2007 Peterbilt 379 Problems

2007 PETERBILT SEMI TRUCK. CONSUMER REQUESTS ASSISTANCE IN GETTING COMPANY TRUCK TESTED FOR EMISSION AND SEAL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HER HUSBAND WAS FOUND DECEASED ON MARCH 26, 2012. THE CONSUMER STRONGLY BELIEVED, HER HUSBAND WAS A VICTIM OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. THE DECEDENT WAS FOUND IN AN IDLING TRUCK WITH ALL THE VENTS CLOSED OFF. THE AUTOPSY REPORT DESCRIBED HER HUSBAND AS HAVING FACIAL PLETHORA A SYMPTOM FOUND IN A DECEASED PERSON WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.

I DRIVE A TRACTOR TRAILER FOR R.L. SMITH TRUCKING 169 ENTERPRISE DR. WENTZVILLE MO. I HAVE BEEN TELLING RICHARD & ERIC SMITH THAT I HAVE BEEN SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING IN MY TRUCK. THEY KEEP BLOWING ME OFF SAYING "YOU & YOUR SMELLS". FINALLY I TOOK IT TO KENWORTH OF JOPLIN MO & THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE GASKET ON THE MAIN PART OF THE EXHAUST BEHIND THE TWIN TURBOS. I CALLED RICHARD (1-3-09) & TOLD HIM WHAT THEY FOUND. RICHARD SAID HE IS NOT GETTING IT FIXED UNTIL I FINISH MY RUN & HE WILL LOOK AT IT WHEN I GET IN. KENWORTH OF JOPLIN SAID THEY COULD HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM THAT NIGHT, BUT I WAS TOLD NOT TO HAVE IT FIXED. I ALSO TOLD RICHARD THAT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 12-31-08 & HE SAID HE WOULD HAVE ERIC PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER. THEY NEVER DID. IT SEAMS THAT RICHARD SMITH FIXES ALL THE MEN'S TRUCKS, BUT PUTS MINE OFF ALL THE TIME. *TR

TRUCK WAS SITTING UNATTENDED AND WIRING HARNESS SHORTED OUT AND BURNED ALL THE WIRING UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER ASKING AROUND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE ISN'T A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. IF A DRIVER IS ASLEEP IN THE SLEEPER AND THIS WERE TO HAPPEN THERE COULD BE A LOSS OF LIFE OR CRITICAL/SEVERE INJURY. *TR

AFTER GETTING 2007 PETERBILT WASHED I LEFT WASH BAY TO LET TRUCK DRY. I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. UPON STARTING THE ENGINE I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM RIGHT WHEEL WELL. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. HOOD STARTED TO BUCKLE FROM HEAT. I RAISED HOOD AND FIRE WAS LOCATED NEAR LEFT SIDE OF FIREWALL. I GOT FIRE EXTINGUISHER OUT AND PUT OUT FIRE. FUEL LINE HAD RUBBED A HOLE IN IT BY RUBBING AGAINST A LARGE POWER CABLE. FUEL LEAKED AND SPARK FROM POWER CABLE IGNITED FUEL. THE TRUCK IS A 2007 -379 WITH A CATERPILLAR ENGINE. THE TRUCK HAS 300,000. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TUFF. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON PETERBILTS AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I AM GLAD I DID NOT WAKE UP TO FIND THE CAB ENGULFED IN FIRE. *TR

THE DRIVE SHAFT ON A 2007 PETERBILT MALFUNCTIONED AND DROPPED OUT OF THE TRACTOR, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TRACTOR AND TO 5 VEHICLES FOLLOWING WHO HIT THE SHAFT IN THE ROADWAY. THE PETERBILT HAS 267,009 MILES ON IT AND THE SHAFT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THIS WAS A DANA CORPORATION DRIVESHAFT AND THEY FIXED THE TRACTOR UNDER WARRANTY AND ARE HANDLING THE CLAIMS OF THE 5 VEHICLES WHO ENCOUNTERED THE DEFECTIVE SHAFT. *TR

TRUCK WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 81 IN VA, 208MM. AS TRUCK WAS CHANGING LANES THE LEFT STEER TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING OVER $10,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO TRUCK AND LEAVING DRIVER STRANDED ON LEFT SHOULDER OF INTERSTATE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED BUT TRUCK WAS IN DANGEROUS LOCATION. VA STATE POLICE WERE VERY HELPFUL AND THE CREW FROM PETRO TRUCK STOP CAME OUT QUICKLY AND R&R TIRE AND WHEEL TO GET TRUCK BACK TO TRUCK STOP. TRUCK WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 60 MPH AT TIME OF FAILURE, AVERAGE WEIGHT ON FRONT AXLE IS 12,000, TIRE PRESSURE IS CHECKED EVERY MORNING AND WAS 130PSI BEFORE STARTING THAT DAY, THE WHEEL IS AN ALCOA 8.25 X 22.5 RATED FOR 130PSI. TIRE IS A MICHELIN ENERGY XZA2+ 295/60R 22.5 *JS