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Peterbilt 520Years to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 4 owner complaints and 24 safety recalls on record for the Peterbilt 520.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints4Top: Service brakesSafety recalls241990–2026 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Peterbilt 520 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 520 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2026Too new–/1000 complaints · 2 recalls2025Too new–/1000 complaints · 7 recalls2024Not rated–/1000 complaints · 8 recalls2023Not rated–/1000 complaints · 5 recalls2022Not rated–/1000 complaints · 4 recalls2021Not rated–/1000 complaints · 6 recalls2020Not rated–/1003 complaints · 12 recalls2019Not rated–/1001 complaint · 8 recalls2018Not rated–/1000 complaints · 8 recalls2017Not rated–/1000 complaints · 5 recalls2016Not rated–/1000 complaints · 4 recalls2015Not rated–/1000 complaints · 3 recalls2014Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2013Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2012Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2011Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2010Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2009Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2008Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2007Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2006Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2005Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2004Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2003Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2002Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2001Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall2000Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1999Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1998Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1997Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1996Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1995Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1994Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1993Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1992Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1991Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1990Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Peterbilt 520 problems

All model years combined: 4 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes40
24 recalls

Peterbilt 520 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

52%Steering26V-022 · 2024–2026 · Jan 19, 2026 · 219 vehicles71%Lighting control module: software25V-436 · 2024–2026 · Jun 26, 2025 · 56,260 vehicles85%Electrical system: propulsion system25V-181 · 2022–2025 · Mar 24, 2025 · 238 vehicles76%Electrical system: software24V-915 · 2022–2025 · Dec 9, 2024 · 220,764 vehicles56%Spindle: arm24V-908 · 2024–2025 · Dec 3, 2024 · 68 vehicles80%Link: connection24V-433 · 2025 · Jun 12, 2024 · 7,410 vehiclesDo not drive94%Spindle: arm24V-043 · 2024 · Jan 25, 2024 · 68 vehicles85%Steering24V-044 · 2024–2025 · Jan 25, 2024 · 45,887 vehicles33%Engine23V-749 · 2024 · Nov 7, 2023 · 9 vehicles90%Suspension: multiple axle22V-939 · 2015–2023 · Dec 16, 2022 · 15,658 vehicles61%Engine: engine control module (ecu/ecm)22V-631 · 2023 · Aug 17, 2022 · 1,601 vehicles76%Steering22V-547 · 2022–2023 · Jul 28, 2022 · 47,500 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 24 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

1 investigation

NHTSA investigations of the 520

  1. Quarter Fender FailuresPE20015 · 2017–2019 · closed Oct 14, 2021
    No recall