Skip to content

1998 Kenworth W900 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

6 safety recalls list the 1998 Kenworth W900, and owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

6
safety recalls
3
owner complaints to NHTSA

6 safety recalls for the 1998 Kenworth W900

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Hub (suspension)

    NHTSA 03V125000 Reported 154 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR INCORPORATED

    On certain trucks equipped with truck hub units manufactured by skf exclusively for use on arvinmeritor's ff98x series non-drive steer axles, the hub unit bearings can wear prematurely.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace all front axle hubs. Notification began july 16, 2003. The manufacturer has advised us that parts will not be available until september 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer…

  2. Suspension: rear

    NHTSA 02V061001 Reported 116 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    On certain heavy duty trucks equipped with replacement dana spicer tandem drive axle models ds463 and ds521, installed on vehicles from may 1, 2001 through february 1, 2002, an undersized attachment weld may fracture without warning.

    Remedy: Dana is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. The dealers will remove the suspect bracket, inspect the axle housing, and reweld the bracket to the axle housing. Owners who take their vehicles…

  3. Labels (equipment)

    NHTSA 01V142000 Reported 14 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with meritor fg941 steer axles. The gross axle weight rating (gawr) was determined incorrectly and over-stated on the vehicle certification label. With the incorrect gawr listed, these labels do not meet the certification requirements of part 567, "requirements for manufacturers of motor…

    Remedy: Vehicles will be remedied either by assigning the proper weight rating or, if possible, by changing the necessary components to meet the currently assigned weight rating. Owner notification began june 22, 2001. Owners…

  4. Suspension: lower arm

    NHTSA 01V051000 Reported 209 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: vehicles equipped with 54" rear axle spacing configuration of the airglide 200 suspension with the service application identified as logger, dump truck, or tanker. The rear suspension is regularly subjected to extreme articulation, resulting in flexing of the joint.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the lower sway arm brackets. Owner notification began march 27, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within…

  5. Electrical system: module

    NHTSA 99V181001 Reported 272 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with caterpillar engines and eaton autoshift transmissions. The engines can stall because of software problems.

    Remedy: Dealers will update these engines with software changes. Caterpillar is conducting the owner notification and remedy of this recall.

  6. Electrical system: front underhood

    NHTSA 98V129000 Reported 9,500 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with caterpillar 3406e engines. The routing of the electrical and fuel lines can cause chaffing of the wiring harness on the fuel line.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect, adjust, and repair, if necessary, the fuel line and electrical harness.

3 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1998 Kenworth W900 have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 158,117 miles. Complaints peaked in 1998 with 1 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Reference voq#10259426. I filed a complaint in february 2009 for a frame rail that cracked on my 1998 kenworth w900. I spent $11,470 to have the rail replaced at an authorized kenworth dealer. I purch”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 16, 2012 · Structure

“Tl*the contact owns a 1998 kenworth w900. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact noticed that the hood was knocking on the main cab and was not aligned properly. The vehicle was driven to a lo”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 20, 2009 · Structure

Compare Kenworth W900 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Kenworth W900 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1975 Kenworth W90010
1976 Kenworth W90010
1977 Kenworth W90010
1978 Kenworth W90020
1982 Kenworth W90010
1983 Kenworth W90011
1991 Kenworth W90010
1994 Kenworth W90011
1995 Kenworth W90021
1996 Kenworth W90060
1997 Kenworth W90051
1998 Kenworth W90063
1999 Kenworth W900103
2000 Kenworth W90097
2001 Kenworth W90091
2002 Kenworth W90041
2003 Kenworth W90061
2004 Kenworth W900122
2005 Kenworth W90092
2006 Kenworth W900111
2007 Kenworth W900162
2008 Kenworth W900201
2009 Kenworth W900170
2010 Kenworth W90090
2011 Kenworth W900100
2012 Kenworth W90080
2013 Kenworth W90070
2014 Kenworth W90090
2015 Kenworth W90090
2016 Kenworth W900110
2017 Kenworth W90060
2018 Kenworth W90090
2019 Kenworth W90070
2020 Kenworth W90060
2021 Kenworth W90031
2022 Kenworth W90042
2023 Kenworth W90040
2024 Kenworth W90021
2025 Kenworth W90020

Checking a specific 1998 Kenworth W900

How do I know if my 1998 Kenworth W900 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 1998 Kenworth W900; 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 01V051000).

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

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.