Paccar Recalls Tractors for Repairs of Caterpillar DPFs

By Rip Watson, Senior Reporter

This story appears in the Nov. 3 print edition of Transport Topics. Click here to subscribe today.

A total of 3,640 tractors manufactured by Paccar Inc. are being recalled because parts on the diesel particulate filter, or DPF, can fail, causing the component to separate from the chassis and fall onto the road.

Caterpillar Inc., which initiated the recall, made the parts for its C13 and C15 engines installed in some Kenworth and Peterbilt tractors manufactured between January 2006 and July 2008, Paccar said in a filing at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Paccar did  not comment when contacted by Transport Topics.

The DPFs were installed on 1,955 Kenworth T600, T660, T800, W900 and T2000 trucks from the 2006 through 2009 model years, as well as 1,685 Peterbilts from the 2008 and 2009 model years. Peterbilt models affected are the 365, 367, 379, 384, 386, 387, 388 and 389.

“Caterpillar has a rigorous process for development and continuous product improvement to assure safety and customer satisfaction,” said Greg Gauger, Caterpillar’s truck engine product manager.

“While there have been no field issues or failures on these parts, Caterpillar instituted a recall as a precautionary measure to guarantee that all owners continue to be completely satisfied with our products,” Gauger said.

Paccar, in NHTSA filings, said Caterpillar is replacing chassis attachment brackets and straps. Caterpillar said the chassis attach brackets failed during a validation shake test because there was inadequate stiffness to support that part through the engine’s design life. During additional tests, a strap failed because it wasn’t wide or thick enough to support the DPF.

Repairs are being done at no charge.