Kenworth, Peterbuilt ABS Software Recall

PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling ~221,000 Peterbilt and Kenworth buses, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles equipped with Bendix EC80 Advanced Electronic Control Units (ECU) according to documents made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“According to Bendix in its recall 24E-086, the ABS, Automatic Traction Control (ATC), or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) may set an ABS fault or may stop operating. Other functions which strongly interact with ABS such as Active Cruse Control (ACC) and Collision Mitigation System (CMS) may also fault. In extremely rare situations before the system faults or stops operating, if there is a stability event or an automated braking request, the system may respond incorrectly to the event. This may increase the likelihood of a crash,” PACCAR said in the required safety defect filing.

Affected vehicle owners will be notified and dealers will reprogram the EC80 ECU with software that does not include the defect, free of charge as required by U.S. recall regulations. Owners who incurred costs to obtain a remedy for the problem addressed by the recall in advance of receiving notification may seek reimbursement through the process outlined in the general reimbursement plan on file.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed 7 February 2025. Owners may contact Kenworth’s customer service at 1-425-828-5888 and Peterbilt’s customer service at 1-940-591-4220. PACCAR’s numbers for this recall are 24KWL and 24PBL. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to nhtsa.gov about NHTSA recall 24V915 or 24V-915.