NHTSA Complaint #10948720 — 2014 KENWORTH T680

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE DEFROST DOORS HAVE BROKEN IN THIS VEHICLE LEAVING THE DRIVER IN AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. THE FIRST TIME WAS 4/25/16 THE DEFROST DOORS IN THE T680 IS WEAK AND BREAKS 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 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. *TR