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2000 Peterbilt 385 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

7 safety recalls list the 2000 Peterbilt 385. Check your own VIN below.

7
safety recalls
0
owner complaints to NHTSA

7 safety recalls for the 2000 Peterbilt 385

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. Tie rod assembly (steering)

    NHTSA 02V037003 Reported 4,513 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain arvinmeritor and dana axles. Peterbilt will recall 1,434 vehicles equipped with arvinmeritor axles manufactured from december 11, 1999, to may 14, 2000, and from july 22 to september 30, 2000. Kenworth will recall 859 vehicles equipped with arvinmeritor vehicles manufactured…

    Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began july 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…

  3. Tie rod assembly (steering)

    NHTSA 01V140006 Reported 2,294 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with trw tie rod ends on certain meritor axles. The tie rod and drag link ball stud ends contain bearings that are below the specified case depth and/or hardness.

    Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace all affected tie rods and drag links with different designed ends. Owner notification began october 24, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon…

  4. Latch (latches/locks/linkages)

    NHTSA 01V179000 Reported 52,500 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. A change in the internal linkage of certain cab doors has created a possible binding condition.

    Remedy: Dealers will modify the door linkage to correct the potential of binding. Owner notification began june 22, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…

  5. Suspension

    NHTSA 01V167001 Reported 390 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with chalmers 1000 series and 800 series suspension kits. These suspension kits may have insufficient penetration of the weld attaching the torque rod eye to the torque rod tube.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace all chalmers fixed torque rods on these vehicles. Owner notification began july 27, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive…

  6. Steering

    NHTSA 01V066000 Reported 1,755 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The bolts used to secure the steering shaft can fail.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the defective bolts. Owner notification began april 2, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…

  7. Anchorage (seat belts)

    NHTSA 01V054000 Reported 6,623 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR, INCORPORATED

    Vehicle description: class 7 and class 8 vehicles. These vehicles do not comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 207, "seating system," and no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." some fasteners used to attach the shoulder belt anchor bracket to the cab structure were omitted during production.

    Remedy: Dealers will add the necessary fasteners. Owner notification began march 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…

No owner complaints on file

NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 2000 Peterbilt 385. 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 Peterbilt 385 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Peterbilt 385 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1996 Peterbilt 38520
1997 Peterbilt 38510
1998 Peterbilt 38530
1999 Peterbilt 38570
2000 Peterbilt 38570
2001 Peterbilt 38550
2002 Peterbilt 38520
2003 Peterbilt 38530
2004 Peterbilt 38520
2005 Peterbilt 38540
2006 Peterbilt 38550
2007 Peterbilt 38570
2008 Peterbilt 38570
2009 Peterbilt 38540
2010 Peterbilt 38520
2011 Peterbilt 38520
2012 Peterbilt 38520
2013 Peterbilt 38520
2014 Peterbilt 38510
2015 Peterbilt 38510
2016 Peterbilt 38510

Checking a specific 2000 Peterbilt 385

How do I know if my 2000 Peterbilt 385 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. 7 campaigns currently list the 2000 Peterbilt 385; 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 Peterbilt dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 01V054000).

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 Peterbilt 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.