The Used Car Index

2012 Kenworth C500 problems

NHTSA lists 1 complaints for the 2012 Kenworth C500, 0 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 0 complaints mention an injury, with 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as KENWORTH C500.

At a glance

Complaints
1
With crash
0
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0
Recalls
3
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
104,807
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
14

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
WHEELS1100.0%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
unclear1100.0%1.00
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
none1100.0%0.91

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 1 tagged complaints of 1 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

3 recalls.

24V145000

Date: 2024-02-23. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, AIR.

Defect: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2009-2021 Kenworth C500, 2012-2021 Kenworth T440, 2009-2015 Kenworth T660, 2015-2024 Kenworth T680, 2009-2024 Kenworth T800, 2009-2020 Kenworth T370, 2014-2023 Kenworth T880, 2011-2016 Kenworth T470, 2023 Kenworth T480, and 2009-2019 Kenworth W900 vehicles. The air tanks have an insufficient volume of air for the brake system. As such, these vehi (excerpt)

Consequence: Insufficient air volume can reduce braking performance and increase the risk of a crash. (excerpt)

Remedy: Dealers will install the correct volume air tanks, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 12, 2024. Additional owner notification letters were mailed October 27, 2025. Owners may contact PACCAR customer service at 1-425-828-5888. PACCAR's number for this recall is 24KWD. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

15V271000

Date: 2015-05-08. Systems: VISIBILITY.

Defect: PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2011-2016 Kenworth T270, T370, T440, T470, C500, C540, C550, T660, T800, W900, and 963 trucks manufactured November 1, 2010, to April 6, 2015. In the affected trucks, water may leak into the wiper motor.

Consequence: As water leaks in, the wiper may cease to function on the 'intermittent' setting, reducing the driver's visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, the water may cause corrosion which, over time, may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: PACCAR is still developing and testing a remedy. The recall is expected to begin in July 2015. An interim letter was sent to owners on July 2, 2015. The recall began on September 2, 1015. Owners may contact Kenworth customer service at 1-425-828-5000. PACCAR's number for this recall is 15KWF.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

11V157000

Date: 2011-03-07. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, AIR.

Defect: PACCAR IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 KENWORTH T270/370, T440/T470, T800, T660, W900 AND C500 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN OCTOBER 18, 2010, AND JANUARY 28, 2011. CERTAIN CAST IRON SLACK ADJUSTER HOUSINGS, WHICH TRANSMIT BRAKING FORCE FROM THE BRAKE CHAMBER PUSH ROD TO THE BRAKE CAM TUBE, MAY INCLUDE A FLOW NOTCH IN THE HANDLE PORTION OF THE HOUSING DUE TO AN ERROR DURING THE CASTING (excerpt)

Consequence: IF THE SLACK ADJUSTER HOUSING WERE TO FRACTURE, THE WHEEL BRAKE TO WHICH THE SLACK ADJUSTER HOUSING IS ATTACHED WOULD NO LONGER FUNCTION, WHICH COULD INCREASE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCES, AND IF MOUNTED ON THE STEER AXLE, COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO ONE SIDE DURING BRAKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. (excerpt)

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE SLACK ADJUSTER HOUSING AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 30, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KENWORTH AT 425-828-5440. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

14 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM4
EQUIPMENT3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING2
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY2
STEERING2
ENGINE1
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER1
POWER TRAIN1

11037541

Date: 2026-09-11. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

"Kenworth: Dealers should check the chassis list and SIR weekly for VIN changes. 2 chassis added to the chassis list. Peterbilt: Dealers should check the chassis list and SIR weekly for VIN changes. 10 chassis added to the chassis list."

10254164

Date: 2024-04-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, AIR.

Certain C500/T440/T470/T660/T680/T800/T880/W900 chassis may have air tank reservoirs that do not meet air volume requirements per FMVSS/CMVSS 121 A A?A A A A Air Brake SystemsA A?A A A A . This bulletin will be updated when repair parts and procedures are available.

10188550

Date: 2021-02-10. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY, VISIBILITY.

Information Only A?A A Windshield washer pumps have a high No Trouble Found rate. Washer pumps may fail to spray due to a clogged filter.

10185190

Date: 2020-12-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY, POWER TRAIN.

Fix-As-Fail - Prior versions of Eaton Endurant transmission software may be prone to setting Linear Clutch Actuator (LCA) fault codes leading to possible LCA hardware replacement.

10177021

Date: 2020-06-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Information Only: This bulletin provides dealers with a battery warranty quick reference guide to ensure the appropriate tests for battery warranty are performed in order to prevent battery warranty claims filed with incorrect or incomplete information.

10173205

Date: 2020-03-17. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.

Information Only: Proper jump-starting voltage will eliminate high voltage related issues and equipment damage.

10173212

Date: 2020-03-03. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.

Information Only A?A A Vehicles may have the connector seals on the wheel speed sensor incorrectly installed, which may lead to water intrusion and corrosion in some vehicles.

10169787

Date: 2019-12-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Information Only - Vehicles built with NAMUX software from 2013 to present may experience accuracy issues with the tachometer. The issue can be temporarily resolved using any one of the included procedures.

10168703

Date: 2019-11-06. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

Information Only: This bulletin provides guidance for repairing an air-conditioning system after internal failure of the A/C compressor.

10165583

Date: 2019-09-27. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, EQUIPMENT.

Information Only A A?A A A A This bulletin provides information about the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP) and Heavy Duty Vehicle Inspection Program (HDVIP).

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
C5001

Same model, other years

All model years | All Kenworth models

Other Kenworth models, 2012

Sources

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