON A MAJOR INCLINE OR DOWNHILL GRADE ON A TWO LANE ROAD. THE RESULT MAY HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. HOW MANY OTHER OF THESE ENGINES HAVE FAILED AND WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES ? WHERE DID IT HAPPEN AND WAS THERE AN ISSUE WITH TRAFFIC SAFETY, I PERSONNALLY DON'T KNOW. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A CAR BREAKNG DOWN HERE BUT AN 80,000 POUND SEMI. IF A MANUFACTURER KNOWS A MAJOR COMPONET OF AN ENGINE USED IN SUCH A SAFETY SENSITIVE REGIMENT, TRANSPORTATION ON OUR HIGHWAYS, WITH TRAFFIC BEING HEAVIER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN, IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED SHOULDN'T THEY TAKE ACTION TO REMEDY THAT PROBLEM BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS OR IS IT WORTH THE GAMBLE ? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER. L.J. LARKIN PRES. TRANSTECH N.W. INC.*AK
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
RECALL 99V303/ ALUMINUM DRIVELINE. PARTS THAT WERE NEEDED TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *AK
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 .