Peterbilt is a USA carmaker founded in 1939, now part of PACCAR. The cars themselves are another matter: across 4 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 3 countries — the United States 91.6%, Canada 4.5%, Mexico 3.9%. 43 models are tracked here (1981–2026). Reliable? yes, on balance — 4.1 out of 5 across 43 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Peterbilt
Peterbilt Motors Company is an American truck manufacturer headquartered in Denton, Texas, and a division of PACCAR Inc. Founded in 1939 by lumberman T.A. Peterman by acquiring Fageol Truck and Coach Company assets in Oakland, California, Peterbilt was acquired by PACCAR in 1958 and operates as PACCAR's premium-positioned heavy-truck brand alongside sister brand Kenworth. Peterbilt is renowned for the long-hood Model 379 (1986-2006) and its successor Model 389, which dominate owner-operator and custom-truck segments. The Model 579 highway tractor, Model 567 vocational truck, Model 567 Heritage and Model 579EV battery-electric Class 8 represent the modern lineup. The 567EV / 579EV launched in 2022 as Peterbilt's first battery-electric Class 8 trucks. Peterbilt holds approximately 14-16% of US Class 8 market share alongside Kenworth. Peterbilt's parent PACCAR trades on the NASDAQ under PCAR. Recall data for every Peterbilt VIN sold in the US is reported to NHTSA. ForCar.org decodes any Peterbilt VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original delivery price.
Theodore Alfred Al Peterman, owner of a Washington State lumber operation, became frustrated with available trucks for hauling logs in the 1930s and acquired the bankrupt Fageol Truck and Coach Company in Oakland in 1939. The first Peterbilt-built truck rolled out the same year. After Peterman's 1944 death, his widow Ida ran the company until 1958, when PACCAR acquired Peterbilt. The 1986 Model 379 set the modern standard for owner-operator long-hood tractors, succeeded by the Model 389 in 2006.
| Peterbilt | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1939 |
| Founded by | T.A. Peterman |
| Headquarters | Denton, USA |
| Owned by | PACCAR |
| Listed as | PCAR |
| Slogan | «Class. Pure and Simple.» |
| Assembled in | 3 countries |
Technology it is known for: PACCAR MX-13 / MX-11 engines, TX-12 / TX-18 PACCAR transmissions, SmartLINQ telematics, Bendix Wingman Fusion driver assistance, Premium aluminum cab construction.
This page covers Peterbilt Motors (PACCAR division) — not Kenworth Truck Company (the sister PACCAR brand sharing engineering) or Fageol Truck (the 1939 acquired predecessor).
Where Peterbilt cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 179 vehicles on record, 4 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1XP, 1NP | 1995–2026 | |
| Canada | 2NP | 2004–2025 | |
| Mexico | 3BP | 2010–2020 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Peterbilt beginning 1XP was assembled in the United States.
All Peterbilt models 43
Every Peterbilt model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Peterbilt More models 43
| Model | Years | Recalls | Complaints | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peterbilt 379 | 1985–2023 | 85 | 64 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 389 | 1997–2026 | 139 | 21 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 579 | 1997–2026 | 156 | 36 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 589 | 2022–2026 | 11 | — | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 359 | 1981–1996 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 567 | 1997–2026 | 140 | 8 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 386 | 1997–2023 | 83 | 12 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 387 | 1981–2023 | 59 | 4 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 388 | 1992–2023 | 105 | 20 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 337 | 1997–2026 | 66 | 3 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 378 | 1988–2023 | 68 | 3 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 367 | 1997–2026 | 143 | — | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 377 | 1986–1996 | 6 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 362 | 1981–2023 | 19 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 357 | 1986–2023 | 77 | 19 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 352 | 1981–1996 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 536 | 2022–2026 | 39 | — | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 372 | 1981–1996 | 5 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 335 | 1997–2026 | 9 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 520 | 2017–2026 | 65 | 4 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 537 | 2023–2026 | 28 | 1 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 385 | 1992–2023 | 70 | — | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 587 | 1997–2023 | 69 | 6 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 384 | 1997–2023 | 66 | — | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 330 | 1997–2026 | 60 | 6 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 320 | 1986–2023 | 111 | 4 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 348 | 1981–2026 | 69 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 365 | 1997–2026 | 146 | 1 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 548 | 2024–2026 | 23 | 2 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 375 | 1986–1996 | 3 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 349 | 1981–1996 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 397 | 1981–1996 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 376 | 1988–1996 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 340 | 1997–2023 | 19 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 535 | 2022–2026 | 13 | — | — | 4.0/5 |
| Peterbilt 325 | 1997–2026 | 6 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 220 | 1997–2026 | 36 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 382 | 1997–2023 | 29 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 353 | 1981–1996 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 310 | 1981–1996 | 17 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 210 | 1997–2023 | 19 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 200 | 1992–1996 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Peterbilt 363 | 1997–2023 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
Peterbilt by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Peterbilt | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 2,061 campaigns | Most recalled: Equipment:other:labels |
| Owner complaints | 196+ filed | Most reported: 379 |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Get a Peterbilt window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Peterbilt's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Peterbilt window stickers →How to read a Peterbilt VIN
Every Peterbilt built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Peterbilt and the country it was built in (real Peterbilt 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 it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- USA1XP
- Canada2XP
- Mexico3WP
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. Our VIN lookup reads every position for you — engine code, model year, assembly plant and country of build.
Who owns Peterbilt, and what you get
Peterbilt belongs to PACCAR. Peterbilt competes in the North American Class 8 long-haul, vocational and medium-duty segments against Kenworth (its PACCAR sibling), Freightliner, Volvo, Mack, International and Western Star. The brand's positioning emphasizes premium aluminum-cab construction, classic American long-hood styling and high resale value. Peterbilt and Kenworth share PACCAR engineering, platforms and powertrains but maintain distinct dealer networks and styling. The Model 389 owner-operator truck commands premium pricing and resale values.
| Peterbilt | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Ownership | PACCAR |
| Stock ticker | PCAR |
| Basic warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | United States, Canada, Mexico |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Peterbilt models actually start to break →
Peterbilt — frequently asked
Is Peterbilt usa?
Peterbilt is a USA company, headquartered in Denton and founded in 1939. The cars are a separate question: 91.6% of the Peterbilt vehicles in our records were assembled in the United States.
Where are Peterbilt cars made?
Across 4 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: the United States (91.6%), Canada (4.5%), Mexico (3.9%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Peterbilt?
Peterbilt is part of PACCAR.
How many Peterbilt models are there?
We track 43 Peterbilt models spanning 1981–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Peterbilt warranty?
New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Peterbilt reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Peterbilt model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.