15 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
The gears inside the windshield wiper motor can wear down sooner than they should. Once they do, the motor stops turning and the wipers stop moving. In rain, snow, or road spray you would be left looking through a blurred or covered windshield with no way to clear it, and that can happen suddenly while you are driving. The dealer swaps in a whole new wiper motor assembly at no charge to you.
Some 2022-2024 Volvo VNL and VHD trucks built with RollTek driver seats are missing an electrical connection. Because that circuit is missing, the side airbag in the driver seat will not go off in a crash. The airbag is simply not connected, so the protection you expect in a side impact is not there. A dealer adds a jumper harness between the seat and the truck's main wiring to complete the circuit.
These trucks carry an air tank that stores compressed air for the brakes. The bolts holding the tank's bracket were tightened too much at the factory and may have already cracked or broken. If enough of them fail, the tank can come loose and fall off the truck onto the road, where it becomes a hazard for you and for traffic behind you. Your dealer will put in new fasteners at no charge.
On these Volvo VNL trucks, the computer software that controls the transmission has a flaw. While you are driving, the transmission can slip into neutral on its own without you doing anything. When that happens the engine stops sending power to the wheels, so you suddenly lose the ability to speed up or pull away — a dangerous situation in traffic, on a hill, or at a crossing. The dealer fixes it by reloading corrected software into the truck's control module.
A spring inside the hubcap presses against it in a way that can let the hubcap work loose and fly off the wheel while the truck is moving. A hubcap that comes off becomes a loose object in the road, which other drivers can hit or swerve to avoid. The repair is simple: the dealer takes the hubcap off and does not put it back, at no cost to you. The recall covers certain 2021-2022 Volvo VAH, VDH, VNL and VNR trucks.
Certain 2022 Volvo VNL trucks were built with Alcoa Mirror Polish wheels, part number ULT 391, in the 22.5 x 8.25 size. In some situations these wheels may not be strong enough to carry the weight they are holding, and they can bend or break while the truck is being used. Volvo says these trucks were caught before reaching customers, so no owner letters are being mailed. Dealers will replace the wheels.
On these VNL trucks with Cummins X15 diesel engines, the bolts holding the flywheel to the engine's crankshaft may not have been tightened correctly. If they loosen, the flywheel can come off. That can leave the truck with no drive power, and pieces from the driveline can be thrown out of the engine area and hurt someone nearby. These trucks were still at the factory, so most owners have not received them yet.
The certification sticker on these vehicles lists how much weight the rear drive axles are allowed to carry, and the number printed there is higher than what the wheel hubs can actually handle. If someone loads the vehicle up to the weight shown on that label, the rear wheel hubs can wear out and fail earlier than they should, which could lead to a crash. Volvo is mailing a corrected sticker; nothing on the vehicle itself needs to be repaired.
These Volvo heavy trucks have a fuse that protects the wiring for the transmission. On some of them, that fuse can blow. When it does, the transmission stops shifting gears, so the truck can be stuck and will not change gears the way the driver expects. That can leave you unable to speed up or slow down normally in traffic. A dealer will check the fuse and install a new one if needed, at no cost.
These trucks have an extra air tank for the transmission, held on by metal straps. The bolts clamping those straps were tightened too much at the factory, which can bend the strap where the bolt anchors. A bent strap can let the bolt pull loose. If that happens, the tank can fall off the truck and onto the road, where it becomes a hazard for other drivers.
Certain 2018-2020 Volvo VNL and VNX trucks built as 740 and 760 sleeper models have a window in the sleeper bunk that can come loose and fall off the truck. A window that falls off can hit another vehicle or a person nearby. Dealers will replace the window hinge at no cost. Owners were first notified in April 2019, with a second notice sent once repair parts became available.
These are big Volvo highway trucks with an automated manual transmission, a gearbox that shifts itself but still uses a clutch. A part inside the clutch can break. If it does, the truck may move on its own when the driver does not expect it, which is dangerous around loading docks, other vehicles and people on foot. The fix is a software update to the computer that controls the transmission, done free at a Volvo dealer.
Some of these trucks left the factory with Bridgestone tires from certain production weeks whose sidewalls may have steel cords showing through. A tire built this way can suddenly lose all its air while you are driving instead of going down slowly. A blowout on a loaded truck is very hard to control and can cause a serious crash. Bridgestone tire shops and Volvo truck service centers will inspect the tires and replace any bad ones at no cost.
On certain 2016-2019 Volvo VNL trucks with Cummins ISX15 diesel engines, a small screen in the fuel pump's cooling circuit can get clogged. When that happens — often on a long downhill grade — the fuel line can burst. Fuel then spills onto the road, which is dangerous for other drivers, and the engine can shut off with no warning and refuse to restart. Dealers will swap in an improved bolt with a dual screen filter, free.
On certain 2019 Volvo VNL and VNR trucks, the fifth wheel coupling — the plate on the tractor that the trailer locks onto — was built with a slider bracket on the outer side that is too narrow. Because that bracket is undersized, the connection may not hold the way it should, and the trailer can come loose and separate from the tractor while you are on the road. Volvo dealers will look at the bracket and put in a new one if needed.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Volvo VNL. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: