2023 Peterbilt 579 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 2023 Peterbilt 579, 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
- Powertrain (other)266.7%
- Visibility133.3%
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
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Peterbilt has a recall 24V190 for the right hand shifter stalk. This VIN is not on the recall list however it does have the defective shift stalk and has been replaced 3 times prior to the recall. The most recent replacement was 8/20/24 replaced with the same defective part #. How do I get this truck on the recall list?
1. The components that malfunctioned were the "engine/transmission match" and "transmission communications failure idle torque limit". Yes, my unit is available for inspection at any time. 2. When I had to stop on the freeway due to heavy traffic, the gearshift would not budge, causing an even bigger traffic delay. I had to turn off/on my unit multiple times to be able to pull over, safely. If I were not able to change gears while on the road, it could create a big accident due to faulty parts. 3. Yes, my local Peterbilt is aware of this issue and ordered a "right hand turn stalk shift" (part# Q21-6155-211X) to fix the issue. I was told that this replacement part was out of stock and may need to wait up to 3 months for it. I called other Peterbilt's in CA but everyone was out of stock, with 20 to 30 trucks also waiting for the same part. I even called Canada to see if they had parts, but they are also out of this particular part, with a long waitlist of trucks at their dealerships. Peterbilt had to recall the gearshifts on their units back in 2018: https://www.truckinginfo.com/278812/kenworth-peterbilt-trucks-recalled-for-transmission-gear-display 4. There were no prior indications that the gearshift needed inspection. The vehicle only indicated "Transmission fault" when the gearshift became stuck. When I put my unit in "Drive" the dashboard showed an "!" and when I put my unit in "R" the dashboard showed the unit was in "Drive". These incorrect messages/gear changes can be very dangerous. My unit is a 2023 Peterbilt 579 with only 90K miles, there is no reason it would have a faulty gearshift and no reason why each dealership has a waitlist of 20-30 trucks waiting for this exact part. Paccar clearly did not learn from the 2018 recall 118-A. I believe Peterbilt is knowingly manufacturing faulty parts in an effort to make as many sales as possible. These faulty parts need immediate attention but are completely out of stock nationally.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving in the rain, the wipers would not work. The driver tried and tried to work the switch but the wipers would not work. Later, the wipers would work. At times the wipers work, at times they don't. We took the truck to the Peterbilt dealer and the problem could not be duplicated, they offered no solutions, no direction other than to bring it back when it happens again.
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 .