2005 Peterbilt 386 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2005 Peterbilt 386, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2005 Peterbilt 386
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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Labels (equipment)
Paccar Incorporated (Paccar) is recalling certain 2004-2013 Peterbilt 379, 357, 378, 367, 388, 365, 389, 385 and 386 trucks manufactured from April 3, 2003, through October 25, 2013 and equipped with tri-drive rear axles and a tag or pusher axle. The affected vehicles may be missing required information from the certification label,…
Remedy: Peterbilt will notify owners and dealers will inspect and replace the certification labels missing the necessary information. The recall is expected to begin in January 2014. Customers can contact Peterbilt at…
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Trailer hitches
On certain trucks, the removable tow hitch ,when used to tow or lift a vehicle, can fail due to defective material in the tow hitch.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the tow pin assembly free of charge. The recall began on september 4, 2007. Owners may contact kenworth at 425-828-5440 or peterbilt at 940-591-4201.
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Delivery (fuel system)
On certain trucks, if the ignition switch is turned on prior to initial start up in the manufacturing plant or during the filter replacement in the field, a small flame will ignite when the fuel is added to prime the system.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the filter for the date codes of the suspect filters and replace those heating elements free of charge. The recall began on march 21, 2007. Owners may contact kenworth at 425-828-5440 and peterbilt…
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Axle assembly (power train)
On certain trucks, the axle housings may have been manufactured with steel that was out of specification which could result in a fatigue failure over time.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the axles free of charge. The recall began on may 9, 2007. Owners may contact kenworth at 425-828-5440 and peterbilt at 1-940-591-4196.
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2005 Peterbilt 386 have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 435,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2008 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Tl*the contact owns a 2005 peterbilt 386. The contact stated that he felt as if he had been drugged whenever he awoke from sleeping in the vehicle. The following day, while driving approximately 70 mp”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 25, 2008 · Engine and engine cooling
Compare Peterbilt 386 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Peterbilt 386 model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2005 Peterbilt 386
How do I know if my 2005 Peterbilt 386 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 2005 Peterbilt 386; 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 07V132000).
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
- 37960 complaints
- 57942 complaints
- Peterbilt36 complaints
- 38923 complaints
- 38821 complaints
- 35719 complaints
- 38711 complaints
- 5678 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.