2009 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 2009 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
- Electrical1100.0%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
A TRACTOR UPDATE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED BY KENWORTH EARLY IN 2009 THAT INVOLVED THE 2008 T-800 TRACTORS. THE UPDATE REQUIRED THE INSTALLATION OF A 150 A "MEGAFUSE" INTO THE MAIN POSITIVE CONDUCTOR SUPPLYING ALL TRACTOR ELECTRICAL POWER (NOT TO THE STARTER MOTOR SOLENOID). SINCE THE "MEGAFUSE" WAS INSTALLED INLINE, OPENING OF THE FUSE EFFECTIVELY DE-ENERGIZED ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN THE TRACTOR INCLUDING THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RESULTING IN IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. FURTHER, ALL SIGNAL, WARNING, VISIBILITY AND HEAD LIGHTS CEASED OPERATION. MORE IMPORTANTLY (AND THE REASON FOR THIS REPORT), WITH IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN OF THE DIESEL ENGINE, ALL POWER ASSISTED STEERING CAPABILITIES ARE ELIMINATED. WITHOUT POWER ASSIST, A TRACTOR BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. WE INVESTIGATED JUST SUCH AN OCCURRENCE FOR ONE OF OUR CLIENTS. HISTORICALLY, OUR TRUCKING COMPANY CLIENT HAS NOW RECORDED TWO SUCH ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITH ONE RESULTING IN A CRASH. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED WHILE BACKING INTO A LOADING DOCK AT LOW SPEED. THE SECOND OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ALONG A NORTHERN ONTARIO HIGHWAY CURVE AT NIGHT. THE SECOND FUSE FAILURE RESULTED IN A CRASH AS THE DRIVER COULD NOT NEGOTIATE THE CURVE IN THE DARK, WITHOUT THE POWER ASSISTED STEERING (FAR NORTHERN ONTARIO). THE MEGAFUSE IS HOUSED WITHIN THE KENWORTH BATTERY BOX, LOCATED IMMEDIATELY BEHIND THE LEFT SIDE FUEL SADDLE TANK. AT PRESENT, WE ARE INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE MEGAFUSE OPENING (FAILURE). PRELIMINARY HYPOTHESIS INCLUDED INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL FAULT(S) WITHIN THE MAIN SUPPLY CONDUCTOR OR MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE MEGAFUSE DUE TO VIBRATION DAMAGE. ASIDE FROM THE FAILURE MECHANISM OF THE FUSE, IT IS OUR ENGINEERING OPINION THAT A FUSE THAT NULLIFIES THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS TO THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE TRACTOR OCCUPANTS AND OTHERS THAT MAY COME INTO CONTACT WITH A MISDIRECTED TRACTOR-TRAILER COMBINATION. *TR
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 .