Total Complaints
4 filings
KENWORTH W900 · model year
1998 KENWORTH W900
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998KENWORTHW900 carries 4 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 1998 W900 is structure:frame and members with 2 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring (1) and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (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 1998 W900. 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120216STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
REFERENCE VOQ#10259426. I FILED A COMPLAINT IN FEBRUARY 2009 FOR A FRAME RAIL THAT CRACKED ON MY 1998 KENWORTH W900. I SPENT $11,470 TO HAVE THE RAIL REPLACED AT AN AUTHORIZED KENWORTH DEALER. I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW, WITH NO EXTRAS OR ADD-ONS SINCE OWNING THE TRUCK. ALL SERVICING HAS BEEN DONE AT AUTHORIZED KENWORTH REPAIR FACILITIES AND I HAVE KEPT UP WITH ALL DOT/CVSA INSPECTIONS; THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. IN DECEMBER 2010, I EXPERIENCED ANOTHER FRAME RAIL CRACK IN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME LOCATION AS THE FIRST, BEHIND THE REAR SHACKLE OF THE FRONT SPRING. THIS TIME THE ENGINE SHIFTED AND FORCED THE FAN INTO THE RADIATOR. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL FRAME SHOP WHERE THE RAIL WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE TECH THERE SAID HE HAD JUST DONE ANOTHER RAIL ON A PETERBUILT OF THE SAME VINTAGE AND FELT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED SO QUICKLY ON MY TRUCK, PLUS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE AN ISSUE WITH OTHER KENWORTH/PETERBUILT TRACTORS. UPDATED 03/09
20090220STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 KENWORTH W900. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HOOD WAS KNOCKING ON THE MAIN CAB AND WAS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CHASSIS WAS CRACKED AND DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 158,117. UPDATED 3/16/09 *CN UPDATED 03/19/09. *JB UPDATED 05/03/12. *JB
Mileage: 158,117
19980908ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING THE FUEL LINE CHAFED A HOLE, CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE. A RECALL WAS ORDERED ON MAKE MODEL AND YEAR. THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER RECALL 98V-129000. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
19980908FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHILE DRIVING THE FUEL LINE CHAFED A HOLE, CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE. A RECALL WAS ORDERED ON MAKE MODEL AND YEAR. THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER RECALL 98V-129000. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Compare 1998KENWORTHW900 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 KENWORTH W900 have?▼
The 1998 KENWORTH W900 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 KENWORTH W900?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 KENWORTH W900 is STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS.
Is the 1998 KENWORTH W900 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.