Peterbilt 520 Problems by Year
NHTSA has 4 owner complaints and 24 safety recalls on file for the Peterbilt 520, across 32 model years (1995–2026). The 2020 model year has the most complaints (3). The most reported problem area overall is service brakes.
Peterbilt 520 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
No 520 model year stands out with more than twice the complaints of a typical year.
Model years with the most complaints
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Peterbilt 520 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 4 | 2 | 0 |
All Peterbilt 520 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 520 | 0 | 2 | — | — | |
| 2025 520 | 0 | 7 | — | — | |
| 2024 520 | 0 | 8 | — | — | |
| 2023 520 | 0 | 5 | — | — | |
| 2022 520 | 0 | 4 | — | — | |
| 2021 520 | 0 | 6 | — | — | |
| 2020 520 | 3 | 12 | — | Service Brakes | |
| 2019 520 | 1 | 8 | — | Service Brakes | |
| 2018 520 | 0 | 8 | — | — | |
| 2017 520 | 0 | 5 | — | — | |
| 2016 520 | 0 | 4 | — | — | |
| 2015 520 | 0 | 3 | — | — | |
| 2014 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2013 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2012 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2011 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2010 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2009 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2008 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2007 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2006 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2005 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2004 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2003 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2002 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2001 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 2000 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1999 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1998 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1997 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1996 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — | |
| 1995 520 | 0 | 1 | — | — |
More from Peterbilt: all Peterbilt models · VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Peterbilt 520 years should you stay away from?
No year stands out at twice the typical count; the most complaints are for 2020 (3), 2019 (1). Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Peterbilt 520?
Service Brakes, with 4 complaints across 2 model years.
How many recalls does the Peterbilt 520 have?
24 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.