RoadVitals

2014 Peterbilt 389K

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest May 28, 2013
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2014 Peterbilt 389K. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 24 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

May 28, 2013
1,773 units potentially affected
The defect: PACCAR is recalling certain model year 2014 Kenworth T170, T270, T370, T470, T660, T680, T800, T880, and W900 trucks manufactured May 6, 2013, through May 17, 2013; and model year 2014 Peterbilt 330, 337, 348, 365, 367, 382, 384, 386, 388, 389, 389K, 567, 579 and 587 trucks manufactured May 1, 2013 through May 17, 2013. An internal defect in the ignition switch causes the starter to engage when a key is partially inserted, before the key is turned.
The risk: Unintended engine startup could cause injury to a person working in the engine compartment. Vehicles with standard transmissions may experience unexpected movement, which may result in personal injury or a crash.
The remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will replace affected ignition switches, free of charge. The recall began on June 14, 2013. Owners may contact Kenworth at 1-425-828-5000 or Peterbilt at 1-940-591-4000. Kenworth's recall campaign number is 13KWF. Peterbilt's recall campaign number is 0513-E.
PACCAR IncorporatedManufacturer number 13KWF, 0513-EView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

32-025

ENGINE

Info Only Unnecessary starter replacements can result from customer complaints regarding engine starting issues. A new Starter Troubleshooting Guide has been created to provide a comprehensive list of starting system checks, which should reduce unnecessary starter replacements and associated warranty claims. Engine starting system warranty claims now require a completed Starter Checklist, a Battery Pack Midtronics Report, and a Cable Drop Midtronics Report. Claims filed without these documents may be denied.

01-082

VISIBILITY; VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:CONDENSOR/EVAPORATOR

Certain model 389 chassis are experiencing freezing of the A/C evaporator or frosting of the compressor and suction line. A field resolution is available to solve this issue.

34-093

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

34-093 Model 389 78-inch Sleeper 12V Power Port Supplier Change

13-060

SERVICE BRAKES

The service information for Bendix Air Dryer maintenance is being updated to include new procedures.

02-160

EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; VISIBILITY; VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

Information Only – Windshield washer pumps have a high No Trouble Found rate. Washer pumps may fail to spray due to a clogged filter.

02-158

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY; EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; STRUCTURE

Fix as Fail: Peterbilt has determined that certain model 348, 365, 367, 382, 384, 386, 388, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks, built between 4/13/2010 and 3/16/2020 and equipped with a flush mounted battery box, utilized rubber washers that could rub through and cause the aluminum box mounting tabs to rub directly on the steel frame brackets. This could result in cracked battery box mounting angles. Resolution is to add the reinforcement bracket(s) to affected vehicles.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Peterbilt 389K by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2014Viewing010
2009020
2008031

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.