Vehicle recall 81V053000 · April 20, 1981
1978-1981 Peterbilt Conventional Series
On some vehicles, the rectangular head lamps are wired incorrectly, which fails to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps,…
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- On some vehicles, the rectangular head lamps are wired incorrectly, which fails to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment." the affected vehicles are equipped with four head lights.
- Remedy
- All trucks containing an incorrect harness will have the connector rewired to correct the operation of the head lamps.
- Notes
- Vehicle description: trucks.system: lighting; rectangular head lamps.consequences of defect: vision of other drivers may be impaired by excessivelybright lights during low beam operation. This can lead to loss of control andan accident.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 81V053000
- Reported to NHTSA
- April 20, 1981
- Filed by
- PACCAR, INCORPORATED
- Owner notification
- July 31, 1981
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 200
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Exterior lighting › Headlights
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Peterbilt Conventional Series (1978-1981): 1981, 1980, 1979, 1978
Has your Peterbilt been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Peterbilt dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.