U.S. public vehicle records

1996 Peterbilt 379: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

2 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

Not available median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1996 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 0 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

Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 2 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Component breakdown

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

Tires

Tires:Tread/Belt

Tires: 1; Tires:Tread/Belt: 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: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

No usable failure mileage is recorded. 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.

1996

2002

1996: 1; 2002: 1

Pattern summary

Tires leads the component reports. 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.

Examples from the source records

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

Owner report 507707 · 1996-08-20 (August 20, 1996)

BRIDGESTONE TIRE SEPARATION.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 507707 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8001648 · 2002-01-07 (January 7, 2002)

BRIDGESTONE, BSR 25, DOT UNKNOWN, 11R245, REPLACEMENT TIRE WITH 10,000 MILES ON A 1996, PETERBUILT, 379. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE FRONT LEFT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, NO TREAD WAS LEFT ON TIRE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8001648 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

97V196003 · Suspension:Front:Hub

Reported: 1997-11-24 (November 24, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH DESIGN LEVEL 1, ROCKWELL FF980 SERIES FRONT AXLE. THE FRONT AXLE HUB FLANGE CAN DEVELOP CRACKS DUE TO HIGH STRESS LEVELS.

Consequence: CRACKS IN A HUB FLANGE CAN RESULT IN A WHEEL SEPARATION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE AND REPLACE THE FRONT HUBS WITH AN IMPROVED DESIGN LEVEL 2 HUB.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

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

Data completeness

2 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

0.0%Usable mileage0 / 2 records

100.0%Valid incident date2 / 2 records

100.0%Valid filing date2 / 2 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates2 / 2 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	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 10312068 · 753,429 mi WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH IN SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND AT OPERATING TEMPERATURES, THE HORTON FAN HUB CAME OFF AND INTO THE RADIATOR. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND I WAS IN THE SLEEPER CABIN. THERE WAS NO AUDIBLE NOISE WHEN THE HUB FAILED. SHE SAW A LOT OF STEAM OR SMOKE AND FIRST THOUGHT THE ENGINE HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND HIT THE WINDSHIELD AFFECTING HER VISABILITY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER WHICH AT THAT TIME WE WERE ABLE TO SEE ANITFREEZE AND PIECES O… Look up ODI 10312068 at NHTSA ↗	114.3% ODI 10409964 2005 PETERBILT 379, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN HIS TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT HOOD NEAR THE ENGINE. UNIT 1 THEN DROVE TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE SHOULDER WHERE HE PUT THE FIRE OUT. BF OIL LEAKED FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0302-90)JB Look up ODI 10409964 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 10493981 2007 PETERBILT SEMI TRUCK. CONSUMER REQUESTS ASSISTANCE IN GETTING COMPANY TRUCK TESTED FOR EMISSION AND SEAL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HER HUSBAND WAS FOUND DECEASED ON MARCH 26, 2012. THE CONSUMER STRONGLY BELIEVED, HER HUSBAND WAS A VICTIM OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. THE DECEDENT WAS FOUND IN AN IDLING TRUCK WITH ALL THE VENTS CLOSED OFF. THE AUTOPSY REPORT DESCRIBED HER HUSBAND AS HAVING FACIAL PLETHORA A SYMPTOM FOUND IN A DECEASED PERSON WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. Look up ODI 10493981 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.
Structure:Frame And Members	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% 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.
Suspension	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% 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.
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% 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.
Fuel System, Diesel:Storage:Tank Assembly	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10124044 I BOUGHT A 2003 PETERBILT 379 TRUCK WITH A SPLIT TANK IN NOVEMBER 2002. SINCE BRAND NEW THE TRUCK NEVER RAN RIGHT, EVEN THE OIL SAMPLES PERFORMED ON THE TRUCK SHOWED SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. I TOOK IT BACK MANY TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP ONLY TO BE TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME TO THE CATERPILLAR DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT WAS A CAT ENGINE, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. AFTER SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN HAVING MY TRUCK TOWED FROM PLACE TO PLACE AND BUYING PARTS TO TRY AND FIND THE PROBLEM MYSELF, I FOUND OUT THAT THE DIESEL FUEL IS… Look up ODI 10124044 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 10155615 · 101,000 mi DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, FUEL LEAKED FROM THE FUEL TANK. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS ROAD HAZARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. Look up ODI 10155615 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% 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.
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% 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.
Tires	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 10345509 2005 PETERBUILT 379, UNIT 2 HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE TRAILER. DEBRIS FROM THE FAILURE STRUCK UNIT 1 CAUSING DAMAGE. BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0359-91)JB UPDATED 08/06/10 *BF Look up ODI 10345509 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	116.7% ODI 10669074 · 932,374 mi TRUCK WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON INTERSTATE 81 IN VA, 208MM. AS TRUCK WAS CHANGING LANES THE LEFT STEER TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING OVER $10,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO TRUCK AND LEAVING DRIVER STRANDED ON LEFT SHOULDER OF INTERSTATE. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED BUT TRUCK WAS IN DANGEROUS LOCATION. VA STATE POLICE WERE VERY HELPFUL AND THE CREW FROM PETRO TRUCK STOP CAME OUT QUICKLY AND R&R TIRE AND WHEEL TO GET TRUCK BACK TO TRUCK STOP. TRUCK WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 60 MPH AT TIME OF FAILURE, AVERAGE WEIGHT ON FRONT AXLE IS 12,000, TIRE PRESSURE… Look up ODI 10669074 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.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	0Unavailable No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 10017732 WHEN ENGAGED THE VEHICLE RAN FOR APPROXIMATELY 15-30 SECONDS THEN STALLED. THE CONSUMER THEN HAD TO MANUALLY UTILIZE THE "HAND PRIMER VALVE" IN ORDER TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS ADVISED THAT SINCE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING EQUIPMENT DID NOT SHOWING ANY ISSUES, PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST. THE MOTOR WAS MANUFACTURED BY CATAPULT, SERIAL NO. 69Z70080. *NLM Look up ODI 10017732 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% 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
No usable records for this analysis.

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
2024-11	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	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (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

2015: 0 complaints · 2016: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2015	0	0	0
2016	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
2015	0	0	0
2016	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	Tires	Tires:Tread/Belt
Tires	—	0
Tires:Tread/Belt	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

0 patterns with matching reports.

No narratives match the published patterns.

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Tires	1
Tires:Tread/Belt	1

Complaints over time data
Category	Count
1996	1
2002	1