Total Complaints
2 filings
PETERBILT 386 · model year
2012 PETERBILT 386
2 NHTSA complaints, and 7 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012PETERBILT386 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, 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 2012 386 is unknown or other with 1 filings, followed by tires (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. This model year has 7 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2012 386. 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.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recalls (7)
12V02600030/01/2012
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:CHECK VALVE
PACCAR IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012-2013 KENWORTH T170, T270, T370, T440, T470, T660, T700, T800, W900, AND PETERBILT 320, 330, 337, 348, 365, 367, 382, 384, 386, 388, 389, AND 587 VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 31, 2011, THROUGH JANUARY 19, 2012, AND EQUIPPED WITH BENDIX ATR-6 ANTILOCK
13V59300025/11/2013
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Paccar Incorporated (Paccar) is recalling certain 2004-2013 Peterbilt 379, 357, 378, 367, 388, 365, 389, 385 and 386 trucks manufactured from April 3, 2003, through October 25, 2013 and equipped with tri-drive rear axles and a tag or pusher axle. The affected vehicles may be missing required inform
11V12700023/02/2011
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
PACCAR IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2012 KENWORTH T2000, T660, T700, T800, AND W900, AS WELL AS MODEL YEAR 2009-2012 PETERBILT 365, 367, 384, 386, 387, 388, 389, AND 587 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH PACCAR MX ENGINES. THE OIL MODULE CENTRIFUGAL SPINNER FILTER CAP IN THE PACCAR MX ENGINE MAY BECOME
15V45600022/07/2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2012-2016 Peterbilt 365, 367, 384, 386, 388, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks manufactured January 13, 2011, to April 20, 2015. The affected trucks, equipped with extended-body Leece Neville alternators, have alternator charge cables that ma
15V74000009/11/2015
TIRES
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Peterbilt 340, 2010, 2012, and 2015-2016 Peterbilt 337, 2010 Peterbilt 335, 2011-2016 Peterbilt 348, 2009 and 2011-2016 Peterbilt 365, 2009 and 2012-2013 Peterbilt 386, 2009-2015 Peterbilt 388, 2015-2016 Peterbilt 389, and 2015 P
15V27000008/05/2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Kenworth T660, T680, T880 trucks manufactured February 18, 2013, to April 10, 2015, and 2011-2016 Peterbilt 386, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks manufactured December 13, 2010, to April 20, 2015. The affected trucks, equipped with
20V19900006/04/2020
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2008-2019 Peterbilt 330, 335, 337, 340, 348, 365, 367, 384, 386, 387, 388, 389, 567, 579 and 587 vehicles and 2008-2020 Kenworth T170, T270, T370, T660, T680, T800, T880, and W900 vehicles equipped with NAMUX Software. In the event that the Anti-lo
Recent Complaints
20240826TIRES
The contact owns a 2012 Peterbilt 386 equipped with Kelly Tires, Tire Line: Armor Steel RSA2, Tire Size: 295/75/R22.5, DOT Number: 04N37XETW. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the tread separated from the front driver's side tire core. The contact stated that the tire was a replacement tire. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The tire failure mileage was approximately 800. The vehicle failure mileage was unknown.
Mileage: 800
20230809UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I [XXX] , [XXX] I PURCHASE THREE (3) TRUCKS FROM RITCHIE BROTHER AUCTION IN GEORGIA ON 3/23/2023 (1) 2012 FREIGHTLINER TRUCK WAS LOCATE IN GEORGIA, AND TWO TRUCKS WAS LOCATE IN CHEHALIS WA (1) 2012 PETERBILT (1) 2016 FREIGHTLINER. THE 2012 PETERBILT WAS A PROBLEM FROM THE START (SEE ATTACH REPAIRS) THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO PETERBILT IN SALEM OR, THE SERVICE ADVISOR: MICHEAL [XXX] PREPARE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE TRUCK, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ALL THE PROBLEM THAT YOU ARE HAVING WITH THIS TRUCK IS THE DEF SYSTEM HAS BEEN ERASED, THIS DEF SYSTEM CANâT BE TAMPER WITH, SALE OR PURCHASE A TRUCK WITHOUT A DEF SYSTEM ACIVITY WORKING ON ALL TRUCKS ON THE ROAD THE CHIEF OPERATION OFFICER (COO) [XXX] SR, HAD CONTACT WITH THAT BRANCH OF RITCHIE BROTHERS IN CHEHALIS WA, TALKING TO THEM ABOUT SALE A TRUCK WITH A DEFAULT MISSING ERASED DEF SYSTEM WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET FULL RESTITUTION CONCERING THIS TRUCK. IâM REQUESTING A FULL INVESTIGATION ON RITICHES BROTHERS SELLING FAULTY TRUCKS A
Compare 2012PETERBILT386 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 PETERBILT 386 have?▼
The 2012 PETERBILT 386 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 PETERBILT 386?▼
Yes, the 2012 PETERBILT 386 has 7 recall(s). The most common affected component is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:CHECK VALVE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 PETERBILT 386?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 PETERBILT 386 is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES.
Is the 2012 PETERBILT 386 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.