The Peterbilt 389 is a vehicle built from 1997 to 2026. Most were assembled in the United States — 100% of those on record. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the 389 is
The Peterbilt 389 is a vehicle that Peterbilt built from 1997 to 2026 — 30 model years.
Where the 389 is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 22 389s on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1XP, 1NP | 2008-2024 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Peterbilt VIN decide which of these lines your 389 belongs to. What every character in a 389 VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Peterbilt 389 adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Peterbilt 389 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment 389 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 engines does the Peterbilt 389 have? Power & range
Powertrain data warming… reload in a moment.
The 389 by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Peterbilt 389. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | 389 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 139 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 23 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Peterbilt 389?
The 389 is a vehicle, built from 1997 to 2026.
Where is the Peterbilt 389 made?
Across 22 cars in our records the split is: the United States (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Peterbilt 389 warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the 389 reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific 389?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
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