2001 VOLVO VN Recalls, Complaints & Safety

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

Defect Description

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH VALEO WIPER SYSTEMS, THE WIPER MOTOR MAY BE SUSCEPTIVE TO SALT INTRUSION THAT COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO A CONDITION WHERE THE CONNECTOR OVERHEATS TO A POINT WHERE THE CONNECTOR COULD IGNITE.

Consequence

IF THIS OCCURS, EXCESSIVE HEAT AND SMOKE COULD RESULT IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE CONNECTOR PLATE ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. PHASE 2 OF THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 1, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO TRUCKS AT 1-800-528-6586.

56,154 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA, INC.

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

Defect Description

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 TRUCKS, THE FORWARD AND/OR REAR DRIVE AXLE UPPER AXLE SEAT CAN BREAK ALLOWING THE AXLE TO SHIFT OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

Consequence

THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF AXLE STABILITY INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE UPPER AXLE SEAT FOR A CERTAIN DATE CODE THAT IS STAMPED ON THE PART, AND THOSE AXLES WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 15, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN... Read more

215 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC

Complaint Statistics

1 total complaints 1 injuries

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS	1

Incident date: Feb 25, 2005

HOOD STRUTS ON VOLVO SEMI TRACTORS ARE OF INFERIOR DESIGN. THE STRUTS CONTROL HOOD OPENING AND ACT AS A STOP TO KEEP THE HOOD FROM FALLING ALL THE WAY FORWARD. THE ENDS OF THE STRUTS BREAK OFF. THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK HAD ONE BROKEN STRUT. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD THE OTHER STRUT BROKE. THE HOOD OPENED ... Read more

1 injured

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 — All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the VOLVO VN across all model years (1996–2026).

125 Total Recalls

150 Total Complaints

4 Investigations

2 Reported Crashes

7 Reported Fires

0 Reported Deaths

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 (current)	2	1
2000	2	10	View
1999	5	49	View
1998	7	44	View
1997	10	0	View
1996	1	7	View

Other VOLVO Models

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