KENWORTH T600 · model year

1997 KENWORTH T600

2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1997KENWORTHT600 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 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 1997 T600 is suspension:rear with 1 filings, followed by steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm (1). 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.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 1997 T600. 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

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

ComponentCount
SUSPENSION:REAR1
STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM1

Recent Complaints

20000919STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM

CONSUMER SAID THAT HE WAS IN A REST AREA, AND THE NEXT DAY NOTICED OIL/ MELTED HUB CAP, AND LEFT STEERING AXLE. HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SEND HIM TO THE NEAR DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED.*AK THE WORN SPINDLE CAUSED THE BEARINGS ON THE LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT FRONT STEERING TO BECOME LOOSE AND LEAK OIL, WHICH SPREAD ALL OVER THE WHEEL RESULTING IN THE HUB CUP MELTING. *YH

19971008SUSPENSION:REAR

FRENCH ELLISON 97V139/97KW2. DEALER DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS. HIS REPLY TO OWNER: FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. **AK

Compare 1997KENWORTHT600 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1997 KENWORTH T600 have?
The 1997 KENWORTH T600 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 KENWORTH T600?
The most-complained component for the 1997 KENWORTH T600 is SUSPENSION:REAR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM.
Is the 1997 KENWORTH T600 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.