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2016 Peterbilt 389 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

8 safety recalls list the 2016 Peterbilt 389. Check your own VIN below.

8
safety recalls
0
owner complaints to NHTSA

8 safety recalls for the 2016 Peterbilt 389

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

  1. Electronic stability control (esc) and abs warning light (service brakes)

    NHTSA 20V199000 Reported 460,515 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR Incorporated

    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…

  2. Cables (electrical system)

    NHTSA 20V130000 Reported 35,671 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR Incorporated

    PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Peterbilt 365, 389, 567, and 579 vehicles equipped with a left-hand under hood jumper terminal (option code 2539410). The positive battery jumper terminal cable may be too long, allowing it to chafe against the left front suspension spring and result in an electrical short…

    Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the battery jumper terminal cables, and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 30, 2020. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at…

  3. Tie rod assembly (steering) and steering

    NHTSA 17V593000 Reported 17,737 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR Incorporated

    PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2016 Peterbilt 220, 320, 325, 330, 337, 348, 365, 367, 382, 384, 386, 389, 389G, 567, 579 and 587 trucks and Kenworth K170, T170, T270, T370, T440, T470,T660, T680, T800, T880, and W900 trucks equipped with certain Spicer D or E series steer axles. The castellated nut on the steer axles…

    Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the torque of the castellated nut and tie rod, tightening it as necessary. If the tie rod stud and knuckle on units cannot be sufficiently torqued, the dealer will…

  4. Tires

    NHTSA 15V740000 Reported 1,876 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR Incorporated

    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…

  5. Electrical system: module and engine (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 15V597000 Reported 354 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR Incorporated

    Paccar Incorporated (Paccar) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kenworth T370, T660, T680, T800, T880, and W900 vehicles manufactured July 31, 2015, to August 12, 2015, and 2016 Peterbilt 337, 348, 365, 367, 382, 386, 389, 567, 579, and 587 vehicles manufactured August 4, 2015, to August 12, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Engine…

    Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will replace the defective engine control modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 22, 2015. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5000 or…

  6. Alternator/generator/regulator (electrical system)

    NHTSA 15V456000 Reported 288 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR Incorporated

    PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2012-2016 Peterbilt 365, 367, 384, 386, 388, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks manufactured January 13, 2011, to April 20, 2015. The affected trucks, equipped with extended-body Leece Neville alternators, have alternator charge cables that may chafe against a formed metal freon…

    Remedy: Peterbilt will notify owners, and dealers will reroute the alternator charge cable away from the metal freon line and install a plastic insulator on the cable end, free of charge. The recall began on September 23,…

  7. Alternator/generator/regulator (electrical system)

    NHTSA 15V270000 Reported 1,494 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR Incorporated

    PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Kenworth T660, T680, T880 trucks manufactured February 18, 2013, to April 10, 2015, and 2011-2016 Peterbilt 386, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks manufactured December 13, 2010, to April 20, 2015. The affected trucks, equipped with PACCAR MX-13 engines and Delco-Remy…

    Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will reroute the alternator charge cable away from the metal freon line, free of charge. PACCAR issued an interim notification to owners on July 10, 2015. The recall began on…

  8. Labels (equipment) and tires

    NHTSA 15V132000 Reported 213,230 vehicles potentially affected PACCAR Incorporated

    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…

No owner complaints on file

NHTSA has no owner complaints on file for the 2016 Peterbilt 389. 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 389 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Peterbilt 389 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2004 Peterbilt 38910
2005 Peterbilt 38910
2006 Peterbilt 38920
2007 Peterbilt 38950
2008 Peterbilt 389123
2009 Peterbilt 389120
2010 Peterbilt 38970
2011 Peterbilt 38970
2012 Peterbilt 38991
2013 Peterbilt 38980
2014 Peterbilt 38971
2015 Peterbilt 389107
2016 Peterbilt 38980
2017 Peterbilt 38971
2018 Peterbilt 38960
2019 Peterbilt 38963
2020 Peterbilt 38950
2021 Peterbilt 38961
2022 Peterbilt 38974
2023 Peterbilt 38960
2024 Peterbilt 38952
2025 Peterbilt 38920

Checking a specific 2016 Peterbilt 389

How do I know if my 2016 Peterbilt 389 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. 8 campaigns currently list the 2016 Peterbilt 389; 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 15V132000).

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.