2021 Peterbilt 389: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Peterbilt 389. The newest campaign is 24V915000. NHTSA received the report on 9 Dec 2024. The NHTSA record gives the component Electrical System / Software. NHTSA has no complaint on file for this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 24V915000, in the NHTSA record

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 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 24KWL and 24PBL.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 15 May 2019. Recall file through 29 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

6 campaigns, newest first. 293,573 units in total.

24V9150009 Dec 2024Electrical System / Software
24V19000020 Mar 2024Power Train / Automatic Transmission / Lever and Linkage / Column Shift
21V90600019 Nov 2021Electrical System / Software
21V64800019 Aug 2021Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
21V08000017 Feb 2021Engine
20V50600026 Aug 2020Power Train / Axle Assembly

24V915000Received 9 Dec 2024. 220,764 units.
Electrical System / Software
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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 functioning.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Safety systems that depend on the ECU (Automatic Traction Control, ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Active Cruise Control, and Collison Mitigation System) may not function properly or at all, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 24KWL and 24PBL.
Report filed by PACCAR Incorporated. Manufacturer campaign number 24KWL 24PBL. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 3 Feb 2025.
24V190000Received 20 Mar 2024. 70,509 units.
Power Train / Automatic Transmission / Lever and Linkage / Column Shift
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
A loss of communication between the gear shifter and the transmission may result in the vehicle becoming disabled after coming to a stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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 1-425-828-5888 or Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 24PBE and 24KWE.
Report filed by PACCAR Incorporated. Manufacturer campaign number 24PBE/24KWE. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 15 Dec 2025.
21V906000Received 19 Nov 2021. 908 units.
Electrical System / Software
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWG and 21PBM.
Report filed by PACCAR Incorporated. Manufacturer campaign number 21KWG and 21PBM. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 3 Jan 2022.
21V648000Received 19 Aug 2021. 163 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
If loss of the rear brake signal occurs, the vehicle could experience reduced rear braking capability or loss of brakes to the rear axle(s), increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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 mailed on March 11, 2022. Owners may contact PACCAR's customer service at 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's number for this recall is 21PBJ.
Report filed by PACCAR Incorporated. Manufacturer campaign number 21PBJ. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 11 Mar 2022.
21V080000Received 17 Feb 2021. 132 units.
Engine
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
A detached flywheel can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, driveline pieces may be ejected from the engine compartment, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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 contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888 (Kenworth) or 1-940-591-4220 (Peterbilt). PACCAR's numbers for this recall are 21KWA and 21PBB.
Report filed by PACCAR Incorporated. Manufacturer campaign number 21KWA / 21PBB. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Mar 2021.
20V506000Received 26 Aug 2020. 1,097 units.
Power Train / Axle Assembly
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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 feature of the corresponding nuts.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The short screws can cause the hardware to separate from the suspension system and become road hazards, increasing the risk of a crash and/or injury.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR's numbers for this recall is 20PBE and 20KWC.
Report filed by PACCAR Incorporated. Manufacturer campaign number 20PBE and 20KWC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Sep 2020.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

The NHTSA complaint file has no complaint for this model year.

Investigations

The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 2021 Peterbilt 389The recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 2021 Peterbilt 389: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/peterbilt/389/2021/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 29 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 29 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 15 May 2019
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: PACCAR Incorporated

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2021 Peterbilt 389?: 293,573 units in 6 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Peterbilt 389 have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 48 recall campaigns for the Peterbilt 389, model years 2004 to 2025. 6 of them name the 2021 model year.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2021 Peterbilt 389 open?: The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.