Kenworth Trailer Hitches: Fifth Wheel Assembly

Kenworth is recalling about 483 vehicles over a problem with the trailer hitches. If left undetected or corrected it could lead to the separation of the fifth wheel top plate from its mounting structure, possibly resulting in a crash.

Campaign
03V168000
Manufacturer
PACCAR INCORPORATED
Reported
5 May 2003
Vehicles
483
Built between
Jul 2001 – May 2003
Models
10
Recall type
Vehicle
Initiated by
Manufacturer
Owners notified
18 June 2003
Repaired
Not reported
Unrepaired
Not reported

Does this affect my vehicle?

This recall covers vehicles built between July 2001 and May 2003. If yours was built outside that window, it is not part of this recall.

  • 2001-2003 Kenworth T2000Built July 2001 to May 2003
  • 2001-2003 Kenworth T300Built July 2001 to May 2003
  • 2001-2003 Kenworth T600Built July 2001 to May 2003
  • 2001-2003 Kenworth T800Built July 2001 to May 2003
  • 2001-2003 Kenworth W900Built July 2001 to May 2003
  • 2003 Peterbilt 357Built January 2003 to April 2003
  • 2003 Peterbilt 378Built January 2003 to April 2003
  • 2003 Peterbilt 379Built January 2003 to April 2003
  • 2003 Peterbilt 385Built January 2003 to April 2003
  • 2003 Peterbilt 387Built January 2003 to April 2003

What the defect is

On certain trucks equipped with jost international jsk 37U series fifth wheels, a fatigue crack can develop in the bracket pin weld under certain loading conditions.

What could happen

If left undetected or corrected it could lead to the separation of the fifth wheel top plate from its mounting structure, possibly resulting in a crash.

What gets fixed

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRACKET PINS AND REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS FREE OF CHARGE. PETERBILT'S OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 20, 2003. KENWORTH'S OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 12, 2003.

Timeline

  1. Vehicles builtJuly 2001 to May 2003
  2. Recall reported to NHTSA5 May 2003
  3. Owners notified18 June 2003

Your rights

A safety recall repair is free. Under US federal law the manufacturer must fix a safety defect at no cost to you — no charge for parts, labor or diagnosis — whether or not you are the original owner. A dealer cannot charge you for recall work, and cannot require you to have bought the vehicle from them.

That entitlement is not unlimited. It applies where the vehicle was first sold less than 15 years before the recall was announced — 5 years for tires. Past that a manufacturer may still do the repair free of charge, and many do, but they are no longer obliged to. This recall was reported on 5 May 2003.

To arrange the repair, contact any franchised dealer for the brand. If a dealer refuses the work or tries to charge for it, you can report that to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls or on 1-888-327-4236.

Manufacturer contact

Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact peterbilt at 940-591-4201 or kenworth 425-828-5440.

Official source

Manufacturer's recall number
03KW4/403-C
Recalling manufacturer
PACCAR INCORPORATED
Recall initiated by
MFR

Everything on this page — the models listed, the build dates and the repair figures — comes from the manufacturer's filing to NHTSA and describes the vehicle line as a whole, not any individual car. Only the manufacturer can confirm whether a specific vehicle is affected, and whether its recall work has already been carried out. Check yours by VIN and read the official notice at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Additional notes

Peterbilt recall no. 403-C/KENWORTH recall no. 03KW4.ALSO, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Check your own vehicle

This page describes the recall, not any one car. To see which recalls cover a specific vehicle, search by make, model and year.

A VIN lookup here identifies your vehicle and shows recalls issued for that make, model and year. It cannot tell you what is still open on your individual car - only the manufacturer knows that. Search by VIN instead, or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov for whether a recall is still open on your individual car.

Same component

Same brand