NHTSA Complaint #10948718 — 2014 KENWORTH T680

THIS IS THE FIRST OF 2 TIMES THE DEFROST DOORS HAVE BROKEN IN THIS TRUCK. THE DEFROST DOORS IN THE T680 ARE WEAK AND BREAK OFTEN LEAVING THE DRIVER WITHOUT ANY DEFROST CAUSING HIS VISIBILITY TO DECREASE IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. KENWORTH HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND REPAIR IT. WHEN I CONTACTED OUR DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER HE KNEW THE PART NUMBER OF THE REPLACEMENT DOOR ASSEMBLY FROM MEMORY AND STATED IN AN EMAIL BACK TO ME THAT KENWORTH HAS IDENTIFIED THE ISSUE AND IS WORKING TO FIX IT ON FUTURE MODELS. LABOR TO REPAIR THIS IS OVER $3000 AND THE PART IS ANOTHER $886. WE HAVE 12 OF THESE VEHICLES, SO FAR 5 OF THE 12 HAVE BROKEN LEAVING MORE THAN ONE DRIVER STRUGGLING TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE HIS WINDOW FOGGED UP SO BAD HE BECAME UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLES ARE IN MOTION WHEN THESE DEFROST DOORS BREAK AND IT CREATES A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AS TRUCKS CAN NOT JUST PULL OVER ANY SPOT THEY CHOOSE ON THE HIGHWAYS AND WAIT FOR A WINDOW TO THAW OUT. THERE ARE 2 ISSUES THAT HAPPEN ON THESE DOORS. 1 THE DOOR IS OVERFLEXED BY THE ELECTRIC ACTUATOR MOTOR AND SNAPS THE DRIVE COGS OFF OF THE DOOR. 2 THE DOORS EITHER SHRINK OR ARE TOO SMALL TO BEGIN WITH AND THE DRIVE COG DOES NOT MAKE FULL CONTACT WITH THE ACTUATOR MOTOR CAUSING THE TEETH TO STRIP OUT AS IN THE PHOTOS ATTACHED. THE DRIVE COG SHOULD BE EXTRUDED FROM THE HOUSING BUT AS YOU CAN SEE ARE SHRUNK INSIDE THE HOUSING. *TR