PETERBILT 387 · model year

2005 PETERBILT 387

2 NHTSA complaints, and 4 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. 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 2005PETERBILT387 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.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2005 387 is service brakes, air:supply:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2005 387. 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL1

Recalls (4)

05V54300029/11/2005

STEERING

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE BENDIX ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESP) SYSTEM, THE SYSTEM USES MULTIPLE SENSORS AND AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO CONTROL VEHICLE UNDER STEER, OVER-STEER, AND ROLLOVER SITUATIONS. THE SYSTEM RELIES ON VEHICLE SENSORS TO BE FUNCTIONING AND ALIGNED PROPERL

05V57000022/12/2005

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ON CERTAIN TRACTORS EQUIPPED WITH CATERPILLAR DIESEL ENGINES, THE VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATION OIL LINE MAY WEAR AGAINST THE SHARP EDGE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD IF NOT POSITIONED CORRECTLY.

04V54800016/11/2004

SEATS

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS, THE PIVOT BOLTS WHICH HOLD THE SEAT BACK FRAME TO THE SEAT CUSHION FRAME CAN LOOSEN AND POSSIBLY FRACTURE OR DISLODGE, CAUSING THE SEAT BACK TO FAIL TO PROVIDE FULL SUPPORT TO THE DRIVER.

06V25100013/07/2006

EQUIPMENT

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, WHEN USING A CUMMINS ELECTRONIC ICON SERVICE TOOL 2.2, AN UNINTENDED ENGINE START WILL OCCUR.

Recent Complaints

20100908ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

2005 PETERBILT 387. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO THE RECALL, HE HAD TO FIX SEVERAL OIL LEAKS ON THE TRUCK AND INCURRED COSTLY EXPENSES. THE TRUCK HAD TO BE TOWED DUE TO A HOLE IN THE VVA OIL LINE. *JB

20060802SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS, THE AIR TANK BRACKET OF THE AIR BRAKE SUPPLY FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND A DEALER WHO REPLACED THE AIR BRACKETS, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.

Mileage: 322,232

Compare 2005PETERBILT387 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 PETERBILT 387 have?
The 2005 PETERBILT 387 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 PETERBILT 387?
Yes, the 2005 PETERBILT 387 has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is STEERING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 PETERBILT 387?
The most-complained component for the 2005 PETERBILT 387 is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL.
Is the 2005 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 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 2005 PETERBILT 387; 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.