2021 Peterbilt 389 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2021 Peterbilt 389, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2021 Peterbilt 389
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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Software (electrical system) and service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Peterbilt and Kenworth vehicles, equipped with Bendix EC80 Advanced Electronic Control Units (ECU). Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. Electrical noise and low signal to the power line carrier may cause the ECU to incorrectly process commands or stop…
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 3, 2025. Owners may contact Kenworth's customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt's customer service at…
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Column shift (power train)
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Peterbilt 365, 367, 389, 535, 536, 537, 548, 567, 579, and 2021-2025 Kenworth T180, T280, T380, T480, T680, T880 and W990 trucks. The right-hand gear shifter stalk connectors may have been improperly crimped, resulting in a loss of communication.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the gear shifter assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 15, 2025, then phased after that. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at…
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Software (electrical system) and service brakes, air
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Kenworth T880, W990, Peterbilt 567, 579, 389, and 2022 Peterbilt 536, 537 wrecker and auto hauler vehicles. The work brake (winch brake) may unintentionally disengage the service brakes during winching operations, causing the vehicle to roll.
Remedy: Dealers will update the vehicle software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 3, 2022. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth); or 1-940-591-4220…
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (service brakes)
PACCAR, Inc. (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Peterbilt 367, 389, 567, and 579 vehicles. The cross member mounted Hill Start Assist valve assembly may have insufficient clearance to the rear axle, causing damage to the rear brake hose and loss of the rear brake signal.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for clearance and re-work the assembly to conform with an updated design, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on September 24, 2021. Owner notification letters were…
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Engine
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Kenworth T680, T880, W990, T800, W900 and Peterbilt 579, 567, 389, 367 vehicles equipped with a Cummins X15 engine. The capscrews that attach the flywheel to the crankshaft may have been improperly torqued, allowing the flywheel to detach.
Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will properly torque the capscrews and the engine will also be inspected for damage and, if necessary, repaired, free of charge. The recall began on March 29, 2021. Owners may…
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Axle assembly (power train)
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Peterbilt 348, 365, 367, 389, 520, 567 and Kenworth T800, T880, W900, W990 vehicles equipped with Watson and Chalin steerable lift axle suspension systems (model SL2065). The axles may have lower rear pivot bolts that are not long enough to sufficiently engage the locking…
Remedy: PACCAR will notify owners, and dealers will inspect suspect chassis and replace the pivot bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2020. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at…
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2021 Peterbilt 389 have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2021 Peterbilt 389. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle after running out of diesel, it was discovered that there was a mileage disc”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 12, 2025 · Electrical system
Compare Peterbilt 389 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Peterbilt 389 model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2021 Peterbilt 389
How do I know if my 2021 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. 6 campaigns currently list the 2021 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 20V506000).
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
- 38821 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.