2021 Kenworth T880 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other T880 years
- Not enough data 3rd of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 8 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2021 Kenworth T880. That ranks 3rd out of 17 T880 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (1 complaints, 100%), typically at around 100 miles. There are 8 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 1owner complaints
- 8safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2021 Kenworth T880 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 1 | 100% | 100 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2021 Kenworth T880 recalls (8)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module; electrical system:software
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Peterbilt and Kenworth vehicles, equipped with Bendix EC80 Advanced Electronic Control Units (ECU). Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. Electrical noise and low signal to the power line carrier may cause the ECU to incorrectly process commands or stop functioning.
Risk: Safety systems that depend on the ECU (Automatic Traction Control, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Active Cruise Control, and Collison Mitigation System) may not function properly or at all, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt's customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 24KWL and 24PBL.
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Peterbilt 365, 367, 389, 535, 536, 537, 548, 567, 579, and 2021-2025 Kenworth T180, T280, T380, T480, T680, T880 and W990 trucks. The right-hand gear shifter stalk connectors may have been improperly crimped, resulting in a loss of communication.
Risk: A loss of communication between the gear shifter and the transmission may result in the vehicle becoming disabled after coming to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the gear shifter assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 15, 2025, then phased after that. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5888 or Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 24PBE and 24KWE.
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.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Peterbilt 567, 579, 2021-2022 Peterbilt 536, 2017-2021 Kenworth T880, 2016-2022 Kenworth T680, 2018-2020 Kenworth T440, 2020 Kenworth T270, and 2021 Kenworth T280 vehicles. The methane detection system will not function if the system loses power.
Risk: The operator may be unaware of a system malfunction or the presence of excessive methane levels, increasing the risk of injury or fire.
Fix: Dealers will re-wire the warning alarm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 1, 2022. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220, and Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5888. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWH and 21PBN.
Electrical system:software; service brakes, air
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Kenworth T880, W990, Peterbilt 567, 579, 389, and 2022 Peterbilt 536, 537 wrecker and auto hauler vehicles. The work brake (winch brake) may unintentionally disengage the service brakes during winching operations, causing the vehicle to roll.
Risk: Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 3, 2022. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth); or 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWG and 21PBM.
Fuel system, diesel:fuel injection system:fuel rail
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Peterbilt 337, 348, 365, 367, 520, 567, Kenworth T270, T370, T440, T470, T800 and T880 vehicles. The sealing washer may not seat correctly in the pilot bore holes, allowing the high pressure fuel rail assembly to leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rail threads and fuel lines, and replace the rail as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth) or 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWC and 21PBD.
Engine
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Kenworth T680, T880, W990, T800, W900 and Peterbilt 579, 567, 389, 367 vehicles equipped with a Cummins X15 engine. The capscrews that attach the flywheel to the crankshaft may have been improperly torqued, allowing the flywheel to detach.
Risk: A detached flywheel can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, driveline pieces may be ejected from the engine compartment, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will properly torque the capscrews and the engine will also be inspected for damage and, if necessary, repaired, free of charge. The recall began on March 29, 2021. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth) or 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWA and 21PBB.
Power train:axle assembly
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Peterbilt 348, 365, 367, 389, 520, 567 and Kenworth T800, T880, W900, W990 vehicles equipped with Watson and Chalin steerable lift axle suspension systems (model SL2065). The axles may have lower rear pivot bolts that are not long enough to sufficiently engage the locking feature of the corresponding nuts.
Risk: The short screws can cause the hardware to separate from the suspension system and become road hazards, increasing the risk of a crash and/or injury.
Fix: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will inspect suspect chassis and replace the pivot bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2020. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall is 20PBE and 20KWC.
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.
Tractor abs system applies the brakes to the trailers while cornering causing the vehicle to become uncontrollable. This usually occurs while entering or exiting a highway at speeds above 30 mph. The abs system locks up the brakes until the tractor and trailers come to a complete stop. These trucks…
Other Kenworth T880 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 T880 | 0 | 2 |
| 2026 T880 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 T880 | 1 | 9 |
| 2024 T880 | 1 | 7 |
| 2023 T880 | 0 | 7 |
| 2022 T880 | 0 | 8 |
| 2021 | 1 | 8 |
| 2020 T880 | 0 | 10 |
| 2019 T880 | 0 | 10 |
| 2018 T880 | 3 | 16 |
| 2017 T880 | 1 | 11 |
| 2016 T880 | 2 | 15 |
| 2015 T880 | 0 | 12 |
| 2014 T880 | 1 | 12 |
| 2013 T880 | 0 | 7 |
| 2012 T880 | 0 | 3 |
| 2011 T880 | 0 | 2 |
See all Kenworth T880 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 2021 Kenworth T880?
Owners most often report service brakes problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Kenworth T880?
Yes, 8 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2021 Kenworth T880 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other T880 model years, the 2021 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.