In The News
Volvo recalls over 15,000 trucks thought to have missing roll pin
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Volvo Trucks North America is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 VNL, VNX, and VNM trucks manufactured from May 11, 2015, through March 8, 2016, according to a recall notice published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The trucks may have been manufactured without a roll pin on the steering shafts, the notice said. 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.
The recall involves 15,811vehicles, the NHTSA said.
"We recently learned of four cases in which the steering failed on vehicles equipped with a certain two-piece steering shaft," said John Mies of Volvo North America Corporate Communications. "Based on our inquiry into these incidents, we are proactively contacting the owners of the affected vehicles and directing them to take the vehicles out of service as soon as possible, and we have issued a safety recall. We have also stopped delivery of any vehicles equipped with the component. We will replace all the two-piece shafts with a one-piece shaft as soon as the parts are available."
The NHTSA said Volvo is validating an interim remedy that it expects to make available very shortly while it develops a final remedy. Both remedies are free of charge. Volvo expects to mail all owners notifying them of the defect and the interim remedy by mid-March 2016. A second notice will be sent when the final remedy is available.
"We are completely committed to the safety of our customers and those they share the road with, and we are keeping NHTSA and Transport Canada advised as we address this issue," Mies said. "We have worked as quickly as possible to advise customers to remove the affected vehicles from service, and we're working as quickly as possible to address the problem."
The recall affects certain 2016 and 2017 model year Volvo VNL, VNM, and VNX model trucks manufactured from May 11, 2015 through March 8, 2016 with a two-piece steering shaft.
Mies said this does not represent all the production that took place during that time period, adding that about 40 percent of production was with a one-piece shaft, and these vehicles are not included.
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