2009 Peterbilt 388 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
15 safety recalls list the 2009 Peterbilt 388. Check your own VIN below.
15 safety recalls for the 2009 Peterbilt 388
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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Electronic stability control (esc) and abs warning light (service brakes)
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2008-2019 Peterbilt 330, 335, 337, 340, 348, 365, 367, 384, 386, 387, 388, 389, 567, 579 and 587 vehicles and 2008-2020 Kenworth T170, T270, T370, T660, T680, T800, T880, and W900 vehicles equipped with NAMUX Software. In the event that the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) loses battery…
Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will update the NAMUX software within the cab control module, free of charge. PACCAR issued owners an interim notification on June 4, 2020. The recall began May 26, 2020. Owners…
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Tires
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Peterbilt 340, 2010, 2012, and 2015-2016 Peterbilt 337, 2010 Peterbilt 335, 2011-2016 Peterbilt 348, 2009 and 2011-2016 Peterbilt 365, 2009 and 2012-2013 Peterbilt 386, 2009-2015 Peterbilt 388, 2015-2016 Peterbilt 389, and 2015 Peterbilt 567 auto hauler vehicles. The…
Remedy: Peterbilt will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the engine's vehicle speed parameters to limit the maximum vehicle speed to the tire speed rating, free of charge. The recall began on January 4, 2016. Owners…
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Labels (equipment) and tires
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2006-2016 Peterbilt 587, 579, 567, 389, 388, 387, 385, 382, 379, 378, 367, 365 and 357 trucks manufactured July 25, 2005, to February 26, 2016. The affected vehicles may be equipped with Tire and Rim Certification Labels that list a tire pressure below the actual correct…
Remedy: Peterbilt will notify owners and mail them a corrected Tire and Rim certification label, free of charge. The recall began on June 19, 2015. Owners may contact Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4000. PACCAR's…
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Tie rod assembly (steering)
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2009-2015 Peterbilt 320, 365, 367, 388, and 389 trucks manufactured July 21, 2008, to February 28, 2014. The front axle tie rod end clamp bolts may be improperly torqued.
Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle tie rod assembly on any vehicle where the factory installed assembly has not been previously replaced, free of charge. Owners were mailed interim…
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Service brakes
PACCAR, Inc. (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Peterbilt 365, 367, 388, 389 trucks manufactured October 6, 2007, through September 23, 2013. The affected vehicles were built with 16.5" x 7" front drum brakes and Bendix ES-420 brake linings installed on front axles rated to carry between 20,001 and 22,000 lbs GAWR and…
Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners and dealers will install new 16.5" x 7" brake shoes with ES-600 linings, free of charge. The recall began on June 20, 2014. Owners may contact at Peterbilt at 1-800-473-8372. Peterbilt's…
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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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Engine and engine cooling
Paccar is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 kenworth c500, t2000, t600, and t660, as well as model year 2009-2011 peterbilt 387 and 388 trucks equipped with caterpillar c15 engine and manufactured from may 11, 2006, through september 17, 2010. Degradation of a combustion tube weld can cause radial heat impingement on the body which…
Remedy: Caterpillar is handling the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Please see caterpillar's defect report 11e-006. Caterpillar will replace the single piece combustion tube with a thick wall combustion tube…
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Tank assembly (fuel system)
Paccar is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 kenworth t2000, t660, t700, t800, and w900, as well as model year 2009-2012 peterbilt 365, 367, 384, 386, 387, 388, 389, and 587 trucks equipped with paccar mx engines. The oil module centrifugal spinner filter cap in the paccar mx engine may become loose, possibly allowing the cap to…
Remedy: Dealers will re-torque the oil module filter cap and install a secondary retention device on the secondary centrifugal spinner filter cap. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to…
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Column (steering)
Paccar is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 trucks equipped with trw steering shafts. The circumferential weld around the steering shaft tube that welds the splined tube to the non-splined tube may be mislocated. Mislocation of the circumferential weld may allow the splined tube and non-splined tube to rotate relative to one…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering shaft using a weld placement gauge provided by trw. Any steering shaft found to have been welded improperly will be replaced free of charge. The safety recall began on july 30, 2010.…
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Column (steering)
Paccar is recalling 2,096 my 2009 kenworth and peterbilt vehicles equipped with trw steering shafts. Mislocation of a circumferential weld may allow the splined tube and non-splined tube to rotate relative to one another during a low speed, high torque turn, possibly resulting in a separation of the two tubes.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering shaft using a weld placement gauge and miswelded steering shaft will be replaced free of charge. The recall began july 31, 2009. Owners may contact kenworth at 1-425-828-5440 and…
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Diesel (engine and engine cooling)
Paccar is recalling 4,883 my 2006-2009 kenworth t600, t660, t800, w900, t2000 and my 2008-2009 peterbilt 365, 367, 379, 384, 386, 387, 388 and 389 trucks. Inadequate stiffness of the diesel particulate filter (dpf) bracket could result in separation of the dpf from the chassis.
Remedy: Paccar is working with caterpillar to repair these vehicles (please see 08e041). Owners may contact caterpillar at 1-800-447-4986 or kenworth at 1-425-828-5440 or peterbilt at 1-940-591-4196.
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Disc (service brakes)
Paccar is recalling 86 my 2009 kenworth t660, t800, w900, and peterbilt 386, 365, and 388 trucks equipped with bendix front air disc brakes. The size 14 service chamber of certain front air disc brakes may have been contaminated with grease between the piston head/plate and the diaphragm. When braking pressure is applied, the grease may…
Remedy: Dealers will replace both front air disc brakes size 14 service chambers free of charge. The recall began on august 27, 2008. Owners may contact kenworth at 1-425-828-5440 and peterbilt at 1-940-591-4196.
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Air (parking brake)
Paccar is recalling 1,043 my 2008-2009 kenworth c500, t2000,t660, t800 and w900 trucks equipped with bendix mv-3 dash control valves. The molded valve body has an incorrect core pin in the injection mold causing the valve body to be oversized in the double check valve area. This condition can allow the rubber double check valve to…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the bendix mv-3 dash control valves free of charge. The recall began on april 14, 2008. Owners may contact kenworth at 1-425-828-4196.
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Trailer hitches
Paccar is recalling 318 my 2007-2009 kenworth t800, w900, and peterbilt 357, 365, 367, 378, 379, 384, 385, 386,388, and 389 trucks equipped with premier trailer hitch assemblies. The pintle hitch assemblies may have been manufactured in a manner resulting in a reduction of fatigue strength of the pivot pins.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the potentially defective pivot pin free of charge. The recall began on april 18, 2008. Owners may contact kenworth at 1-425-828-5440 or peterbilt at 1-940-591-4196.
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Latch (latches/locks/linkages)
Paccar is recalling 6,169 my 2008 kenworth t300, t660, t800, t2000, w900 and c500 vehicles and my 2008-2009 peterbilt models 365, 367, 384, 387, 388, 389 and 389 kits. Certain door latch assemblies on these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 206, 'door locks and door retention…
Remedy: Paccar is working with trimark and will inspect and replace the door latch if it is found to be defective. The recall began on march 14, 2008. Owners may contact kenworth at 1-425-828-5440 or peterbilt at 1-940-591-4196.
No owner complaints on file
NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 2009 Peterbilt 388. 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 388 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Peterbilt 388 model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2009 Peterbilt 388
How do I know if my 2009 Peterbilt 388 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. 15 campaigns currently list the 2009 Peterbilt 388; 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 08V065000).
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
- 35719 complaints
- 38612 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.