KENWORTH W900L · model year

1999 KENWORTH W900L

6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999KENWORTHW900L carries 6 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 1999 W900L is structure:frame and members with 2 filings, followed by structure:frame and members:underbody shields (1) and service brakes, air (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 1999 W900L. 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 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
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS2
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS1
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
INTERIOR LIGHTING1

Recent Complaints

20081016SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KENWORTH W900L STUDIO. WHEN THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MISSISSIPPI, HE WAS INFORMED THAT ALL OF THE DOT SAFETY STANDARDS WERE FINE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN TEXAS, THE DOT REGULATION AND AIR SYSTEM FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY BREAK DOWN. THE CONTACT WANTS TO RETURN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. HE ALSO WANTS ALL OF HIS LEASE PAYMENTS RETURNED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 142,500.

Mileage: 142,500

20081016EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KENWORTH W900L STUDIO. WHEN THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MISSISSIPPI, HE WAS INFORMED THAT ALL OF THE DOT SAFETY STANDARDS WERE FINE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN TEXAS, THE DOT REGULATION AND AIR SYSTEM FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY BREAK DOWN. THE CONTACT WANTS TO RETURN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. HE ALSO WANTS ALL OF HIS LEASE PAYMENTS RETURNED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 142,500.

Mileage: 142,500

20081016INTERIOR LIGHTING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KENWORTH W900L STUDIO. WHEN THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN MISSISSIPPI, HE WAS INFORMED THAT ALL OF THE DOT SAFETY STANDARDS WERE FINE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN TEXAS, THE DOT REGULATION AND AIR SYSTEM FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY BREAK DOWN. THE CONTACT WANTS TO RETURN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. HE ALSO WANTS ALL OF HIS LEASE PAYMENTS RETURNED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 142,500.

Mileage: 142,500

20060920STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE CHECKING THE OIL, THE HOOD WAS LIFTED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FRAME RAIL WAS FRACTURED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE FRAME RAIL WAS REPLACED.

Mileage: 249,000

20060224STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

DT*: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 KENWORTH W900L, AND STATED THE HOOD WOULD NOT SHUT BECAUSE THE FRAME CRACKED. THE CRACK OCCURRED 10 INCHES BEHIND THE SPRING HANGER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FRAME RAIL. *AK

Mileage: 800,000

20020409STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

BOTH FRAME RAIL EXTENTION WERE CRACKED

Compare 1999KENWORTHW900L to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 KENWORTH W900L have?
The 1999 KENWORTH W900L has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 KENWORTH W900L?
The most-complained component for the 1999 KENWORTH W900L is STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS and SERVICE BRAKES, AIR.
Is the 1999 KENWORTH W900L 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.