1996 VOLVO VN Recalls, Complaints & Safety

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:COLUMN SHIFT ASSEMBLY

Defect Description

THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL LEVER CAN BREAK OFF AT THE TRANSMISSION.

Consequence

IF THE SHIFT LEVER FAILS, THE TRANSMISSION CANNOT BE SHIFTED AND THE VEHICLE CAN BECOME A HAZARD OR OBSTRUCTION TO OTHER DRIVERS.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL LEVERS WITH NEW CONTROL LEVERS.

1,035 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC

Complaint Statistics

7 total complaints

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	3
SUSPENSION	2
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)	2

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING DASH PROBLEMS, ONE PANEL HAS BEEN REPLACED. *JG

VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE DASH, ONE PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JG

VEHICLE'S STEERING BOX FELL OUT. *JG

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING U-BOLT PROBLEM, RIGHT SIDE STEER TIRES VIBRATE AND THE ALIGNMENT IS BAD. *YH

VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE DASH, ONE PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JG

CONSUMER HAS REPLACED 15 SETS OF STEER TIRES, HAS HAD 10 ALIGNMENTS, ALSO, 7 SETS OF BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JG

VEHICLE'S STEERING BOX FELL OUT. *JG

NHTSA Safety Investigations — VOLVO VN

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

PE — Closed — Model Year: 2005

DRAG LINK FAILURE

ODI HAS DECIDED TO UPGRADE THIS PE AND CONDUCT FIELD WORK AND TESTING.SUMMARY NUMBERS IN THIS RESUME ARE REPRESENATIVE OF ONLY THE 2005 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES. SEE THE ATTACHED REPORT FOR DETAILS.

PE — Closed — Model Year: 2002

HOOD STRUT FAILURE

VOLVO REPORTED FOUR FIELD REPORTS AND 62 WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO HOOD STRUT FAILURE ON THE SUBJECT TRUCK/TRACTORS. THE HOOD STRUTS ARE A SINGLE ACTING OIL SHOCK THAT CONTROLS THE RATE OF THE OPENING OF THE HOOD. THERE ARE TWO STRUTS ATTACHED TO THE HOOD ASSEMBLY, ONE ON EACH SIDE. ODI'S CONCERN W... AS THAT A FAILED HOOD STRUT WOULD ALLOW THE HOOD TO DROP ON ONE SIDE, POSSIBLY INJURING SOMEONE WORKING ON THE ENGINE. IN EXAMINING THE LIFE CYCLE OF HOOD STRUTS IN BOTH TRUCK AND PASSENGER CAR APPLICATIONS, ODI FOUND THATALL HOOD STRUTS REQUIRE PERIODIC REPLACEMENT DUE TO NORMAL ?WEAR-OUT.?DURING THE INVESTIGATION, ODI DISCOVERED THAT WHEN THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED, THE PROBLEM STARTED TO OCCUR ON THE SUBJECT TRUCKS.THE FAILURES RESULTED FROM THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE HOOD STRUT.THIS FINDING WAS SUBSTANTIATED BY FLEETS CONTACTED FROM INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY VOLVO, AS WELL AS VISITS TO LOCAL DEALERS. DURING THISINVESTIGATION, ODI PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS:A.REVIEWED WARRANTY/ENGINEERING DATA PROVIDED BY VOLVO;B.CONTACTED THE TWO INITIAL COMPLAINANTS TO GATHER MOREINFORMATION;C.CONDUCTED FIELD TRIPS TO AREA DEALERS TO INSPECT SUBJECTVEHICLES;D.CONTACTED TWO FLEETS FROM OUTSIDE THE WASHINGTON D.C. AREA TO DISCUSS THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THESE HOOD STRUTS;ANDE.REVIEWED THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUALS.BASED ON THE DATA PROVIDED BY VOLVO AND THE INFORMATION GATHERED BY ODI, IT IS APPARENT THAT SOME DEALERS AND OWNERS MAY HAVE BEENINSTALLINGREPLACEMENT STRUTS INCORRECTLY.DEPENDING ON WHICH MODEL TRUCK IS BEING WORKED ON, THERE ARE TWO DISTINCT WAYS TO MOUNT THE REPLACEMENT STRUT TO THE FRAME RAILS.FLEETS CONTACTED DURING THIS INVESTIGATION REPORTED NO FURTHER ISSUES WITH THE STRUTS ONCE PROPER INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WERE PROVIDED TO THEM FROM VOLVO. ODI HAS DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH VOLVO AND THEY HAVE DECIDED TO REVISE THE SERVICE MANUALS FOR THESE TRUCKS TO INCLUDE PICTURES OF BOTH HOOD STRUT MOUNTING ARRANGEMENTS IN EVERY SERVICE MANUAL, REGARDLESS OF TRUCK MODEL.THEREFORE,IF SOMEONE WAS USING THE INCORRECT MANUAL, THEY WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO VIEWALL THE POSSIBLE STRUT MOUNTINGARRANGEMENTS, REGARDLESS OF MODEL.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED, AS A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT WITH THE HOOD STRUTS HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY?S RESOURCES ARE NOT CURRENTLY WARRANTED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION ON THE VEHICLES IF WARRANTED BY NEW CIRCUMSTANCES.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FIELD REPORTS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF INDICATED.Read more

DP — Closed — Model Year: 1998

EQUIPMENT CERTIFICATION LABEL

There is no summary currently available

EA — Closed — Model Year: 1998

U-BOLT FAILURES ON DRIVE -AXLE ASSEMBLIE

VOLVO VN — Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026	1	0	View
2025	9	0	View
2024	10	1	View
2023	13	0	View
2022	9	0	View
2021	3	4	View
2020	3	8	View
2019	1	0	View
2018	0	2	View
2016	2	0	View
2015	2	0	View
2014	2	2	View
2013	3	1	View
2012	3	2	View
2011	3	0	View
2010	5	0	View
2009	5	0	View
2008	2	2	View
2007	3	6	View
2006	4	2	View
2005	2	3	View
2004	4	1	View
2003	4	3	View
2002	5	0	View
2001	2	1	View
2000	2	10	View
1999	5	49	View
1998	7	44	View
1997	10	0	View
1996 (current)	1	7

Model	Recalls	Complaints
VNL	232	176	View
VHD	192	20	View
VNM	142	13	View
S60	122	1,657	View
XC60	121	864	View
XC90	113	2,165	View
V70	92	1,181	View
S80	81	1,321	View

1996 VOLVO VN

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Investigations — VOLVO VN

VOLVO VN — All Years Overview

VOLVO VN — Year by Year

Other VOLVO Models