Total Complaints
9 filings
PETERBILT 379 · model year
1997 PETERBILT 379
9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997PETERBILT379 carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, 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 379 is wheels:hub with 1 filings, followed by power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal (1) and 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 379. 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.
9
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| WHEELS:HUB | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140524STRUCTURE:BODY
BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD WHILE IN PARK, BODY BUSHINGS AND SUPPORT IS WORN AND RUSTED. FUEL HAD LACK OF POWER AND EXCESSIVE FUEL SMELL AND WOULD NOT START WITH OUT STARTING FLUID AND WAS THE COLOR OF OFF ROAD DIESEL. *TR
Mileage: 1,034,346
20140524SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD WHILE IN PARK, BODY BUSHINGS AND SUPPORT IS WORN AND RUSTED. FUEL HAD LACK OF POWER AND EXCESSIVE FUEL SMELL AND WOULD NOT START WITH OUT STARTING FLUID AND WAS THE COLOR OF OFF ROAD DIESEL. *TR
Mileage: 1,034,346
20140524FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD WHILE IN PARK, BODY BUSHINGS AND SUPPORT IS WORN AND RUSTED. FUEL HAD LACK OF POWER AND EXCESSIVE FUEL SMELL AND WOULD NOT START WITH OUT STARTING FLUID AND WAS THE COLOR OF OFF ROAD DIESEL. *TR
Mileage: 1,034,346
20030514CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER
IN REFERENCE TO MY PRIOR COMPLAINT REF. #10004102. TO WHICH YOU REPLIED NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN BECAUSE THERE ARE "NO OTHER REPORT SIMILAR TO" MINE. IT APPEARS THAT THE DOT AND DOE DON'T TALK TO ONE ANOTHER. THE DOE HAS HAD THREE SIMILAR FAILURES OF FONTAINE 5TH-WHEELS. HTTP://WWW.HANFORD.GOV/LESSONS/SITELL/LL01/2001-47.HTM PROJECT HANFORD LESSONS LEARNED. TITLE: TRACTOR-TRAILER FIFTH WHEEL DETACHMENTS. DATE: DECEMBER 17, 2001, IDENTIFIER: 2001-RL-HNF-0047. *NLM
20010228FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
LEFT REAR FUEL TANK STRAP BROKE CAUSING TANK TO HANG FROM THE TRUCK, STRAP HAD HAIRLINE CRACK ON INNER SIDE BELOW WELD, THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED EXTENSIVE FUEL LEAKAGE, DEALER CLAIMS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *MJS
19981216WHEELS:HUB
WHEEL SEALS & BEARINGS WENT OUT. HAD BEARINGS & SEALS REPLACED & THEY WENT OUT AGAIN. ALSO WHEEL HUB AND SPINDLE MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. *AK
19981216POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL
WHEEL SEALS & BEARINGS WENT OUT. HAD BEARINGS & SEALS REPLACED & THEY WENT OUT AGAIN. ALSO WHEEL HUB AND SPINDLE MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. *AK
19981216STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
WHEEL SEALS & BEARINGS WENT OUT. HAD BEARINGS & SEALS REPLACED & THEY WENT OUT AGAIN. ALSO WHEEL HUB AND SPINDLE MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. *AK
19981216POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
WHEEL SEALS & BEARINGS WENT OUT. HAD BEARINGS & SEALS REPLACED & THEY WENT OUT AGAIN. ALSO WHEEL HUB AND SPINDLE MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. *AK
Compare 1997PETERBILT379 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 PETERBILT 379 have?▼
The 1997 PETERBILT 379 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 PETERBILT 379?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 PETERBILT 379 is WHEELS:HUB with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT:SEAL and STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM.
Is the 1997 PETERBILT 379 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.