Paccar Recalls 35,671 Peterbilt Trucks for Fire Risk
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Peterbilt Motors Co. is recalling 35,671 trucks to repair an issue with battery cables on certain models, according to a March 18 notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall affects Peterbilt Model 365, 389, 567 and 579 trucks manufactured between 2015 and 2020, parent company Paccar Inc. said in the notice. The recall is expected to begin May 1.
According to the notice, an electrical short circuit with the battery cables can increase the risk of fire. Paccar said in a safety recall report that a positive battery jumper terminal cable that chafes against the front suspension spring can short circuit to the chassis ground. This, in turn, can increase the risk of a vehicle under-hood fire. The investigation determined that cables of excessive length may be interfering with the left front suspension leaf spring.
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No injuries have been reported, and the company believes that only 1% of the recalled trucks are defective.
“The recall population was determined by filtering build records by option code,” Paccar said in its safety report. “The recalled trucks are equipped with a left hand under hood jumper terminal.”
Paccar will notify affected owners, and dealers will replace the cables free of charge if a repair is warranted.
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