PETERBILT Complaints

DT: THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS AN ENGINE PROBLEM (NO POWER) THAT THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO LOCATE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER. THE OTHER DEALER PUT THE VEHICLE ON A DYNO-METER AND INDICATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. ANOTHER TEST ON THE METER AND THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE HEWI PUMP. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTORS. AFTER THE REPAIRS THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SPUTTERED AND DID NOT HAVE THE POWER IT SHOULD HAVE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PULL ITS LOAD AND IT USED TOO MUCH FUEL. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY CAN TO HELP, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. CALLER HAS HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER 20 TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT THE DEALER CAN'T FIND. SOMETIMES HE HAD TO TAKE IT IN 3 OR 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ABS SYSTEM HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED ONCE TO A DEALER BECAUSE OF THE FUEL PUMP. THE CONSUME SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ALSO. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES HIS VEHICLE IS A LEMON. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE IS A CATERPILLAR ENGINE C7 3126, 300 HORSEPOWER. *NM

DT: CALLER SAID A TIRE BLEW OUT AND DAMAGED THE VEHICLE. DEALER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL. CALLER DID NOT HAVE THE RECALL NUMBER. MANUFACTURER SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT'S NAME AT THE MANUFACTURER WAS WINIFRED BISHOP, AND THE FILE # 05020037. THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THE CLAIM SERVICE FOR THE MANUFACTURER IS 626-568-7832. MANUFACTURER 'S PHONE NUMBER IS 1-800-423-4544 EXT. CALLER BOUGHT VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE PARTY.*AK

DT: CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING THE HOOD COMES UP. THERE IS A HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY AVAILABLE. *AK

I BOUGHT A 2003 PETERBILT 379 TRUCK WITH A SPLIT TANK IN NOVEMBER 2002. SINCE BRAND NEW THE TRUCK NEVER RAN RIGHT, EVEN THE OIL SAMPLES PERFORMED ON THE TRUCK SHOWED SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. I TOOK IT BACK MANY TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP ONLY TO BE TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME TO THE CATERPILLAR DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT WAS A CAT ENGINE, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. AFTER SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN HAVING MY TRUCK TOWED FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND BUYING PARTS TO TRY AND FIND THE PROBLEM MYSELF, I FOUND OUT THAT THE DIESEL FUEL IS MIXING IN THE HYDROLIC OIL. THE WHOLE TRUCK IS NOW CONTAMINATED AND IS BEYOND REPAIR. THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

1994 PETERBILT DUMP TRUCK. ELECTRICAL SHORT NEAR STARTER MOTOR. FIRE OCCURRED WHILE PARKED. *NM

THE CONSUMER THAT WROTE IN OWNS THE PETERBILT TRUCK. THE CONSUMER STATED HE REAR ENDED ANOTHER MOTORIST WHO WAS TEST DRIVING A CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICK UP. THE MOTORIST PULLED IN FRONT OF THE PETERBILT VEHICLE AND PLACED THE PICK UP IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE, THE CONSUMER COULD NOT STOP HIS TRUCK IN TIME. *MR *SC *JB

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 FIRE EXTINGUISHED AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CAB OF THE SEMI SUSTAINED HEAVY FIRE, SMOKE AND WATER DAMAGE. *PH *NM

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING SYSTEM OPERATED POORLY. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ALL FOUR REAR WHEEL BRAKE ASSEMBLIES WERE CRACKED. ELEVEN FAILURES WERE REPORTED WITH THE DEALER WITHIN 22 MONTHS. THE WRITER, JOHN REED DAVIS, A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER WAS RETAINED BY THE CONSUMER. (PETERBILT 379 TRI AXLE DUMP TRUCK WITH S CAM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES INSTALLED ON THE TRI AXLE). *AK *NLM

PROBLEMS WITH S CAM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE INSTALLED ON THE TRI AXLE TRUCK. *MR THE PROBLEM WAS COMMON IN OTHER TRUCKS WITH LARGE ENGINES SUCH AS 600 HP AND DANA SPICER DUAL REAR AXLE CONFIGURATION. *SCC *JB