2004 Volvo Vhd

ODI OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION BASED ON A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND EWR DATA. EWR WARRANTY DATA IS AGGREGATE DATA AND INDIVIDUAL REPORTS ARE NOT SUBMITTED.VOLVO REVIEWED THEIR WARRANTY DATA AND DETERMINED THAT ONLY 63 OF THE EWR WARRANTY CLAIMS RELATED TO THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DISPLAYED SYMPTOMS CONSISTENT WITH THE TSB.VOLVO ALSO NOTED IN THEIR IR RESPONSE THAT THE TAIL LIGHT CONFIGURATION IS USED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON TRACTORS THAT ARE NORMALLY ATTACHED TO SEMI TRAILERS.THEREFORE, THE TRACTOR LIGHTS ARE NORMALLY NOT THE REAR MOST LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE.IN A NORMAL APPLICATION, EVEN IF ONE TAIL LIGHT ON THE TRACTOR WAS OUT, THE TAIL LIGHT ON THE TRAILER WOULD CONTINUE TO ILLUMINATE AND PROVIDE OTHER DRIVERS OF THE INTENTIONS OF THE SEMI TRAILER DRIVER.PURSUANT TO 49 CFR 396.11 & 13, A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE OPERATOR IS REQUIRED TO PERFORM A PRE-TRIP AND POST-TRIP INSPECTION, WHICH INCLUDES CHECKING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE TAIL LIGHTS.GIVEN THE ABOVE INFORMATION, ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE 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 IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

ON JUNE 9, 2006, VOLVO TRUCK NORTH AMERICA FILED DEFECT REPORT 06V-213THAT DIRECTS DEALERS TO REPLACE THE DISC WHEEL SPACER ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN 872 (*) MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 VHD VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ALUMINUM WHEELS.THE DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DISC WHEEL SPACER MANUFACTURED BY A DIFFERENT SUPPLIER.DURING THE DISC INSTALLATION, DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE DAMAGED WHEEL END COMPONENTS (HUB, STUDS, AND/OR WHEELS). (*) THE ORIGINALLY INSTALLED DISC WHEEL SPACER HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM AN ADDITIONAL 274 VHD VEHICLES IN RESPONSE TO VTNA'S SERVICE BULLETIN SP 771-003 ISSUED IN AUGUST 2005.

1. A TRI AXLE TRUCK OWNED BY DAHN TIBBETT AND MANUFACTURED BY VOLVO MODEL VHD-84F WAS INVOLVED IN THREE SEPARATE FAILURES OF THE WHEEL STUDS WHICH ARE PART OF THE REAR WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY. THE REFERENCED TRUCK WAS USED ON PAVED ROADWAY HAULING OF SAND, LOAM AND AGGREGATE MATERIAL. ALL HAULING WAS DONE WITH LEGAL LOADS THAT WERE WEIGHED ON REGISTERED SCALES. 2. THE THREE FAILURES ARE DESCRIBED IN SEQUENCE. A. THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE PAVED ROAD AND THE STUDS FAILED. THE OWNER DAHN TIBBETT REPLACED THE WHEEL HUB, TWO RIMS AND WHEEL SEAL. THE STUDS THAT FAILED WERE ON THE LEFT REAR HUB. B. THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY WITH A LOAD AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRES BECAME DETACHED FROM THE TRUCK AT A SPEED OF 55 MPH. THE TWO TIRES WERE RECOVERED AND IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE LUGS WERE STILL TIGHTENED AND THE LUGS HAD SHEARED FROM THE HUB. C. THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A SECONDARY PAVED ROAD WITH A LOAD AT A SPEED OF 30 MPH AND SEVEN STUDS SHEARED FROM THE HUB. THE LEFT REAR HUB ASSEMBLY WAS INVOLVED IN THIS EPISODE. PART NUMBER OF HUB IS VOLVO PART # 20478408 RIGHT REAR VOLVO PART # 20478407 LEFT REAR 3. THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE DONE TO CORRECT THE LUG FAILURE. A. THE OLD LUGS WAS REPLACE ALSO 2 RIMS, OIL SEAL B. THE OLD LUGS WERE REPLACED, REPLACED HUB 2 RIMS 2 TIRES, SHOCK AND OIL SEAL C. THE OLD LUGS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. THE DEALER IS O'CONNELL BASED IN MAINE. VOLVO WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT INCIDENT #1. VOLVO WAS CONTACTED ABOUT INCIDENT #2 AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF VOLVO COMPENSATED DAHN TIBBETT FOR THE COST OF PARTS ONLY, ADMITTING NO STRUCTURAL FAILURE OCCURED.VOLVE WAS INFORMED OF INCIDENT #3 AND VOLVO HAS SAID THAT THEY HAVE NO LIABILITY IN THIS INCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10137044

Incident

Sep 13, 2005

Mileage

75,100 mi

ON MAY 9TH, WE PURCHASED A NEW VOLVO V 40 STATION WAGON FROM PUTNAM VOLVO IN BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA. ON MAY 17 2004 THIS BRAND NEW CAR STALLED DEAD WHILE MOVING FORWARD IN TRAFFIC, A WEEK AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY BLEW US OFF AND SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS PROBABLY "BAD GAS." A FEW WEEKS LATER IN JULY 2004 ITT STALLED DEAD AGAIN WHILE MAKING A TURN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION (MILEAGE 3,612). WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! WE TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND SAID IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TWO WEEKS WENT BY AND THE PUTNAM VOLVO DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED IT SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC IN SERVICE LET IT SLIP THAT THEY HAD SEEN 4 OTHER VOLVOS WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE THINK THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS, LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM AND WONDER IF SOMEONE HAS TO DIE BEFORE THIS IS MADE PUBLIC AND CORRECTED. WE HAVE LOST FAITH IN THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR WHICH IS THE SOLE REASON WE PURCHASED A VOLVO. VOLVO FINALLY DEMANDED THAT WE PICK UP THE CAR EVEN THOUGH THEY NEVER COULD REPLICATE THE PROBLEM NOR WOULD THEY GUARNATEE THAT IT WAS FIXED. I HAVE TO COMMUTE ON HIGHWAY 5 AND OBVIOUSLY THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WOULD BE DEADLY IF IT STALLED DEAD ON ME IN THIS SITUATION. IN THE PAST WE HAVE BOUGHT HONDAS BECAUSE OF THEIR MECHANICAL RELIABILITY BUT THE NEWS MEDIA HAS LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT VOLVOS WERE THE SAFEST CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10108192

Incident

May 17, 2004

Mileage

3,612 mi

WINTER WEATHER, RAIN, SNOW ON HIGHWAY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10102500

Incident

Dec 8, 2004

CBR - Z Spring Bracket Wear. Volvo Chassis

CBR - A significant GPS reporting issue is affecting fleet operations, with trucks maintaining back-office communication but failing to transmit GPS location data.

TSB - V-710-001 Engine Crossmember Loose Hardware.

CBR - 11 Liter Engines - Fuel In Oil.

CBR: Volvo VHD & VN Models - Vehicle Wil Not Start, PTO Active Message Displayed In Cluster, PTO Light On When PTO Switch Is Turned Off

TSB: Barksdale Leveling Valve, Leak Test