KENWORTH Complaints

RECENTLY ONE OF MY TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH A CATEPILLAR ENGINE HAD A MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE WHICH CAUSED MY DRIVER TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP ALONG A FREEWAY IN COLORADO. I WAS INFORMED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD BROKEN. BY MISTAKE A NOTICE SENT BY CATERPILLAR NAMED "CONFIDENTIAL" WAS LEFT ON A COUNTER WHICH I HAPPENED TO PICK UP AND READ. IT STATED TRUCKS WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE STARTING WITH A CERTAIN SERIAL NO. AND ENDING WITH ANOTHER SERIAL NO. HAD THIS TYPE OF ENGINE FAILURE, BROKEN CRANKSHAFT, WOULD BE HANDLED ACCORDING TO THE MILEAGE ON THAT TRUCK. IT ALSO STATED NO REPAIR WAS TO BE ADMINISTERED UNTIL THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED. THE NUMBER OF ENGINES INVOLVED ACCORDING TO THE SERIAL NO. WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000. AFTER READING THEIR BULLETIN IT WAS APPARENT TO ME CATERPILLAR KNEW THEY HAD A FLAW IN THESE CRANK SHAFTS AND INSTEAD OF RECALLING AND REPLACING THESE CRANKSHAFTS THEY WOULD PREFER TO TAKE A CHANCE AND REPLACE, ACCORDING TO THE MILEAGE AT FAILURE, THE FAILED COMPONET. AT ISSUE HERE IS THE TIME AND PLACE THIS ENGINE FAILURE TAKES PLACE. IN OUR SITUATION IT WAS ON A MAJOR FREEWAY WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC. LUCKILY THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP. CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS FAILURE OCCURED ON A MAJOR INCLINE OR DOWNHILL GRADE ON A TWO LANE ROAD. THE RESULT MAY HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. HOW MANY OTHER OF THESE ENGINES HAVE FAILED AND WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES ? WHERE DID IT HAPPEN AND WAS THERE AN ISSUE WITH TRAFFIC SAFETY, I PERSONNALLY DON'T KNOW. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A CAR BREAKNG DOWN HERE BUT AN 80,000 POUND SEMI. IF A MANUFACTURER KNOWS A MAJOR COMPONET OF AN ENGINE USED IN SUCH A SAFETY SENSITIVE REGIMENT, TRANSPORTATION ON OUR HIGHWAYS, WITH TRAFFIC BEING HEAVIER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN, IS FAULTY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED SHOULDN'T THEY TAKE ACTION TO REMEDY THAT PROBLEM BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS OR IS IT WORTH THE GAMBLE ? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER. L.J. LARKIN PRES. TRANSTECH N.W. INC.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC. *AK

CONTROL MODULE FOR B PANEL ACCESSORY GUAGES HAS FAILED TWICE WITHIN ONE YEAR. B PANEL GUAGES ARE NOT ESSENTIAL TO OPERATION HOWEVER THEY PROVIDE USEFUL INFORMATION TO THE DRIVER FOR VEHICLE PERFORMANCE AND MAINTENANCE STATUS (IE OIL TEMP, TURBO BOOST, SUSPENSION PRESSURE). *AK

FIFTH WHEEL LOCKING PIN FAILED CAUSING TRAILER TO SEPARATE FROM TRACTOR.*MR (KENWORTH CONVENTIONAL 2003)*TS *JB

FAILURE OF JAKE BRAKES ON 2003 KENWORTH T-600. THE JAKE BRAKES ON MY KENWORTH FAILED TO COME ON. I DIRECTED IT TO THE KENWORTH DEALERSHIP IN CARLISLE, PA. WHO AFTER MANY HOURS OF DIAGNOSISING DETERMINED THAT THE JAKE BRAKES HAD FAILED BECAUSE A WIRE HAD COME LOOSE AT THE BACK OF THE AM/FM RADIO!!!! THE BRAKES CAN FAIL BECAUSE OF A LOOSE WIRE @ THE AM/FM RADIO. GOD HELP THE POOR SOUL IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK COMING DOWN A 6% GRADE RELYING ON HIS JAKES TO SLOW HIM DOWN WHICH FAIL BECAUSE OF A LOOSE WIRE BEHIND THE RADIO. NUT!*AK

I HAD A FUEL LINE FAILURE ON MY 98 KENWORTH T2000 WITH A 60 SERIES DETROIT ENGINE. THE FUEL LINE IS ROUTED BEHIND THE STARTER AND IT RUPTURED DO TO RUBBING ON THE CLAMP THAT IS SUPPOSED TO STOP IT FROM VIBRATION. IT COVERED EVERYTHING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH FUEL ALONG WITH THE STARTER. IF I HAD USED THE STARTER I AM SURE THE RESULTING FIRE WOULD HAVE DONE A HUGE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. THIS IS A VERY STANDARD PRACTICE OF KENWORTH TO ROUTE THE FUEL LINES THIS WAY. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY MECHANIC'S THAT SAY THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES THAT HE IS HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH HIS BIG RIG. HE STATES THAT HE CAN BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE LIGHTS CUT OFF, THEN LATER ON THEY COME BACK ON. HE STATES THAT HE HAS HAD THIS TRUCK IN THE SHOP 60 PLUS TIMES, AND NO ONE CAN FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. HE STATES HE HAS HAD THE MOTOR REBUILT TWICE, REPLACED THE HEADS, REPLACE GASKET ETC AT LEASE TWICE, AND NO ONE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM.

CONSUMER STATES THAT FRONT LEFT TIRE SIDE WALL BLEW OUT CAUSING SLIGHT LOST OF CONTROL. PLEASE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

THE STEERING COUPLING SEPARATED DUE TO INADEQUATE TIGHTENING OF THE TETAINING NUT AND BOLT, A FAULTY SLIP JOINT AND PERHAPS FAULTY METAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COUPLING, BOTH MALE AND FEMALE PARTS. KENWORTH WILL NOT RESPOND TO OUR LETTERS. THERE IS A RECALL IN 1997 FOR THIS SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF TRUCK FOR A REAR SUSPENSION BECAUSE OF MATERIALS USED IN THE SWAY BAR AND ARMS. THE STEERING ROD CAME LOOSE FROM THE FIREWALL. DT

CONSUMER NOTICED AT HOME. THE FRONT CHASSIS WAS BROKE HE COULD KILL MANY PEOPLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS