Total Complaints
1 filings
KENWORTH C500 · model year
2006 KENWORTH C500
1 NHTSA complaints, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2006KENWORTHC500 carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 C500 is electrical system:wiring with 1 filings. Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2006 C500. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
Recalls (5)
05V57000022/12/2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ON CERTAIN TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR DIESEL ENGINES, THE VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATION OIL LINE MAY WEAR AGAINST THE SHARP EDGE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD IF NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.
07V10700016/03/2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE WIRING, PARTS, OR TRANSMISSION PROGRAMMING REQUIRED FOR THE AUTO NEUTRAL FEATURE TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED WERE EITHER NOT INSTALLED, CONNECTED, OR PROGRAMMED PROPERLY.
06V39100013/10/2006
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH CHALMERS REAR SUSPENSIONS, THE ADJUSTABLE TORQUE ROD END CASTINGS MAY BE BRITTLE. A BRITTLE ROD END CASTING MAY FRACTURE WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLES' REAR AXLES TO BECOME MISALIGNED.
07V09000009/03/2007
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
CERTAIN TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE BRAKE TIMING REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE BRAKE VALVE WAS MOVED TO THE OPPOSITE RAIL, INCREASING THE LENGTH OF THE AIR LINE, WHICH IN TURN INCREASED THE WHEELBASE REQUIRING A DUAL RELAY VALV
08V09900004/03/2008
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SLACK ADJUSTERS
PACCAR IS RECALLING 130 MY 2005-2007 KENWORTH C500, T800, W900, AND PETERBILT MODELS 357 AND 379 TRACTOR TRAILERS EQUIPPED WITH FABCO SLACK ADJUSTERS ON SISU AXLES. THE SLACK ADJUSTERS MAY FAIL AS A RESULT OF A FATIGUE CRACK RENDERING THE SLACK ADJUSTER INOPERATIVE. THIS COULD REDUCE BRAKING EFFEC
Recent Complaints
20110206FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
2006 KENWORTH CONVENTIONAL, WAS TRAVELING ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE AT MILE POST 201 EASTBOUND WHEN THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, LINE/WIRE CAUGHT ON FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0753-91) UPDATED 02/15/11 *BF
Compare 2006KENWORTHC500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2006 KENWORTH C500 have?▼
The 2006 KENWORTH C500 has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2006 KENWORTH C500?▼
Yes, the 2006 KENWORTH C500 has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 KENWORTH C500?▼
The most-complained component for the 2006 KENWORTH C500 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2006 KENWORTH C500 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.