AI Damage1999 Kenworth T800: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Kenworth T800 filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 50% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- Suspension: 2 complaints (50% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Recently one of my tractors equipped with a catepillar engine had a major engine failure which caused my driver to make an emergency stop along a freeway in colorado. I was informed the crankshaft had broken.
Wheel bearings keep failing, steering tires keep getting eaten up, which causes vehicle to pull to right, when this happens brakes would chatter due to a lack of wheel bearings. Drum dropped on brake pads and shoes. Brake shoes would break off.
Recall 99v303/ aluminum driveline. Parts that were needed to perform recall repairs were not available.
Vehicle experiencing ongoing problem with vehicle continually pulling to the right while driving at highway speed. Dealer notified.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).
On average one model year of the T800 has 1 complaints (28 years in the data). This year has 4, above average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Kenworth T800?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, engine and cooling, powertrain. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: engine failure or replacement (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Kenworth T800?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Kenworth T800 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.