2016 Volvo VNL problems

What is wrong

Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Volvo VNL trucks equipped with Cummins ISX15 diesel engines. In certain driving conditions, such as on a long down-hill grade, the fuel line may burst if the fuel pump cooling circuit screen becomes restricted.

Risk

If the fuel line bursts, fuel may leak onto the road resulting in a roadway hazard for other motorists. The engine may also stall without warning, resulting in the vehicle's inability to restart, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Cummins will notify owners, and dealers will replace the single screen filter banjo bolt will be replaced with a dual screen filter banjo bolt, free of charge. The recall began November 21, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1‑800‑528‑6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX1802.

Recall number 18V668000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain 2016 Volvo VNL and VNM trucks equipped with certain Dana Spicer D-Series and E-Series steer axles. The castellated nut on the steer axles may not be properly torqued, allowing the tie rod to loosen.

Risk

If the tie rod loosens, it may disconnect from the steering knuckle, causing a complete loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the torque of the castellated nut and tie rod, tightening it as necessary. If the tie rod stud and knuckle on units cannot be sufficiently torqued, the dealer will replace the knuckle and tie rod end assembly, free of charge. The recall began on October 17, 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1‑800‑528‑6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX1702.

Recall number 17V536000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2013-2017 VNL and VNM trucks and certain model year 2017 VNX trucks. In the affected vehicles, incorrect software for controlling the electronic air dryer may result in oil and water contaminating the brake system.

Risk

If the brake system becomes contaminated, braking performance could be affected, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module and replace the air dryer filter, free of charge. The recall began on February 16, 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1‑800‑528‑6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX1608.

Recall number 16V928000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 VT trucks manufactured from April 9, 2008, through September 24, 2009, and certain 2016 model VNL and VNM trucks manufactured from January 2, 2015, through to November 6, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with USK non-greasable drag links that may experience corrosion of the ball joints due to the seals being compromised, possibly resulting in accelerated wear and failure of the ball joint.

Risk

Failure of the ball joint may cause separation of the socket and a complete loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the drag links, free of charge. The recall began on April 21, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1‑800‑528‑6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX1601. Note: This recall is an expansion of a previous recall 15V‑651.

Recall number 16V095000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 VNL, VNX, and VNM trucks manufactured from May 11, 2015, through April 18, 2016. The trucks may have been manufactured without a roll pin on the steering shafts. If the roll pin is missing, the lower steering shaft may disconnect from the junction block. Also, the bolt connecting the upper steering shaft to the lower steering shaft may not have been properly tightened. Either condition can lead to separation of the steering shaft.

Risk

Separation of the steering shaft will result in complete loss of steering which may lead to a vehicle crash.

Remedy

Volvo is strongly recommending that the affected vehicles not be driven until the interim remedy is applied. An interim notice was sent to Volvo owners on March 16, 2016, and an interim repair is available now. A second notice was mailed on May 13, 2016. The final remedy is now available. Both remedies are free of charge. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1‑877‑800‑4945 opt #1. Volvo's recall numbers for this campaign are RVXX1602 and RVXX1603. This recall supersedes safety recall 15V‑786.

Recall number 16V097000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2015 and 2016 VNX and VNL trucks manufactured from May 20, 2014, through March 6, 2015, equipped with certain Haldex Life Seal Type 30/30 Long Stroke Air Brake Actuators manufactured January 9, 2014, to October 28, 2014. The affected actuators may have an incomplete attachment of the internal rubber diaphragm to the actuation mechanism of the parking brake section of the Life Seal actuator.

Risk

If the diaphragm is not completely attached, there may be internal leakage from the service section past the diaphragm, potentially trapping air pressure in the parking brake section. This air pressure in turn, if not vented, may prevent full release of the actuator unit, and may induce brake drag and may result in overheated wheelend service brakes, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake actuator and replace, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 20, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1‑800‑528‑6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX1501.

Recall number 15V026000 · Recall details

On October 22, 2018, an Audit Query (AQ18-005) was opened to assess the completeness and timeliness of Volvo Group's early warning reporting, safety recalls, and communications submissions to the agency.the federal safety agency's investigation determined that Volvo Group failed to recall vehicles in a timely fashion and to comply with other recall and reporting requirements, including notifying owners of recalls and reporting death and injury incidents.the federal safety agency and Volvo Group entered into a Consent Order on January 27, 2023 to resolve AQ18-005.As part of the Consent Order, Volvo Group agreed to a total civil penalty of one-hundred and thirty million dollars ($130,000,000), of which, sixty-five million dollars ($65,000,000) was paid on February 21, 2023.Also, of that total civil penalty, Volvo Group agreed to spend twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) on the specific performance obligation to create a safety data analytics infrastructure to detect and study emerging safety-related defect trends on its vehicles. The Consent Order also holds forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000) of the civil penalty in abeyance pending Volvo Group's satisfactory completion of the requirements of this Consent Order, and its compliance with the Safety Act, and regulations thereunder.The Consent Order is for a three-year term and may be extended by up to two years if the federal safety agency reasonably finds that an extension is warranted.In the Consent Order, Volvo Group agreed to several performance obligations, including enhanced oversight of its compliance with the Safety Act and the terms of the Consent Order through a third-party auditor and regular meetings with the federal safety agency.The third-party auditor will recommend and oversee implementation of process improvements to enhance Volvo Group's safety compliance processes and oversee the company's review of past recalls and submissions to the federal safety agency for accuracy and completeness.Also, via the Consent Order, Volvo Group agreed to create updated written policies, procedures, and training to ensure that its employees understand the requirements of the Safety Act, the regulations thereunder, and this Consent Order.Volvo Group further agreed to launch a user interface on its websites to allow users to search vehicle identification numbers (VINs) for open recalls and implement a system to support the federal safety agency's VIN lookup tool.Based on the Consent Order, this audit query investigation, AQ18-005, is closed.Closure of this AQ has no bearing on the terms of the Consent Order, including Volvo Group's ongoing performance obligations or legal obligations, and does not represent a determination by the federal safety agency as to Volvo Group's performance under the Consent Order to date.

AQ18005

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Defect Petition (DP) assessment in response to a defect petition received from owners of a 2015 Volvo VNL 780 tractor.Prior to submitting the letter the owners had submitted two Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ).Their concerns included: cab sway, cab alignment , and loss of control.The petitioners further allege that due to a failure of the suspension system caused by cab misalignment one of them sustained a back injury while seated at the work station in the sleeper berth while traveling.The office received a total of six (6) complaints (1 via telephone) related to ride quality on 2013 -2016 Volvo VNL vehicles.Two (2) of the complaints were filed by the petitioners.Of the five (5) unique complaints, three (3) were received during the course of this evaluation.During this evaluation, the Owner/Operators Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) published an article in their magazine, Land Line, prompting the additional two reports.One owner reported owning three Volvo trucks, all of which had a tendency to sway and lean, yet he preferred the ride over other manufacturers peer vehicles.ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Volvo asking about the three concerns identified in the petition.The response indicated Volvo's cab air ride design has been in use since 2005.When evaluating each of the three concerns raised by the petitioners, ODI found that the complaint and warranty data did not establish existence of a defect trend for cab sway or loss of control.There were no reported injuries or loss of control events and less than 0.02% of the population had a cab sway concern.The majority of claims and complaints received involved cab alignment.The 2015 MY did stand out from the other MYs with over 1% of the 2015 population reporting cab alignment issues.This may indicate there is a defect in the design or production of the cab mounting, however there was no indication it created a safety risk.ODI test drove the petitioners' vehicle, employing an investigator with significant experience driving similar vehicles.This test drive revealed a degree of cab sway that appeared to exceed that of peer vehicles.Nonetheless, the ODI driver did not experience any difficulty controlling the vehicle.For additional details see the attached Evaluation Report.This defect petition is denied. The agency has not identified an actionable trend or unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.Should new information become available the agency will take whatever further action is appropriate.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference under the following complaint identification numbers:10747593, 10715844, 10701592, 10781242, and 10822454

DP15006