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NHTSA Owner Complaints

2016 Peterbilt 579

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 2016 Peterbilt 579. Either the truck is too new for a meaningful sample, or owners aren't reporting issues to NHTSA. The dominant complaint patterns are: STEERING,POWER TRAIN (33%), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (33%), POWER TRAIN (33%). These three categories cover 100% of all reports — typical signal that there are 2-3 known systemic issues on this make/model/year, not random faults.

Top reported issues
  • #1STEERING,POWER TRAIN
    1 (33%)
  • #2ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    1 (33%)
  • #3POWER TRAIN
    1 (33%)
Recent complaint examples
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM0000-00-00

the window switch that operates the window goes bad on every single one of these trucks . the switch controls windows , door locks dome light and mirror heat. the switch is unavailable to buy as a part , the part is on national backorder with no estimated time . the window does …

STEERING,POWER TRAIN0000-00-00

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 PETERBILT 579. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE EMITTED AND THE STEERING COLUMN RELEASED INDEPENDENTLY ONTO THE CONTACT'S LAP. THE LOCKING MECHANISM WAS ADJUSTED AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS PLACED BA…

POWER TRAIN0000-00-00

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 PETERBILT 579. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL BEFORE GOING BACK INTO DRIVE. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE M…

Related

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these Peterbilt 579 2016 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 2016 Peterbilt 579 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 2016 Peterbilt 579?
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 2016 Peterbilt 579?
Based on the complaint data: the top reported issue is 'STEERING,POWER TRAIN' with 1 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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