Reliability & cost of ownership
Peterbilt 386 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Peterbilt 386? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Peterbilt 386 problems by model year
60 recall entries and 12 owner complaints on file across 8 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 386 | 6 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2012 386 | 7 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2011 386 | 6 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2010 386 | 5 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2009 386 | 10 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2008 386 | 14 | 4 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2007 386 | 8 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2005 386 | 4 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Peterbilt 386, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- engine and engine cooling5 complaints
- unknown or other3 complaints
- electrical system2 complaints
- service brakes1 complaint
- air1 complaint
- visibility1 complaint
- tires1 complaint
- engine1 complaint