Kenworth W900 · model year

2004 Kenworth W900

2 NHTSA complaints, and 12 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
2
Recalls
12

The verdict

The 2004 Kenworth W900 posts above-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.

29th pctile
complaint volume, own model years
12
recall campaigns

The 2004KenworthW900 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, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2004 W900 is electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator with 1 filings, followed by tires (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2004 W900. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
2004 Kenworth W900

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.

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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR1
TIRES1

Recalls (12)

09V23900030/06/2009

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

KENWORTH IS RECALLING 3,423 MY 2004-2009 T2000, T800,T600, W900 AND T660 VEHICLES. INCREASED BRAKE EXCITATION IN A CERTAIN VEHICLE CONFIGURATION WHICH INCLUDES BENDIX DRUM BRAKES, WIDE BASE LOW PROFILE SINGLE TIRES, AND AN AG400 OR AG460 REAR SUSPENSION, DUE TO ITS UNIQUE BRAKE CLOCKING AND CAM TUB

05V18900028/04/2005

SUSPENSION

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 TRUCKS, THE SUSPENSION HAS TRANSVERSE BEAM CASTINGS THAT MAY FRACTURE UNDER NORMAL LOADS. IF A CASTING BREAKS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING ON A ROADWAY THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR PIECES OF THE CASTING TO BECOME PROJECTILES AND THE SUSPENSION'S TRANSVERSE BEAM MAY DROP

08V48500024/09/2008

SUSPENSION

PACCAR IS RECALLING 130 MY 2004-2009 T2000, T800, T600, W900 AND T660 KENWORTH TRUCKS BUILT WITH AN AG400 REAR SUSPENSION, LONG STROKE BRAKE CHAMBERS, AND WIDE BASE TIRES (SUPER SINGLES). THESE VEHICLES MAY DEVELOP AN INCREASE IN LATERAL AND VERTICAL AXLE MOVEMENT. THIS MOVEMENT MAY CAUSE PART OR

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.

04V36000021/07/2004

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A COMBINATION OF CATERPILLAR C11/C13 ENGINES AND AN OPTIONAL LEECE NEVILLE BRUSHLESS ALTERNATOR, A CHAFFING POINT MAY EXIST BETWEEN A HEAT SHIELD ON THE ENGINE AND THE WIRING FOR THE ALTERNATOR.

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.

04V35600015/07/2004

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

CERTAIN TRUCKS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, 'TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS.' THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS OMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE'S CERTIFICATION LABEL.

04V44900013/09/2004

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS BUILT WITH THE OPTIONAL DANA SPL DRIVELINE, THE U-JOINT FASTENERS AT THE OUTPUT YOKE OF THE TRANSMISSION WERE NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED.

04V17400012/04/2004

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH EATON FULLER ULTRASONIC TRANSMISSIONS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT." THE CAB TRANSMISSION HARNESS COULD HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY

04V58000010/12/2004

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE POWER FEED HARNESS P92-1993 TERMINALS WERE NOT PROPERLY CRIMPED.

05V08400004/03/2005

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH WEBASTO HEATERS, THE BURNER TUBES ARE MADE OF MATERIAL THAT DOES NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS AND COULD FAIL PREMATURELY.

04V53300002/11/2004

STRUCTURE

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, SOME OF THE HUCK BOLTS ON THE CAB MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED.

Recent Complaints

20110105FireTIRES

2004 KENWORTH W9, WAS ENTERING ONTO THE OHIO TURNPIKE WHEN ITS RIGHT REAR TRAILER TIRE CAUGHT ON FIRE *BF THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT, USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0690-91). *JB UPDATED 01/14/11 *BF

20040503FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

THIS HAD HAPPENED TO MY PARENTS. MY DAD DRIVES A KENWORTH T2000 IT IS A BRAND NEW 2004. MY DAD WAS PARKING HIS TRUCK FOR THE NIGHT IN WACO, TX WHEN HE HAD SMELT SOMETHING BURNING. HE OPENED THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK AND THERE WAS A FIRE BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE FIREWALL. THEY BELIEVE THE FIRE STARTED WITH A WIRE ON THE ALTERNATOR. OUR CONCERN IS THE KENWORTH T2000 DOES NOT HAVE A DOOR ON THE SLEEPER BIRTH. WE BELIEVE THAT ALL SEMI TRUCKS NEED ONE. IF MY PARENTS HAD BEEN SLEEPING THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY FOR THEM TO ESCAPE THE TRUCK IF THE FIRE HAD GOT BIG ENOUGH. I HAVE WROTE TO OTHER PEOPLE BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT IT WHICH SHOWS ME THAT NO ONE GIVES A [XXX] THING, BUT I BET IF THEY HAD DIED IN THAT TRUCK EVERYONE WOULD BE COMPLAINING THAT NO ONE HAD SAID A THING ABOUT IT. I AM BEGGING YOU SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE DOORS IN THE SLEEPER MANDATORY ON ALL SEMI TRUCKS WITH SLEEPER BIRTHS.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S

Compare 2004KenworthW900 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 Kenworth W900 have?
The 2004 Kenworth W900 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 Kenworth W900?
Yes, the 2004 Kenworth W900 has 12 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Kenworth W900?
The most-complained component for the 2004 Kenworth W900 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES.
Is the 2004 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.

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2004 Kenworth W900; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.