Reliability & cost of ownership
Peterbilt 388 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Peterbilt 388? 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 388 problems by model year
15 recall entries and 20 owner complaints on file across 2 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 388 | 7 | 3 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2014 388 | 8 | 17 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Peterbilt 388, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- tires13 complaints
- wheels11 complaints
- structure4 complaints
- electrical system2 complaints
- engine1 complaint
- fuel/propulsion system1 complaint
- engine and engine cooling1 complaint
- unknown or other1 complaint