The Kenworth L700 spans 1981–2005 with 14 recorded NHTSA recalls and a 4.5/5 ForCar reliability score. It delivers competitive fuel economy and NHTSA-rated safety.
How we score: NHTSA crash-test safety (40%), recall frequency across all years (25%) and the share of owner complaints involving a crash, fire or injury (35%). Based on NHTSA & EPA data — not user reviews.
Overview
The Kenworth L700 is one of the most popular vehicles in its class, produced from 1981 to 2005 across multiple generations.
How to read a Kenworth L700 VIN — every digit explained
Every Kenworth L700 carries a unique 17-character VIN stamped at the factory. Each position is a code — together they spell out where, when and how your car was built. Here's exactly what every digit means.
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Kenworth and the country it was built in (real Kenworth codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled this L700.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- Mexico3WK · 3WM · 3XK
- USA1XK
- Canada2XK
- UKSFN
Digits 4–17 — the engine code (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard, identical on every car. For the full year-code table (2001–2026), country codes and where the VIN is stamped on your L700, see the complete guide to reading a VIN.
How many recalls does the Kenworth L700 have?
The Kenworth L700 has 14 recorded NHTSA recalls across 1981–2005. Pick a year below to see its recalls — then verify open recalls against your specific VIN.
1986 Kenworth L700 recalls 1
Unknown Or Other
What's wrong. Line pressure surges occur when the transmission is in high gear lockup due to a plumbing error. Consequence of defect: line pressure surges could cause bodily harm through erratic fire hose delivery action.
Fix. Rework plumbing to prevent line pressure surges.
1985 Kenworth L700 recalls 1
Unknown Or Other
What's wrong. Line pressure surges occur when the transmission is in high gear lockup due to a plumbing error. Consequence of defect: line pressure surges could cause bodily harm through erratic fire hose delivery action.
Fix. Rework plumbing to prevent line pressure surges.
1984 Kenworth L700 recalls 1
Unknown Or Other
What's wrong. Line pressure surges occur when the transmission is in high gear lockup due to a plumbing error. Consequence of defect: line pressure surges could cause bodily harm through erratic fire hose delivery action.
Fix. Rework plumbing to prevent line pressure surges.
1983 Kenworth L700 recalls 5
Service Brakes, Air:supply:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
What's wrong. The rear brakes may not release as quickly as specifications require. Certain trucks were equipped with an incorrect size air brake line installed between the rear brake relay valve and the axle tee fitting. The condition is not in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standard 121, "air brake systems".
Fix. The dealer will replace any incorrectly sized hoses with the correct part at no charge.
Steering:linkages:drag:link:connection
What's wrong. Steering components may interfere with each other and could lead to separation of steering linkage. The draglink, a component in the steering linkage that transmits turning movements to the wheels, may have a clamp on the axle end which has been incorrectly positioned on the inboard side of the draglink.
Fix. Dealer will inspect the front steering for the misplaced clamp and relocate it correcty. If damaged, the draglink will be replaced. Dealer will cor rect the clearance of the suspension radius rods to prevent interference, if necessary.
Suspension:front:springs:leaf Spring Assembly:u-bolt, Leaf Spring To Axle
What's wrong. The u shaped bolts that connect the springs and spring spacers to the front axle may not have been installed properly. This condition could allow the axle to shift and could degrade the steering characteristics of the vehicle.
Fix. The dealer will inspect and replace damaged nuts or u bolts, or tighten the bolts and nuts to specifications. It may be necessary to insert additional spacers in the springs.
Service Brakes, Air:supply:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
What's wrong. Front axle air brake chamber is attached with a clamp and bolt assembly that may not have been positioned correctly, and may chafe against the front brake hose. Chafing could result in an air leak and loss of air to the front brakes.
Fix. The dealer will install new fittings on the frame end of front brake hose and replace hoses with a longer part. The fittings will be correctly located and the brake chamber clamp will be positioned correctly.
Unknown Or Other
What's wrong. Line pressure surges occur when the transmission is in high gear lockup due to a plumbing error. Consequence of defect: line pressure surges could cause bodily harm through erratic fire hose delivery action.
Fix. Rework plumbing to prevent line pressure surges.
1982 Kenworth L700 recalls 6
Service Brakes, Air:supply:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
What's wrong. The rear brakes may not release as quickly as specifications require. Certain trucks were equipped with an incorrect size air brake line installed between the rear brake relay valve and the axle tee fitting. The condition is not in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standard 121, "air brake systems".
Fix. The dealer will replace any incorrectly sized hoses with the correct part at no charge.
Steering:linkages:drag:link:connection
What's wrong. Steering components may interfere with each other and could lead to separation of steering linkage. The draglink, a component in the steering linkage that transmits turning movements to the wheels, may have a clamp on the axle end which has been incorrectly positioned on the inboard side of the draglink.
Fix. Dealer will inspect the front steering for the misplaced clamp and relocate it correcty. If damaged, the draglink will be replaced. Dealer will cor rect the clearance of the suspension radius rods to prevent interference, if necessary.
Suspension:front:springs:leaf Spring Assembly:u-bolt, Leaf Spring To Axle
What's wrong. The u shaped bolts that connect the springs and spring spacers to the front axle may not have been installed properly. This condition could allow the axle to shift and could degrade the steering characteristics of the vehicle.
Fix. The dealer will inspect and replace damaged nuts or u bolts, or tighten the bolts and nuts to specifications. It may be necessary to insert additional spacers in the springs.
Service Brakes, Air:supply:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
What's wrong. Front axle air brake chamber is attached with a clamp and bolt assembly that may not have been positioned correctly, and may chafe against the front brake hose. Chafing could result in an air leak and loss of air to the front brakes.
Fix. The dealer will install new fittings on the frame end of front brake hose and replace hoses with a longer part. The fittings will be correctly located and the brake chamber clamp will be positioned correctly.
Unknown Or Other
What's wrong. Line pressure surges occur when the transmission is in high gear lockup due to a plumbing error. Consequence of defect: line pressure surges could cause bodily harm through erratic fire hose delivery action.
Fix. Rework plumbing to prevent line pressure surges.
Service Brakes, Air:supply:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
What's wrong. On certain vehicles improper air hose assembly procedures may have resulted in pieces being left in the hose. These pieces could block the hose and cause a malfunction.
Fix. Air brake hoses will be inspected and, if defective, will be replaced without charge.
Best and worst years for the Kenworth L700
We're still compiling NHTSA owner-complaint history for the Kenworth L700 — best- and worst-year trends will appear here once that data is in.
What are the most common Kenworth L700 problems?
We're still compiling NHTSA owner-complaint data for the Kenworth L700 — the most-reported problems will appear here once that data is in.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, all model years. Bar = share of total complaints. Full reports searchable on NHTSA.gov.
Kenworth L700 specifications & dimensions
The 2005 Kenworth L700. Full dimensions below — engine, horsepower and trim decode from your VIN. For the original factory build — MSRP, trim and standard equipment — rebuild the Kenworth L700 window sticker.
| Specs cache warming… |
Source: NHTSA vPIC / Transport Canada vehicle specifications. Metric values converted to imperial; generation ranges approximate.
Kenworth L700 cargo space, seating & interior room
How much the L700 holds — passengers and cargo. Seating, cargo and interior dimensions vary by trim and seat configuration — decode your VIN for the exact build.
Exact seating capacity, third-row availability, legroom and headroom decode from your VIN or vary by trim — the original factory equipment & options list shows what each trim included.
Passenger & cargo volume from EPA fueleconomy.gov (largest configuration). Seats, legroom and headroom from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
Kenworth L700 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What MPG does the Kenworth L700 get?
MPG cache warming… reload in a moment.
What engines does the Kenworth L700 have? Power & range
Powertrain data warming… reload in a moment.
How much does a Kenworth L700 cost to own?
A Kenworth L700 holds its value well. A typical example keeps roughly 56% of its value after five years — losing about 44% to depreciation. Check what a used L700 is worth today or browse current used-market prices before you buy or sell. Fuel, maintenance and insurance add to the total cost to own.
| Age | Value retained | Est. resale value | Lost to depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 84% | $25,200 | −$4,800 |
| Year 2 | 76% | $22,800 | −$7,200 |
| Year 3 | 68% | $20,400 | −$9,600 |
| Year 4 | 61% | $18,300 | −$11,700 |
| Year 5 | 56% | $16,800 | −$13,200 |
What goes into the five-year cost to own:
- Depreciation — the biggest cost: this L700 loses about 44% of its value over five years. See the full depreciation curve by age.
- Fuel — based on EPA economy at roughly 15,000 miles a year.
- Maintenance & repairs — routine service, tires and wear items as the L700 ages.
- Insurance — varies by driver, state and trim; get a quote for your exact figure.
Resale & depreciation are ForCar estimates from typical segment value-retention curves — not a live market quote. Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov at ~15k mi/yr.
Is the Kenworth L700 safe?
NHTSA crash-test ratings aren't published for the L700 yet — see the top-rated safest cars instead.
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How many miles does a Kenworth L700 last?
A well-maintained Kenworth L700 typically lasts 250,000–300,000+ miles. It's exceptionally durable — with routine maintenance many owners report 250k+ on the original powertrain. Its ForCar Reliability Score is 4.5/5.
Check your Kenworth L700’s VIN — history, recalls & specs
Title records, open recalls, build details and paint code — straight from the VIN. Free.
Check this L700’s VIN free →All Kenworth L700 model years
A year-by-year snapshot of the Kenworth L700 — recalls, best EPA fuel economy and NHTSA safety. Tap a year for full details.
| Year | Recalls | Best MPG | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 2004 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 2003 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 2002 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 2001 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 2000 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1999 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1998 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1997 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1996 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1995 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1994 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1993 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1992 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1991 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1990 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1989 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1988 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1987 L700 | 0 | — | — |
| 1986 L700 | 1 recall | — | — |
| 1985 L700 | 1 recall | — | — |
| 1984 L700 | 1 recall | — | — |
| 1983 L700 | 5 recalls | — | — |
| 1982 L700 | 6 recalls | — | — |
| 1981 L700 | 0 | — | — |
Recalls = NHTSA campaigns that year · MPG = best EPA combined · Safety = NHTSA overall stars (tested years).
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the L700?
We're still compiling NHTSA owner-complaint history for the Kenworth L700.
How many recalls does the L700 have?
14 recorded NHTSA recalls across 1981–2005. Always check open recalls by your VIN.
How many miles does a L700 last?
A well-maintained L700 typically reaches 200,000–300,000 miles with regular maintenance.
Is the L700 reliable?
Our ForCar Reliability Score for the L700 is 4.5/5, based on NHTSA safety, recall history and complaint severity.
What's the Kenworth L700 warranty?
New Kenworth models carry a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic (bumper-to-bumper) warranty and a 5 years / 60,000 miles powertrain warranty. Coverage can vary by model year and market — confirm with a Kenworth dealer.
Where is the Kenworth L700 made?
The assembly plant is encoded in the VIN — the 11th character. Decode your L700's VIN above to see exactly where it was built; Kenworth may build it at more than one plant depending on the year.
How much ground clearance does the L700 have?
Ground clearance varies by trim and drivetrain — AWD/4WD versions often sit higher. Decode your VIN or check the specific trim for the exact figure.