Reliability & cost of ownership
Peterbilt 387 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Peterbilt 387? 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 387 problems by model year
32 recall entries and 11 owner complaints on file across 5 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 387 | 9 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2008 387 | 14 | 4 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2005 387 | 4 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2004 387 | 3 | 1 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2001 387 | 2 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Peterbilt 387, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- service brakes3 complaints
- engine3 complaints
- air2 complaints
- engine and engine cooling2 complaints
- suspension1 complaint
- latches/locks/linkages1 complaint
- power train1 complaint
- electrical system1 complaint