CarRecallWatchThe 2018 Peterbilt 579 has 14 safety recalls on file with NHTSA.
Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, including 2 fires.
The most-reported problem area is Electrical System (4 reports).
2018 Peterbilt 579 recalls
Steering Arm Bolts May Fail, Causing Loss of Steering
Fasteners that attach the steering arm to the steering knuckle on the Dana D-Series front axle may fail.
Methane alarm may fail if power is lost, risking fire
Certain heavy-duty trucks have a wiring defect in the methane detection system.
ABS warning light may stay off during power loss, raising crash risk
The anti-lock brake system (ABS) controller can lose battery or ignition power.
Battery Jumper Cable Can Chafe and Cause Fire Risk
Certain Peterbilt trucks with a left-hand under-hood jumper terminal may have a positive battery jumper terminal cable that is too long.
Missing stability control raises crash risk
Certain electric trucks built on the Peterbilt 579 chassis do not have the stability control hardware and software that works with the braking system.
Clutch Part May Fail, Causing Unintended Vehicle Movement
An internal component in the clutch assembly may fail on certain trucks equipped with automated manual transmissions.
Front Seat Belt Buckle May Come Apart in a Crash
Some 2018 Kenworth T680 and T880 and Peterbilt 567 and 579 trucks may have front seat belt buckle assemblies that were glued instead of sewn during manufacturing.
Trucks Missing Side Reflectors Can Be Harder to See
Certain heavy trucks built from 2013 to 2015 with side extender marker lights lack the required reflex reflectors on those extenders.
Fuel line can burst on long downhill grades
Certain trucks equipped with Cummins ISX15 or X15 diesel engines may have a fuel pump cooling circuit screen that can become restricted, particularly during driving on long downhill grades.
ABS Warning Light May Not Show Loss of Anti-Lock Braking
On certain trucks, the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) controller can lose battery or ignition power without the dashboard ABS warning light coming on.
Gear Display May Show Neutral While Truck Is in Drive or Reverse
The gear position display on certain trucks with an Eaton UltraShift Plus or Eaton Advantage automated transmission and a right-hand stalk shifter may show the wrong gear.
Truck May Start Moving When Engine Starts in Gear
Certain transmission control software in these heavy trucks may let the engine crank briefly even when the shifter is not in neutral, which does not meet federal starter interlock requirements.
Fuel Pump Gear May Slip, Causing Engine Stalls
The fuel pump drive gear on certain diesel trucks equipped with Cummins ISX 15L engines can slip on its drive shaft.
Plastic fuel tee fittings may leak, creating fire risk
The plastic fuel tee fittings on certain heavy-duty trucks may leak fuel.
Most common 2018 Peterbilt 579 problems
Problem areas named in the 7 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.
| Problem area | Reports |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Service Brakes | 3 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Suspension | 1 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Firerelated | 1 |
What owners report
See attached document for complaint.
This vehicle about 6-8 weeks ago started throwing codes for all systems above (over 100 codes). This issue affected all systems of the vehicle including but not limited to the speed and braking of the vehicle, plus the fuel system and adaptive driving systems. We took it to the dealer Performance Peterbilt in Tifton, GA. They cleared the codes and said they resolved it by replacing a NOX sensor. We left the repair shop and within 50-100 miles the exact same issue started up again. We took it back to the same shop, they worked with Paccar and determined it needed a new ECM (Computer), this was changed out and still did not resolve issue. They then changed out the main wire harness. This resol
On 8/10/2024 our sleeper berth hvac fans abruptly quit working. After checking fuses we noticed the fan control switch was hot. After removing the panel that the switch is held in we noticed the HVAC Fan Control switch (Part# 599-5000) was charred, upon removing the switch from the plug we observed the actual plug is melted, and one of the wires on the wire harness has charring of the plastic insulation. This could have very well caught fire. I am going to have to replace the wiring harness as re-pining the plug will not solve the issue of the wire being burned and the insulation being charred. There was no warning lamps, occasionally the fan would turn off then resume.
Front axle begins popping and making metal to metal noises when hitting bumps and or turning. We took it to the shop and they found the nuts to the U-bolts that hold the leaf springs to the front axle had begun backing off and were out of torque spec. Upon receiving the truck back the front end no longer made this noise. Approximately 8 months later we are hearing the same metal on metal and popping noises that we heard previously. We have also noticed similar year Peterbilt 579's with this same noise and popping so this isn't specific to our vehicle.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 PETERBILT 579. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING, THE REAR BRAKES AND TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE NEXT DAY THE RUNNING LIGHTS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FAILED, THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE TURN SIGNAL AND BRAKE ALSO FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MAIN ELECTRICAL HARNESS COMING OUT OF THE MAIN COMPUTER AND RUNNING THE ENTIRE SPAN UNDERNEATH THE CAB HAD LITTLE TO NO PROTECTIVE SHEATHING/ CORD WRAP/ ALUMINUM WRAP PROTECTING THE WIRES. THE HARNESS WAS ROUTED THROUGH A U-BOLT TYPE FLANGE AS WELL AS HANGS NEAR SEVERAL METAL PARTS THAT, WHILE IN MOTION, RUB AGAINST THE WIRE CAUSING THEM TO FRAY. AS A RESULT, SEVERAL ITEMS BEGAN TO SHOR
2018 Peterbilt 579 questions
Does the 2018 Peterbilt 579 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 14 safety recalls for the 2018 Peterbilt 579: Steering Arm Bolts May Fail, Causing Loss of Steering; Methane alarm may fail if power is lost, risking fire; ABS warning light may stay off during power loss, raising crash risk; Battery Jumper Cable Can Chafe and Cause Fire Risk; Missing stability control raises crash risk. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Peterbilt 579?
Based on 7 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Electrical System (4), Service Brakes (3), Steering (2).
How do I check if a recall on my 2018 Peterbilt 579 has been fixed?
Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.