RoadVitals

1981 Volvo Dl

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest Jan 8, 2001
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Oct 23, 1981
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 1981 Volvo Dl, most frequently naming the steering category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Steering1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
81V131000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Oct 23, 1981
5,750 units potentially affected
The defect: DUE TO INSUFFICIENT GROUNDING OF THE INTERNAL IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR PARTS, THE IGNITION COULD MISFIRE. THIS COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT VEHICLE DRIVEABILITY AND LONGEVITY OF THE DISTRIBUTOR COMPONENTS.
The remedy: ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES WILL BE FITTED WITH MODIFIED IGNITION COMPONENTS. THIS INCLUDES A NEW DISTRIBUTOR HAVING IMPROVED GROUNDING. ALL VEHICLES WILL BE FITTED WITH A CAPACITOR TO REDUCE THE HIGH VOLTAGE PEAKS. THIS WILL BE DONE AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.
VOLVO OF AMERICA CORP.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

DP83002ClosedDefect Petition

IGNITION PROBLEMS, FLUID LEAKS AND STALL

Opened Nov 3, 1982
Closed Mar 10, 1983

IGNITION PROBLEMS, FLUID LEAKS AND STALLING

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Steering
Filed Jan 8, 2001

STEERING WHEEL LOCK ENGAGED WHILE DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ID
738978
Incident
Jan 5, 2001

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

356EN01

EQUIPMENT

VIDA QR Scanner Mobile App

Service Manager

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT

Shipping and Handling of Volvo Lithium-ion 48V Mild Hybrid Battery to Global Battery Solutions (GBS)

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Volvo Dl by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1990200—
1986100—
1985100—
1984300—
1983300—
1982110—
1981Viewing111—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.