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Service bulletins for the 2018 Peterbilt 389

A bulletin is a manufacturer's communication to its dealers, as NHTSA indexes it. The summary is NHTSA's. The document is the manufacturer's: read it at NHTSA. A bulletin is not a recall, and listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned.

53 on file from NHTSA, as of 2026-10-19.

By type

By component

By topic

Bulletins, newest first
02-1602021-03-10. Service bulletin. VISIBILITY; EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. Information Only – Windshield washer pumps have a high No Trouble Found rate. Washer pumps may fail to spray due to a clogged filter.
116-12021-02-01. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT. SmartNav 2.0 Hardware retrofit for quality validation and vehicle validation units.
13-0552020-11-05. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; EQUIPMENT; SERVICE BRAKES, AIR. Fix as Fail: Peterbilt has introduced an improved mounting bracket for low mount air tanks for vehicles built between January 01, 2017 and July 06, 2020. Torsional vibration may stress the currently-installed brackets and cause them to fail near the bottom of the frame rail.
02-1582020-09-03. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY. Fix as Fail: Peterbilt has determined that certain model 348, 365, 367, 382, 384, 386, 388, 389, 567, 579, and 587 trucks, built between 4/13/2010 and 3/16/2020 and equipped with a flush mounted battery box, utilized rubber washers that could rub through and cause the aluminum box mounting tabs to rub directly on the steel frame brackets. This could result in cracked battery box mounting angles. Resolution is to add the reinforcement bracket(s) to affected vehicles.
13-0542020-08-05. Service bulletin. SERVICE BRAKES. Fix-As-Fail - Bendix New-Gen Lightweight Steer Axle Drum Brake Spider Cracking
32-0152020-07-03. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Information Only: This bulletin provides dealers with a battery warranty quick reference guide to ensure the appropriate tests for battery warranty are performed in order to prevent battery warranty claims filed with incorrect or incomplete information.
43-0672020-07-03. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM. Fix as Fail: For all conventional models, except 387/587, equipped with Side-of-Cab (“SOC”) exhaust and built from 03/6/2006 to 1/20/2020, the clamps that secure the SOC exhaust stacks may not be tightened properly. This may allow the exhaust stack to rotate and contact the cab or sleeper.
11-0012020-06-02. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN. Information only: Hendrickson Softek front axle maintenance intervals and requirements.
18PBB2020-05-06. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT; SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. Safety Recall Bulletin: Updated with permanent repair path for phase 1 vehicles. The Tractor ABS Lamp May Not Illuminate When ABS Controller Loses Battery and/or Ignition Power. NHTSA recall number is 18V368. Non compliance to FMVSS and CMVSS 121 and 136. Resolution is to Reflash software.
20PBA2020-05-06. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; EQUIPMENT; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. "Safety Recall: NHTSA recall number is 20V130. A defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, may exist in certain Model 365, 389, 567, and 579 vehicles manufactured between April 18, 2014 and March 09, 2020 with a left-hand under hood jumper start terminal. Jumper terminal battery cables may be too long, or eligible for improved routing. Battery cables that are too long may chafe against the left front suspension leaf spring, which could cause a short circuit, fire under the hood, or increased risk of crash. "
20 PBC2020-05-06. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT. Safety Recall Interim Bulletin: The Tractor ABS Lamp May Not Illuminate When ABS Controller Loses Battery and/or Ignition Power. NHTSA recall number is 20V199 Non compliance to FMVSS and CMVSS 121 and 136. Resolution is to Reflash software.
43-0662020-04-07. Service bulletin. STRUCTURE. DEF tank covers may become loose and potentially crack on vehicles built before October 2019 with DEF tank part number M86-6221-003**(TANK-DEF MEDIUM ASSY) and M86-6222-003**(TANK-DEF LARGE, ASSY). Resolution is to resolve the vibration on the tank cover by adding bottom tank washers.
34-0852020-04-03. Service bulletin. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Information Only – Vehicles may have the connector seals on the wheel speed sensor incorrectly installed, which may lead to water intrusion and corrosion in some vehicles.
20PBA2020-04-03. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Safety Recall Interim Bulletin: Peterbilt has decided that a defect, which relates to motor vehicle safety, may exist in certain Model 365, 389, 567, and 579 vehicles manufactured between April 18, 2014 and September 30, 2019 with a left-hand under hood jumper start terminal. Your vehicle may have jumper terminal battery cables that are too long, or are eligible for improved routing. Battery cables that are too long may chafe against the left front suspension leaf spring, which could cause a short circuit, fire under the hood, or increased risk of crash.
32-0162020-04-03. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT. Information Only: Proper jump-starting voltage will eliminate high voltage related issues and equipment damage.
34-0852020-03-04. Service bulletin. VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Information Only: Vehicles may have the connector seal on the wheel speed sensor incorrectly installed, which may lead to sensor corrosion.
03-0712020-01-04. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE. Information Only - Vehicles built with NAMUX software from 2013 to present may experience accuracy issues with the tachometer. The issue can be temporarily resolved using any one of the included procedures.
01-0752019-12-04. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. Information Only: This bulletin provides guidance for repairing an air-conditioning system after internal failure of the A/C compressor.
16-0412019-10-04. Service bulletin. SUSPENSION. Non Safety Campaign: Peterbilt has determined that certain Model 365, 384, 386, 388, 389, 3895, 587 and 579 vehicles built between March 27, 2012 and January 20, 2019 with Flex Air suspension in a 6x2 configuration have U-bolts that may fail prematurely.
TIB43-0622019-10-04. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM. Information Only – This bulletin provides information about the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP) and Heavy Duty Vehicle Inspection Program (HDVIP).
42-0562019-09-05. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. Fix-As-Fail -“ Composite fittings used in the cooling system may crack, resulting in coolant leaks. Brass fittings are available to replace the composite fittings.
42-0582019-09-05. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. Fix-As-Fail: Two separate causes have been identified as root cause of intermittent low coolant indicator illumination.
23-0032019-08-02. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN. Fix as Fail: Vehicles with Eaton Ultrashift Plus or Fuller Advantage Automated transmissions may display fault codes and/or have clutch release problems due to broken clutch levers. Resolution is to replace the clutch.
34-0662019-07-08. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Information Only - Quick Reference Guide for Electric harness damage repairs.
34-0772019-05-13. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL. Information Only: Proper instructions for closure of power distribution box cover to prevent corrosion.

The summaries are NHTSA's. Each bulletin's page links NHTSA's copy of the manufacturer's document.