Total Complaints
6 filings
PETERBILT 379 · model year
1999 PETERBILT 379
6 NHTSA complaints. 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
The 1999PETERBILT379 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, 1 fire, 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 1999 379 is steering with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, diesel:storage:tank assembly (1) and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 1999 379. 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.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040526ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL
THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE WHEN SLOWING FOR A SCALE HOUSE, LEAVING THE TRUCK DISABLED. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A SHOP. THE CLUCH AND TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB
Mileage: 688,310
20040526POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE CRANKSHAFT BROKE WHEN SLOWING FOR A SCALE HOUSE, LEAVING THE TRUCK DISABLED. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A SHOP. THE CLUCH AND TRANSMISSION INPUT SHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB
Mileage: 688,310
20040108FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE FIRE IGNITED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DRIVER PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND DRIFTED ABOUT 1/2 MILE WITH THE ENGINE OFF. THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND SAW FLAMES UNDER THE ENGINE AREA. THE DRIVER RETRIEVED A FIRE EXTINGUISHED AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CAB OF THE SEMI SUSTAINED HEAVY FIRE, SMOKE AND WATER DAMAGE. *PH *NM
20030902FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
FAULT IN FUEL LINE EQUALIZING AND IF YOU FILL YOUR FUEL TANKS THE FUEL ENDS UP RETURNING INTO ONE TANK AND THE TANK OVER FLOWS. THIS CAUSES TWO PROBLEMS THE FIRST IS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD THE SECOND IS A SAFTY PROBLEM MAKING THE ROADWAY SLIPPERY WORST THAN DRIVING ON ICE.*AK
20030422FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
I OWN A 1999 PETERBILT 379 WITH LESS THAN 700,000 MILES. TODAY I HAD TO REPLACE A FUEL TANK STRAP THAT BROKE. BASED ON THE AGE OF THE TRUCK, IT APPEARS TO ME THAT IT IS A LITTLE PREMATURE TO BE REPLACING A STRAP, ESPECIALLY ON SOMETHING AS CRITICAL AS A FUEL TANK. I HAVE ALSO READ THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING LINKAGE, HOWEVER I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICE FROM PETERBILT OR ANYONE ELSE. WHAT DO I NEED TO LOOK FOR TO SEE IF IT APPLIES TO MY TRUCK? *JB
19991221STEERING
THERE IS AN INCH OF DEAD PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER HAS TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AN ICH ONE WAY TO GET IT TO START TURNING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THIS CAUSES NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Compare 1999PETERBILT379 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 PETERBILT 379 have?▼
The 1999 PETERBILT 379 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 PETERBILT 379?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 PETERBILT 379 is STEERING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS.
Is the 1999 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 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 1999 PETERBILT 379; 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.