2012 Kenworth C500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other C500 years
- Not enough data 1st of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2012 Kenworth C500. That is the most of any C500 model year in the database (30 years). The most reported problem area is wheels (1 complaints, 100%). There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 1owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Kenworth C500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels | 1 | 100% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2012 Kenworth C500 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, air:supply:reservoir/tank
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2009-2021 Kenworth C500, 2012-2021 Kenworth T440, 2009-2015 Kenworth T660, 2015-2024 Kenworth T680, 2009-2024 Kenworth T800, 2009-2020 Kenworth T370, 2014-2023 Kenworth T880, 2011-2016 Kenworth T470, 2023 Kenworth T480, and 2009-2019 Kenworth W900 vehicles. The air tanks have an insufficient volume of air for the brake system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121, "Air Brake Systems."
Risk: Insufficient air volume can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install the correct volume air tanks, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 12, 2024. Additional owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2025. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888. PACCAR's number for this recall is 24KWD.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Kenworth T270, T370, T440, T470, C500, C540, C550, T660, T800, W900, and 963 trucks manufactured November 1, 2010, to April 6, 2015. In the affected trucks, water may leak into the wiper motor.
Risk: As water leaks in, the wiper may cease to function on the 'intermittent' setting, reducing the driver's visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the water may cause corrosion which, over time, may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: PACCAR is still developing and testing a remedy. The recall is expected to begin in July 2015. An interim letter was sent to owners on July 2, 2015. The recall began on September 2, 1015. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5000. PACCAR's number for this recall is 15KWF.
Service brakes, air:slack adjusters
Problem: Paccar is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 kenworth t270/370, t440/t470, t800, t660, w900 and c500 vehicles manufactured between october 18, 2010, and january 28, 2011. Certain cast iron slack adjuster housings, which transmit braking force from the brake chamber push rod to the brake cam tube, may include a flow notch in the handle portion of the housing due to an error during the casting process. A flow notch in the handle portion may reduce the effective cross section structure and cause the slack adjuster housing to fracture.
Risk: If the slack adjuster housing were to fracture, the wheel brake to which the slack adjuster housing is attached would no longer function, which could increase vehicle stopping distances, and if mounted on the steer axle, could cause the vehicle to pull to one side during braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the slack adjuster housing as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on march 30, 2011. Owners may contact kenworth at 425-828-5440.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
We did 20+ hours of work on this truck and all after hour rates. This company is withholding money they owed. We have asked to work with us and now they will not answer any phone calls from us or our lawyers. Stop this truck. They owe us $2850.00 they need to be stopped before they lie out of money…
Other Kenworth C500 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 C500 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 C500 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 C500 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 C500 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 C500 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 C500 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018 C500 | 0 | 5 |
| 2017 C500 | 0 | 4 |
| 2016 C500 | 0 | 3 |
| 2015 C500 | 0 | 3 |
| 2014 C500 | 0 | 4 |
| 2013 C500 | 0 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 | 3 |
| 2011 C500 | 0 | 6 |
| 2010 C500 | 1 | 4 |
| 2009 C500 | 0 | 5 |
| 2008 C500 | 0 | 9 |
| 2007 C500 | 1 | 6 |
| 2006 C500 | 1 | 5 |
| 2005 C500 | 0 | 5 |
| 2004 C500 | 0 | 4 |
| 2003 C500 | 0 | 3 |
| 2002 C500 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 C500 | 0 | 4 |
| 2000 C500 | 0 | 7 |
| 1999 C500 | 1 | 7 |
| 1998 C500 | 0 | 3 |
| 1997 C500 | 0 | 3 |
| 1996 C500 | 0 | 4 |
| 1995 C500 | 0 | 1 |
See all Kenworth C500 problems by year, every Kenworth model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Kenworth models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Kenworth C500?
Owners most often report wheels problems. The top one, wheels, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Kenworth C500?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Kenworth C500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other C500 model years, the 2012 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.