2020 Peterbilt 579 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 579 years
- Not enough data 3rd 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 2020 Peterbilt 579. That ranks 3rd out of 22 579 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 349,571 miles. 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 2020 Peterbilt 579 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 2 | 40% | 349,571 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 40% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 20% | 180,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Peterbilt 579 recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:critical fasteners
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Kenworth T270, T370, T440, T470, T660, T680, T880, T800, W900, W990; and 2018-2020 Peterbilt 330, 337, 348, 365, 367, 389, 520, 567, and 579 vehicles. The Dana D-Series axle steer arm fasteners that attach the steering arm to the steering knuckle may fail.
Risk: Fastener failure can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace and torque the steer arm fasteners, at no charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 8, 2022. 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 are 22 PBB and 22 KWB.
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.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Peterbilt 365, 389, 567, and 579 vehicles equipped with a left-hand under hood jumper terminal (option code 2539410). The positive battery jumper terminal cable may be too long, allowing it to chafe against the left front suspension spring and result in an electrical short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the battery jumper terminal cables, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 30, 2020. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 20PBA.
Visibility
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2020 Peterbilt 579 vehicles equipped with a sleeper box. The conspicuity tape may have been installed in the incorrect location, affecting the vehicle's visibility to other drivers on the road. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Reduced visibility increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will install additional conspicuity tape on back of sleeper in correct location, free of charge. The recall began November 4, 2019. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's number for this recall is 19PBE.
Visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:exterior
Problem: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2020 Peterbilt 520 and 579 vehicles and Kenworth T680, T880 and W990 vehicles. The mirror glass may detach from the mirror carrier plate due to inadequate adhesion.
Risk: If the mirror glass detaches, the driver may have reduced visibility and the mirror glass will become a road hazard that may strike another vehicle or pedestrian, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: PACCAR has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the upper mirror glass/mirror carrier, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2019. Kenworth owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt owners may call 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall is 19KWC and 19PBC.
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.
My 2020 [XXX] [XXX] VIN:[XXX] was brought to Rihm Kenworth in [XXX] on XXX while actively under warranty." The dealership confirmed a PACCAR MX-13 camshaft failure, which is a known manufacturer defect tied to PACCAR Campaigns E252 and E266. Camshafts Are Explicitly Covered 100% The text of…
Camshaft failure as described in previous service bulletins for same year, make, model truck and Paccar MX-17 engine. Available for inspection as truck is not operational. Vehicle has been inspected by mechanic and no warning, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure being noticed and…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2020 Peterbilt 579. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 217,000, and at the time of…
Vehicle has a following distance sensor on front bumper. Sensor is sensing overpasses when traveling underneath them and that should not be detected. Vehicle is automatically applying hard braking. This is causing a possible rear end collision and or loss of vehicle controll in wet conditions.
Eoa support bracket broke off and the eoa manifold fell into the drive shaft causing the loss of air pressure. The truck was on the instate in the city.
Other Peterbilt 579 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 579 | 0 | 3 |
| 2026 579 | 1 | 2 |
| 2025 579 | 0 | 7 |
| 2024 579 | 3 | 7 |
| 2023 579 | 3 | 11 |
| 2022 579 | 7 | 15 |
| 2021 579 | 1 | 9 |
| 2020 | 5 | 6 |
| 2019 579 | 3 | 8 |
| 2018 579 | 7 | 14 |
| 2017 579 | 3 | 13 |
| 2016 579 | 3 | 11 |
| 2015 579 | 4 | 9 |
| 2014 579 | 2 | 12 |
| 2013 579 | 1 | 13 |
| 2012 579 | 0 | 6 |
| 2011 579 | 0 | 4 |
| 2010 579 | 0 | 3 |
| 2009 579 | 0 | 2 |
| 2008 579 | 0 | 2 |
| 2007 579 | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 579 | 0 | 1 |
See all Peterbilt 579 problems by year, every Peterbilt model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Peterbilt models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Peterbilt 579?
Owners most often report electrical system, power train, electronic stability control (esc) problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Peterbilt 579?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 Peterbilt 579 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 579 model years, the 2020 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.