1999 Peterbilt 379 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 379 years
- Not enough data 6th of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Peterbilt 379. That ranks 6th out of 22 379 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 688,310 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 5owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 Peterbilt 379 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 40% | 688,310 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 20% | 688,310 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Peterbilt 379 recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front:hub
Problem: On certain trucks equipped with truck hub units manufactured by skf exclusively for use on arvinmeritor's ff98x series non-drive steer axles, the hub unit bearings can wear prematurely.
Risk: Seizure of the bearings can cause wheel separation or wheel end fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace all front axle hubs. Notification began july 16, 2003. The manufacturer has advised us that parts will not be available until september 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy with a reasonable time should contact peterbilt at 940-591-4201 or kenworth 425-828-5440.
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Problem: Heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain arvinmeritor and dana axles. Peterbilt will recall 1,434 vehicles equipped with arvinmeritor axles manufactured from december 11, 1999, to may 14, 2000, and from july 22 to september 30, 2000. Kenworth will recall 859 vehicles equipped with arvinmeritor vehicles manufactured from december 11, 1999, to may 23, 2000, and from july 27, 2000, to september 30, 2000 and kennworth will recall an additional 4,151 vehicles equipped with dana axles and manufactured from june 23 to december 6, 1999, and from may 23 to september 30, 2000. The tie rod and drag link ball stud ends contain bearings that are below the specified case depth and/or hardness.
Risk: This can lead to premature wear with possible separation of the ball stud from the socket, increasing the risk of loss of control of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began july 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact peterbilt at 1-940-591-4201 or kenworth at 1-425-828-5440.
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain meritor axles. The tie rod and drag link ball stud ends contain bearings that are below the specified case depth and/or hardness.
Risk: This can lead to premature wear with possible separation of the ball stud from the socket, increasing the risk of loss of control of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began october 24, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact peterbilt at 1-940-591-4000 or kenworth at 1-425-828-5000.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. A change in the internal linkage of certain cab doors has created a possible binding condition.
Risk: If the linkage binds, full engagement of the door latch may not occur, allowing the door to open inadvertently.
Fix: Dealers will modify the door linkage to correct the potential of binding. Owner notification began june 22, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact peterbilt at 1-940-591-4000.
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Problem: Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with tie rod assemblies manufactured by trw. The suspect tie rods contain 24-dl model ball sockets. Certain of the tie rod ball-socket bearings have a below-specification case depth and/or hardness, which can lead to premature wear of the socket.
Risk: If this condition occurs, the driver can lose partial control of the right front wheel, possibly resulting in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the defective ball sockets and/or drag links. Owner notification began on april 10, 2001, to kenworth owners and on april 25, 2001, to peterbilt owners. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact kenworth at 1-425-828-5000, peterbilt at 1-940-591-4000 or trw customer service at 1-866-280-3287.
Electrical system:ignition:module
Problem: Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with caterpillar engines and eaton autoshift transmissions. The engines can stall because of software problems.
Risk: Increased steering effort can occur.
Fix: Dealers will update these engines with software changes. Caterpillar is conducting the owner notification and remedy of this recall.
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.
The crankshaft broke when slowing for a scale house, leaving the truck disabled. The truck was towed to a shop. The cluch and transmission input shaft had to be replaced. *jb
Vehicle fire ignited in engine compartment.*mr while driving the driver noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The driver pulled the vehicle over and drifted about 1/2 mile with the engine off. The consumer exited the vehicle and saw flames under the engine area. The driver retrieved a…
Fault in fuel line equalizing and if you fill your fuel tanks the fuel ends up returning into one tank and the tank over flows. This causes two problems the first is creating an environmental hazard the second is a safty problem making the roadway slippery worst than driving on ice.*ak
I own a 1999 peterbilt 379 with less than 700,000 miles. Today i had to replace a fuel tank strap that broke. Based on the age of the truck, it appears to me that it is a little premature to be replacing a strap, especially on something as critical as a fuel tank. I have also read there is a…
There is an inch of dead play in the steering wheel. Consumer has to turn the steering wheel an ich one way to get it to start turning in the opposite direction. This causes no control of the vehicle when driving at high speed. The dealer has been contacted. *ak
Other Peterbilt 379 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 379 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 379 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 379 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 379 | 0 | 2 |
| 2012 379 | 0 | 2 |
| 2011 379 | 0 | 2 |
| 2010 379 | 0 | 2 |
| 2009 379 | 0 | 5 |
| 2008 379 | 0 | 9 |
| 2007 379 | 6 | 9 |
| 2006 379 | 2 | 7 |
| 2005 379 | 7 | 6 |
| 2004 379 | 1 | 4 |
| 2003 379 | 3 | 5 |
| 2002 379 | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 379 | 6 | 4 |
| 2000 379 | 12 | 6 |
| 1999 | 5 | 6 |
| 1998 379 | 6 | 2 |
| 1997 379 | 4 | 0 |
| 1996 379 | 2 | 1 |
| 1995 379 | 3 | 0 |
See all Peterbilt 379 problems by year, every Peterbilt model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Peterbilt 379?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, fuel system, diesel, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Peterbilt 379?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 Peterbilt 379 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 379 model years, the 1999 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.