Decision dossierEvidence reviewed
heavy truck · Kenworth T800

Kenworth T800 Used Price & Common Problems

Kenworth T800: used $23,500 to $144,950. Documented problems: fuel injectors (CAT C15/C13) and engine overheating. What to inspect before you buy.

Status: published
Used range$23,500–$144,950
RecallON RECORD
Known risks4
Sources4
Verified2026-09-11
Safety notice

Recall on record for this model family

  • NHTSA 19V911000 — POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT NHTSA recall: official notice
  • NHTSA 20V506000 — POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY NHTSA recall: official notice

Verify the unit's serial number against the official notice before purchase.

Buy-Risk Verdict
Insufficient data
Short answer: Documented failure points and real market prices for the Kenworth T800. Used examples run $23,500 to $144,950. Basis: skylinerrepaircenter.com (failure evidence).

Last verified against the primary source on Sep 11, 2026.

Decision status
insufficient-data

Documented failure points and real market prices for the Kenworth T800.

Confidence 0%
Market context
$64,973

10 observed comparables

As of Sep 6, 2026
Next-150k-Mile Exposure

What can make the cheap machine expensive?

ComponentSeverityDocumented repair cost
fuel injectors (CAT C15/C13)highnot yet verified
Engine overheatinghighnot yet verified
turbocharger bearings (CAT C15/C13)high

T800s of the CAT C15/C13 era ran a twin-turbo setup that is sensitive to oil viscosity; wrong oil accelerates turbo bearing failure.

Cost not yet verified
fuel injectors (CAT C15/C13)high

Contaminated fuel destroys the injector set; a full 8-injector replacement is a major repair bill.

Cost not yet verified
Engine overheatinghigh

Overheating on the CAT C15/C13 commonly used in T800s can crack heads or warp the block.

Cost not yet verified
EGR valve clogging (CAT C15/C13)medium

The EGR valve on these engines gets clogged with soot over time, restricting exhaust recirculation.

Cost not yet verified
PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2020 Kenworth T800, T880 and W990 and Peterbilt 348, 367, 389, 520, and 567 vehicles. The forward rear axle output shafts may have been improperly heat treated during manufacturing, possibly resulting in the shafts fracturing.
— NHTSA recall 19V911000 (POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT), accessed 2026-09-11

Common questions

How much does a used Kenworth T800 cost?

Observed listings range roughly $23,500 to $144,950 depending on age, condition, and configuration (as of 2026-09-06).

What fails on the Kenworth T800?

The most cited concerns in our evidence record: fuel injectors (CAT C15/C13), Engine overheating. See the risk breakdown above for details and sources.

Is the Kenworth T800 under recall?

A safety recall exists for this model family. Verify the unit's serial number against the official notice linked on this page before buying.

From the research record

  • FAILURE (2026-09-06, agent-fetched, Claude spot-verified sample): turbocharger bearings (CAT C15/C13): "twin-turbo system that needs specific oil viscosity to prevent turbo bearing failure" https://skylinerrepaircenter.com/blog/caterpillar-truck-engines-legacy-maintenance-guide
  • FAILURE (2026-09-06, agent-fetched, Claude spot-verified sample): fuel injectors (CAT C15/C13): "Contaminated fuel destroys injectors - a set of eight injectors costs $4,000-$6,000" https://skylinerrepaircenter.com/blog/caterpillar-truck-engines-legacy-maintenance-guide
  • FAILURE (2026-09-06, agent-fetched, Claude spot-verified sample): engine overheating (CAT C15/C13): "Overheating a Cat C15 or C13 can crack cylinder heads or warp the block" https://skylinerrepaircenter.com/blog/caterpillar-truck-engines-legacy-maintenance-guide
  • FAILURE (2026-09-06, agent-fetched, Claude spot-verified sample): EGR valve clogging (CAT C15/C13): "The EGR valve recirculates exhaust gases and gets clogged with soot" https://skylinerrepaircenter.com/blog/caterpillar-truck-engines-legacy-maintenance-guide
  • MARKET (10 real listings, 2026-09-06): low $23,500 / median $64,973 / high $144,950. 10 real listings (2006-2020, 98k-601k mi), 6 dealers; Claude-refetched the page and confirmed exact price matches. Wide spread is real: vocational configs and CAT-era classics command premiums.
  • RECALL (19V911000, POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT): PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2020 Kenworth T800, T880 and W990 and Peterbilt 348, 367, 389, 520, and 567 vehicles. The forward rear axle output shafts may have been improperly heat treated during manufacturing, possibly resulting in the shafts fracturing.
  • RECALL (20V506000, POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY): PACCAR Incorporated (PACCAR) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Peterbilt 348, 365, 367, 389, 520, 567 and Kenworth T800, T880, W900, W990 vehicles equipped with Watson and Chalin steerable lift axle suspension systems (model SL2065). The axles may have lower rear pivot bolts that are not long enoug...

Sources

  1. skylinerrepaircenter.com (failure evidence)repair-industry · verified · accessed 2026-09-06
  2. soarr.com dealer inventory (10 real listings, Claude-refetched)dealer-inventory-aggregator · verified · accessed 2026-09-06
  3. NHTSA recall 19V911000 (POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT)nhtsa-recall · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-11
  4. NHTSA recall 20V506000 (POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY)nhtsa-recall · verified-primary · accessed 2026-09-11
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