RECALLS — PETERBILT 388
Peterbilt 388 recalls
Peterbilt 388 model years 2010–2019 covered by at least one recall campaign. Pick a year to see the Canadian and U.S. campaigns side by side.
Choose a model year
U.S. NHTSA campaigns are listed on each year page, where they are queried live by model year. The Canadian list below covers every year together.
Transport Canada recalls
15- Lights And Instruments#2020148
65,284 units affected
Issue: On certain trucks, the warning light for the tractor anti-lock brake system (ABS) may not turn on if the system loses power. If this happens, the driver will not get warning that the ABS is not working properly. Note: This problem would also cause the traction control (TC) and electronic stability control (ESC) lights not to turn on. Safety Risk: If a driver is not warned that the ABS is not working properly, there could be an increased risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: PACCAR will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your truck to a dealer to update the software for the cab control module (CECU).
- Tires#2015532
1 units affected
Certain vehicles manufactured with Michelin MN295/60 R22.5 XZA front tires and 8.25” wheels were certified to a front gross axle weight rating (GAWR) that are greater than the maximum 12,350lbs allowed. This could lead to premature tire failure and vehicle overloading, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will change the front wheels to 9.00" wheels and program the maximum vehicle speed to the appropriate settings based on the front GAWR.
- Tires#2015531
520 units affected
On certain vehicles equipped with Michelin MN 295/60R22.5 XZA-2 front tires, the programmed maximum vehicle speed may exceed the speed rating of the tire. This could result in premature tire failure to occur under certain operating conditions (higher speeds, load and road temperature). A tire failure could cause the driver to lose vehicle control, which may result in a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will reprogram the engine’s vehicle speed parameters to limit the maximum vehicle speed to the tire speed rating.
- Electrical#2015317
86 units affected
On certain vehicles equipped with PACCAR MX-13 engines and Leece Neville alternators, the alternator charge cable may chafe against an air conditioning discharge line. This chafing could lead to damage of the alternator cable's insulation and could lead to an electrical short, increasing the risk of fire, which could result in injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will rotate the alternator cable end 180 degrees to provide necessary clearance and reattach the cable to the alternator.
- Label#2015095
30,064 units affected
Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 120 - Tire Selection and Rims. The tire information label may indicate incorrect tire pressure, understated by 5 PSI, or a tire/rim/inflation pressure combination for which the maximum GAWR is slightly below the GAWR of the vehicle. Underinflated tires may not be capable of supporting the maximum load as reflected by the GAWR and GVWR specified on the certification label, which could cause tire failure resulting in injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Manufacturer will mail new tire and rims certification label.
- Steering#2015078
574 units affected
On certain vehicles, the tie rod end clamp bolts may not have been tightened to the correct specification. As a result, the tie rod ends could loosen, corrode, and eventually separate from the tie rod, resulting in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace tie rod assembly where the factory installed assembly has not been replaced.
- Airbag#2014198
4 units affected
On certain vehicles, a wiring defect could cause the airbag warning lamp to fail to illuminate in the event of a fault with the side curtain airbag system. As a result, a fault could go undetected by the driver, and cause the side airbag to fail to deploy in a crash. This could increase the risk of injury. Correction: Dealers will affect repairs.
- Brakes#2014094
27 units affected
Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 121 - Air Brake Systems. Incorrect brake linings were used on front drum brake assemblies fitted with large diameter tires (Static Load Radius of 20.5" - 21.5"), rendering the vehicles noncompliant to the standard. This could result in inadequate braking, increasing stopping distances and increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will install new brake shoes with the correct linings.
- Seats And Restraints#2014020
1,646 units affected
On certain vehicles, the seat belts may not comply with Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 209 - Seat Belt Assemblies. Due to a defect in manufacturing, the seat belt buckle may not release as required by the standard. This could hinder egress from the vehicle in an emergency, increasing the risk of injury. Correction: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace affected seatbelt buckles.
- Electrical#2013178
255 units affected
On certain trucks, an internal defect in the ignition switch can cause the starter to engage when the key is partially inserted. This would allow the engine to start unexpectedly, which could injure someone working in the engine compartment. Also, manual transmission vehicles without the neutral start option may move unexpectedly if the transmission is in gear at the time the key is inserted. This could result in a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the ignition switch assembly.
- Brakes#2012027
1,434 units affected
On certain trucks equipped with Bendix ATR-6 Antilock Traction Relay valves, in extremely cold conditions (at or below -18 degrees Celsius), internal ATR valve leakage can occur. This could cause unintended brake application, which could overheat the affected brakes and cause a fire. Also, in certain low traction conditions, unexpected brake application can cause a loss of vehicle control and a crash. These issues could result in property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will update the cover assembly on the ATR valves.
- Powertrain#2011263
23 units affected
On certain trucks equipped with a PACCAR MX engine and Eaton Ultrashift DM or Allison automatic transmission (without auto-neutral), the Fast Idle Control (also known as high idle) may be activated by the operator while the transmission is in gear. This could override the parking brake, allowing the vehicle to move unexpectedly. Unintended vehicle movement could result in a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will update the engine control software.
- Engine#2011087
589 units affected
On certain vehicles equipped with a PACCAR MX engine, the oil module centrifugal spinner filter cap may become loose, possibly allowing the cap to come off and engine oil to partially discharge from the oil module onto nearby exhaust components. The discharge of engine oil onto hot exhaust components could result in a fire causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will re-torque the oil module filter cap and install a secondary retention device on the secondary centrifugal spinner filter cap.
- Engine#2010329
59 units affected
On certain vehicles, the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) oil seal installed on the output shaft of the valve actuator may delaminate, possibly allowing engine oil to leak from the EGR valve onto exhaust components. Engine oil leaking onto hot exhaust components, such as when the engine is under significant load, may create the possibility of a fire which can result in personal injury or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace the EGR valve.
- Steering#2010216
774 units affected
On certain trucks, the weld around the steering shaft tube, which joins the splined tube to the non-splined intermediate tube, may be mislocated. An improperly located weld bead may allow the splined tube and non-splined tube to rotate relative one another during a low speed, high torque turn, resulting in a possible separation of the tubes. This could cause a loss of steering control which could result in a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the steering shaft.
Canadian data updated August 24, 2026
Does this recall apply to my vehicle?
Matched by make, model, and model year. Many recalls affect only specific VIN ranges — confirm with your dealer using your full VIN.
What to do
Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer in both countries. To confirm a recall applies to your specific vehicle, contact your manufacturer or dealer with your full VIN, or use the official channel:
- NHTSA recall lookup (search by VIN) — U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Defects and recalls database — Transport Canada