2021 Kenworth T280 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2021 Kenworth T280. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2021 Kenworth T280
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Column shift (power train)
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Peterbilt 365, 367, 389, 535, 536, 537, 548, 567, 579, and 2021-2025 Kenworth T180, T280, T380, T480, T680, T880 and W990 trucks. The right-hand gear shifter stalk connectors may have been improperly crimped, resulting in a loss of communication.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the gear shifter assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 15, 2025, then phased after that. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at…
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Service brakes, air
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Kenworth T280, T380, 2020-2024 Peterbilt 548, 536, 2024 Peterbilt 537, and 2020-2024 Kenworth T480 trucks. The timing of the trailer brake release may be delayed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 121,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fittings and hoses in the affected valves, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt's customer…
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Service brakes, air
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Kenworth T280, T380, T480, Peterbilt 536, 537, and 548 vehicles. When the brake pedal is fully applied and then released rapidly, the pedal plunger that connects the brake pedal to the brake valve may become disconnected, causing the service brakes to fail.
Remedy: Dealers will add a pedal restraint bracket, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2023. Owners may contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-588 and Peterbilt's customer service at…
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Automatic transmission (power train)
PACCAR, Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2022 Kenworth T180, 2021-2023 Kenworth T280, 2022-2023 Kenworth T380, 2022-2023 Peterbilt 536, and 537 vehicles. Internal components of the transmission actuator may slip, causing the actuator to become miscalibrated.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transmission actuator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 8, 2022. Owners may contact PACCAR's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth); 1-940-591-4220…
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Electrical system: wiring
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.
Remedy: 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…
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Peterbilt 536, 537, 548 and Kenworth T270, T280, T370, T380, T440, T470, and T480 vehicles equipped with Cummins L9 diesel engines. A fuel leak may occur from the fuel hose between the fuel pump and the remote fuel filter head.
Remedy: Cummins will replace the fuel hoses, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed in October 2021. Owners may contact PACCAR's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth) and 1-940-591-4220…
No owner complaints on file
NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 2021 Kenworth T280. For context, the average model year in NHTSA's database has dozens; a zero can mean a reliable vehicle, a rare one, or both.
Compare Kenworth T280 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Kenworth T280 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Kenworth T280 | 6 | 0 |
| 2022 Kenworth T280 | 7 | 0 |
| 2023 Kenworth T280 | 12 | 1 |
| 2024 Kenworth T280 | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 Kenworth T280 | 7 | 0 |
| 2026 Kenworth T280 | 2 | 0 |
| 2027 Kenworth T280 | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 2021 Kenworth T280
How do I know if my 2021 Kenworth T280 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 2021 Kenworth T280; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kenworth dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 21V00N000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Kenworth models
- T68077 complaints
- T200038 complaints
- T80033 complaints
- W90032 complaints
- Kenworth23 complaints
- T60016 complaints
- Conventional10 complaints
- T88010 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.