# Error: node 'worker-node-1' not found — kubelet is not posting node status

- **ID:** `kubernetes/kubelet-node-status-notfound`
- **Domain:** kubernetes
- **Category:** system_error
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 82%

## Root Cause

Kubelet on the node has stopped reporting its status to the API server, often due to kubelet crash, network disconnection, or certificate expiration, causing the node to be marked as NotReady or removed.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| Kubernetes 1.24 | active | — | — |
| Kubernetes 1.25 | active | — | — |
| Kubernetes 1.26 | active | — | — |
| kubeadm 1.25.0 | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **SSH into the node and check kubelet status: `systemctl status kubelet`. If stopped, restart it: `systemctl restart kubelet`. Then check logs: `journalctl -u kubelet -n 50`. Common causes: certificate expired (`openssl x509 -in /var/lib/kubelet/pki/kubelet-client-current.pem -text -noout`). If expired, rotate kubelet certificates: `kubeadm certs renew kubelet` and restart kubelet.** (85% success)
   ```
   SSH into the node and check kubelet status: `systemctl status kubelet`. If stopped, restart it: `systemctl restart kubelet`. Then check logs: `journalctl -u kubelet -n 50`. Common causes: certificate expired (`openssl x509 -in /var/lib/kubelet/pki/kubelet-client-current.pem -text -noout`). If expired, rotate kubelet certificates: `kubeadm certs renew kubelet` and restart kubelet.
   ```
2. **If the node is unreachable, delete the node object from the cluster: `kubectl delete node worker-node-1`. Then rejoin the node using `kubeadm join` with the correct token. This forces a fresh registration.** (75% success)
   ```
   If the node is unreachable, delete the node object from the cluster: `kubectl delete node worker-node-1`. Then rejoin the node using `kubeadm join` with the correct token. This forces a fresh registration.
   ```

## Dead Ends

- **** — Restarting the API server does not fix the node issue; the kubelet must be fixed on the node itself. (90% fail)
- **** — Deleting and re-creating the node object in Kubernetes without fixing the kubelet will result in the same error because the new node will also fail to report status. (70% fail)