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NHTSA Owner Complaints

2020 Peterbilt 520

3 owner-reported issues

Owner-reported data
Total complaints
3
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
0
Open recalls
4

What this means

Fewer than 5 NHTSA complaints filed on 2020 Peterbilt 520. Either the truck is too new for a meaningful sample, or owners aren't reporting issues to NHTSA.

Top reported issues
  • #1SERVICE BRAKES
    3 (100%)
Recent complaint examples
SERVICE BRAKES0000-00-00

Truck was brought in because driver heard a grinding noise. Mechanic inspected and found that the front disc brake pads and separated from the backing. Truck was thought to still be under warranty and was then taken to dealership for repairs.…

SERVICE BRAKES0000-00-00

After issue with first truck dealership asked to bring in others to be inspected and found same issue with them. Front brake pads were separating from backing. This truck had less mileage so damage not as severe.…

SERVICE BRAKES0000-00-00

This one was taken in after the first one also for inspection by dealer. Issue wasn't as severe due to lower mileage and use. I believe the pads were just changed as a precaution, I don't believe they had started to separate.…

Related

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these Peterbilt 520 2020 complaints verified by NHTSA?
NHTSA collects complaints from owners but does NOT verify each one. The complaints below are unfiltered owner reports — useful for spotting patterns, but a single complaint doesn't prove a defect. Pay attention to: (1) volume of complaints on the same component, (2) consistency of described symptoms, and (3) whether NHTSA has opened a formal investigation or issued a recall on the same component. If a component appears in 5+% of complaints, that's usually a real pattern worth taking seriously.
Should I avoid buying a 2020 Peterbilt 520 based on these complaints?
It depends on the components reported. 3 complaints across roughly tens of thousands of trucks of this model year is a light signal. Compare against other model years of the same truck — if 2022 has 3x more complaints than 2020 or 2024, that specific year has issues. Also check whether the most-reported component is something you can preventively address (e.g., DEF system issues can be mitigated with quality fluid + dealer software updates).
Have any of these complaints led to recalls on the 2020 Peterbilt 520?
Yes — 4 NHTSA recalls have been issued for this make/model/year. Owner complaints are one of the inputs NHTSA uses to identify potential safety defects — when a pattern shows up in complaints, an investigation can open, and if a defect is confirmed, a recall is issued. See the recall page for this vehicle for details.
How do I file my own complaint about a Peterbilt truck?
Visit NHTSA.gov/file-complaint. You'll need: your VIN, the date of incident, description of what happened, and component affected (drivetrain, brakes, etc.). Filing takes ~10 minutes and adds your data point to the public record. This is the input that triggers NHTSA investigations. For commercial trucks, fleet operators reporting issues at scale (10+ similar reports) often accelerate NHTSA's review timeline.
What's the most expensive complaint pattern on the 2020 Peterbilt 520?
Based on the complaint data: the top reported issue is 'SERVICE BRAKES' with 3 reports. Depending on the specific failure mode, this can range from a few hundred dollars (sensor replacement) to several thousand (transmission rebuild, DPF replacement, engine work). The complaint pattern alone won't tell you cost — check the symptoms described for hints about the actual root cause. Most commercial-truck complaints describe symptoms ($1,500–$5,000 repair range is typical), not catastrophic failures.

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