PETERBILT 387 · model year

2001 PETERBILT 387

2 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2001PETERBILT387 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, 1 fire, 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 2001 387 is suspension with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, air:drum (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 2 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 2001 387. 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
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

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
SUSPENSION1
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DRUM1

Recalls (2)

02V01800115/01/2002

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:CHECK VALVE

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH MERITOR WABCO PNEUMATIC ANITLOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) VALVE PACKAGES, THE ASSEMBLY BOLTS ON THESE VALVE PACKAGES WERE NOT TIGHTENED CORRECTLY.

03V12500001/04/2003

SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRUCK HUB UNITS MANUFACTURED BY SKF EXCLUSIVELY FOR USE ON ARVINMERITOR'S FF98X SERIES NON-DRIVE STEER AXLES, THE HUB UNIT BEARINGS CAN WEAR PREMATURELY.

Recent Complaints

20010828FireSERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DRUM

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE SUDDENLY WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FIRE RESULTED FROM A BRAKE DRUM FAILURE CAUSING A TIRE FIRE WHICH SPREAD THROUGH THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF TRACTOR, AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE DEFECTS SUCH AS ELECTRICAL AND BRAKE MISHAPS.(ATTORNEY ON BEHALF OF CLIENT)*YD

20010329SUSPENSION

SUSPENSION WAS WRONG TYPE, AND VEHICLE MADE TO PULL TRAILER. TRAILER HEIGHT WAS 13'9, " NOT LEGAL 13'6". DEALER WOULD NOT TAKE VEHICLE BACK, CONSUMER TRADED VEHICLE.*AK

Compare 2001PETERBILT387 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 PETERBILT 387 have?
The 2001 PETERBILT 387 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 PETERBILT 387?
Yes, the 2001 PETERBILT 387 has 2 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 2001 PETERBILT 387?
The most-complained component for the 2001 PETERBILT 387 is SUSPENSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DRUM.
Is the 2001 PETERBILT 387 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.