U.S. public vehicle records

Peterbilt 320 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

4 owner complaints analyzed

36 distinct recall campaigns

19,852 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1987 to 2023 model years. Data updated: 2026-09-30 (September 30, 2026). 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 4 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	2	50.0%
Transmission and shifting	1	25.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Steering

Suspension

Unknown Or Other

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 1; Steering: 1; Suspension: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2001

2012

2018

2001: 1; 2012: 1; 2018: 2

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 746615 · 2001-06-09 (June 9, 2001)

THE PETERBILT 320 - WITH AN ALLISON 754 HT TRANSMISSION (AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL) HAS TWO (2) SEPARATE DEADLY DEFECTS: ILLUSORY NEUTRAL DEFECT - SHIFT INDICATOR IN CAB READS NEUTRAL AND VIBRATION OF VEHICLE CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO GO INTO GEAR. THIS VEHICLE IS USUALLY USED AS REFUSE VEHICLES. THIS DEFECTS OCCURS USUALLY WHEN PTO IS ON, WHICH CAUSES HIGH RPMS. THE DRIVER THINKS THE TRANSMISSION IS IN NEUTRAL BECAUSE THE SHIFT INDICATOR IN THE CAB SHOWS NEUTRAL AND THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT ENGAGED (THAT IS, THE VEHICLE WILL REMAIN MOTIONLES…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 746615 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10478963 · 2012-09-12 (September 12, 2012)

THE 2010 PETERBILT 320 GARBAGE TRUCK WAS RETURNING FROM THE WASTE DISPOSAL SITE. THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL BROKE OFF THE MOUNTING BRACKETS THAT SECURES THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE PETAL FELL OVER SIDEWAYS, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY FOR THE TRUCK. THE TWO VERY SMALL BRACKETS, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH HAS A ROD IN THE BOTTOM THE GOES THROUGH THE PEDAL AND INTO EACH BRACKET WHICH PETERBILT CALLS A BEARING. THE BRACKETS (BEARINGS) BOTH DETERIORATED AS THEY ARE MADE OF A VERY LIGHT POT…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,703 miles reported. Look up ODI 10478963 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2007: 3; 2008: 8; 2009: 4; 2010: 4; 2011: 3; 2012: 5; 2013: 5; 2014: 6; 2015: 9; 2016: 5; 2017: 6; 2018: 4; 2019: 4; 2020: 4; 2021: 2; 2022: 1; 2023: 1

First model yearSecond model year

Year-by-year records

Peterbilt 320 model-year comparison
Model year	Complaints	Recalls	Change in recalls
1987	0	1	Not available
1988	0	2	+1
1989	1	3	+1
1990	0	1	-2
1991	0	1	0
1992	0	1	0
1993	0	1	0
1994	0	1	0
1995	0	1	0
1996	0	1	0
1997	0	1	0
1998	0	1	0
1999	0	6	+5
2000	0	6	0
2001	0	2	-4
2002	0	2	0
2003	0	2	0
2004	0	1	-1
2005	0	2	+1
2006	0	1	-1
2007	0	3	+2
2008	0	8	+5
2009	0	4	-4
2010	1	4	0
2011	0	3	-1
2012	1	5	+2
2013	0	5	0
2014	1	6	+1
2015	0	9	+3
2016	0	5	-4
2017	0	6	+1
2018	0	4	-2
2019	0	4	0
2020	0	4	0
2021	0	2	-2
2022	0	1	-1
2023	0	1	0

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

4 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.

50.0%Usable mileage2 / 4 records

100.0%Valid incident date4 / 4 records

100.0%Valid filing date4 / 4 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates4 / 4 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10478963 · 29,703 mi THE 2010 PETERBILT 320 GARBAGE TRUCK WAS RETURNING FROM THE WASTE DISPOSAL SITE. THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL BROKE OFF THE MOUNTING BRACKETS THAT SECURES THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE PETAL FELL OVER SIDEWAYS, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY FOR THE TRUCK. THE TWO VERY SMALL BRACKETS, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH HAS A ROD IN THE BOTTOM THE GOES THROUGH THE PEDAL AND INTO EACH BRACKET WHICH PETERBILT CALLS A BEARING. THE BRACKETS (BEARINGS) BOTH DETERIORATED AS THEY ARE MADE OF A VERY LIGHT POT… Look up ODI 10478963 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Steering	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11083505 · 10,000 mi THESE ARE GOVERNMENT OWNED REFUSE VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION BOUNCES SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THIS OCCURS ON ROADS WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ABNORMALITY AND AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAS REMAINED UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS WITH THE MANUFACTURER. Look up ODI 11083505 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Suspension	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11083505 · 10,000 mi THESE ARE GOVERNMENT OWNED REFUSE VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION BOUNCES SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THIS OCCURS ON ROADS WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ABNORMALITY AND AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAS REMAINED UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS WITH THE MANUFACTURER. Look up ODI 11083505 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.
Unknown Or Other	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11089901 ONE ARMED TRASH TRUCK FIRE. HOT HYDRAULICS CAUGHT FIRE FROM DEBRIS HITTING THEM WHEN EMPTYING TRASH. VERY WINDY AND COLD DAY, RIGHT AFTER LONG HOLIDAY BREAK - LOTS OF LOOSE WRAPPING PAPER AND TUBES IN TRASH FROM HOLIDAYS. THE OLDER MODELS HAVE NO COVER OR SHIELD TO PROTECT THE HOT HYDRAULIC LINES FROM FLYING DEBRIS! THEY ALSO DO NOT HAVE A MIRROR TO SEE BETWEEN THE CAB AND THE HOPPER TO ENSURE NO DEBRIS HAS LANDED ON HOT HYDRAULICS. MORE RECENT MODELS HAVE A SHIELD OR A COVER TO PROTECT HYDRAULIC LINES FROM RECEIVING FLYING DEBRIS AND CATC… Look up ODI 11089901 at NHTSA ↗	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	Too few reports for a range	29,703 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10478963 · 29,703 mi THE 2010 PETERBILT 320 GARBAGE TRUCK WAS RETURNING FROM THE WASTE DISPOSAL SITE. THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL BROKE OFF THE MOUNTING BRACKETS THAT SECURES THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE PETAL FELL OVER SIDEWAYS, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY FOR THE TRUCK. THE TWO VERY SMALL BRACKETS, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH HAS A ROD IN THE BOTTOM THE GOES THROUGH THE PEDAL AND INTO EACH BRACKET WHICH PETERBILT CALLS A BEARING. THE BRACKETS (BEARINGS) BOTH DETERIORATED AS THEY ARE MADE OF A VERY LIGHT POT… Look up ODI 10478963 at NHTSA ↗
Steering	Too few reports for a range	10,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11083505 · 10,000 mi THESE ARE GOVERNMENT OWNED REFUSE VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION BOUNCES SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THIS OCCURS ON ROADS WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ABNORMALITY AND AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAS REMAINED UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS WITH THE MANUFACTURER. Look up ODI 11083505 at NHTSA ↗
Suspension	Too few reports for a range	10,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11083505 · 10,000 mi THESE ARE GOVERNMENT OWNED REFUSE VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION BOUNCES SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THIS OCCURS ON ROADS WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ABNORMALITY AND AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAS REMAINED UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS WITH THE MANUFACTURER. Look up ODI 11083505 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2022: 0 complaints · 2023: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2022	0	0	0
2023	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2022	0	0	0
2023	0	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Power Train:Automatic Transmission	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	Steering	Suspension	Unknown Or Other
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	—	0	0	0	0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	0	—	0	0	0
Steering	0	0	—	1 ODI 11083505 · 10,000 mi THESE ARE GOVERNMENT OWNED REFUSE VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION BOUNCES SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THIS OCCURS ON ROADS WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ABNORMALITY AND AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAS REMAINED UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS WITH THE MANUFACTURER. Look up ODI 11083505 at NHTSA ↗	0
Suspension	0	0	1 ODI 11083505 · 10,000 mi THESE ARE GOVERNMENT OWNED REFUSE VEHICLES. THE FRONT SUSPENSION BOUNCES SO VIOLENTLY THAT THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THIS OCCURS ON ROADS WHERE THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ABNORMALITY AND AT ANY RATE OF SPEED. THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY HAS REMAINED UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS WITH THE MANUFACTURER. Look up ODI 11083505 at NHTSA ↗	—	0
Unknown Or Other	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

1 patterns with matching reports.

Brake response concerns

1 mentions · 25.0% of complaints

Median mileage: 29,703 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10478963 · 29,703 mi

Look up ODI 10478963 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule