2011 Volvo Vnl

On October 22, 2018, an Audit Query (AQ18-005) was opened to assess the completeness and timeliness of Volvo Group's early warning reporting, safety recalls, and communications submissions to the agency.NHTSA's investigation determined that Volvo Group failed to recall vehicles in a timely fashion and to comply with other recall and reporting requirements, including notifying owners of recalls and reporting death and injury incidents.NHTSA and Volvo Group entered into a Consent Order on January 27, 2023 to resolve AQ18-005.As part of the Consent Order, Volvo Group agreed to a total civil penalty of one-hundred and thirty million dollars ($130,000,000), of which, sixty-five million dollars ($65,000,000) was paid on February 21, 2023.Also, of that total civil penalty, Volvo Group agreed to spend twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) on the specific performance obligation to create a safety data analytics infrastructure to detect and study emerging safety-related defect trends on its vehicles. The Consent Order also holds forty-five million dollars ($45,000,000) of the civil penalty in abeyance pending Volvo Group's satisfactory completion of the requirements of this Consent Order, and its compliance with the Safety Act, and regulations thereunder.The Consent Order is for a three-year term and may be extended by up to two years if NHTSA reasonably finds that an extension is warranted.In the Consent Order, Volvo Group agreed to several performance obligations, including enhanced oversight of its compliance with the Safety Act and the terms of the Consent Order through a third-party auditor and regular meetings with NHTSA.The third-party auditor will recommend and oversee implementation of process improvements to enhance Volvo Group's safety compliance processes and oversee the company's review of past recalls and submissions to NHTSA for accuracy and completeness.Also, via the Consent Order, Volvo Group agreed to create updated written policies, procedures, and training to ensure that its employees understand the requirements of the Safety Act, the regulations thereunder, and this Consent Order.Volvo Group further agreed to launch a user interface on its websites to allow users to search vehicle identification numbers (VINs) for open recalls and implement a system to support NHTSA's VIN lookup tool.Based on the Consent Order, this audit query investigation, AQ18-005, is closed.Closure of this AQ has no bearing on the terms of the Consent Order, including Volvo Group's ongoing performance obligations or legal obligations, and does not represent a determination by NHTSA as to Volvo Group's performance under the Consent Order to date.

Through regular communications with heavy truck fleets, ODI learned of a potential issue involving failures of both the windshield wiper motor or linkage on model year 2011-2012 Volvo VNL trucks.ODI searched its Early Warning Reporting (EWR) database and identified a significant number of claims of wiper system problems reported by Volvo.In some cases the windshield wiper linkage separated and in others the wiper motor failed.In both failure modes, the visibility of the driver is significantly diminished.In response to an ODI Information Request (IR) dated 25 March 2013, Volvo provided warranty data that identified three distinct windshield wiper failure modes on the subject vehicles: wiper motor, wiper linkage, and wiper arms.Analyzing the warranty data revealed elevated rates of wiper motor and wiper arm failures.The warranty data further showed that the wiper arm failures occurred early in the vehicle service life suggesting that those that were likely to fail had already doneso.However the wiper motor failures were found to be an ongoing concern.Owners continued to file warranty claims at an elevated rate at the time of this investigation.Following a meeting on 25 July 2013, Volvo notified ODI on 9 August 2013 they had determined the wiper motor drive gear may prematurely fail on subject vehicles manufactured from 1 February 2010 through 30 September 2010 and 1 June 2011 through 30 November 2011.Volvo states that the failure presents a risk of decreased visibility through the windshield, which may result in a vehicle crash.Volvo initiated a safety recall (NHTSA Recall No. 13V-349) to address the safety defect in approximately 17,824 Model Year 2011 and 2012 VAH, VHD, VNL, and VNM Trucks.Volvo?s action to remedy the subject vehicles for the defective wiper motor resolves the issue raised by this investigation and therefore this investigation is closed.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received Early Warning Reporting (EWR) data from the manufacturer that indicated some number of subject vehicles equipped with the subject automated manual transmission had allegedly experienced a condition where the clutch failed to automatically disengage the transmission from the engine as intended. This may result in extended stopping distances and/or unintended forward motion of a vehicle previously at rest.To date, ODI is aware of 134 subject vehicles with one or more complaints or field reports related to this condition.Also, ODI is aware of 164 subject vehicles with one or more warranty claims related to this condition.By letter dated June 25, 2013, Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) notified ODI that it has initiated a safety recall (NHTSA Recall No. 13V268 and Volvo Recall No. RVXX1303) to address a safety defect in approximately 23,003 model year (MY) 2007 through 2014 Volvo VAH, VHD, VNL, VNM and VT model trucks. The affected vehicles were manufactured from December 20, 2006 through May 22, 2013 and were originally equipped with the subject automated manual transmissions.According to Volvo, reports of the subject transmission clutch mechanism failing to automatically disengage as intended are associated with the removal of a brake pedal micro switch that provided a redundant signal to the transmission control module indicating the brakes had been applied.Previously, Volvo had removed this brake pedal micro switch from new vehicle production and from certain vehicles already in-service via two field service campaigns (SP 432-024 and SP 432-026) because it decided the switch was unnecessary and/or a maintenance issue.In the absence of this redundant brake pedal micro switch, the clutch mechanism may fail to disengage the transmission from the engine at low vehicle speed should the stop lamp switch fail to send and/or the transmission control module fail to receive the primary signal.At the time of this closing, Volvo is evaluating available remedies and will provide NHTSA with details when the recall remedy procedure has been finalized.Volvo will notify affected owners by mail by August 25, 2013.Please see NHTSA Recall No. 13V268 for details.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

ODI opened Recall Query RQ11-001 after a review of EWR Field Reports identified lower bunk window separations on the subject vehicles.Volvo had issued three recalls for sleeper window separations since 2003.Additionally, Volvo had issued two bulletins for sleeper window issues during the same time period.The frequency of related actions led ODI to open this formal investigation.An Information Request (IR) letter was sent to Volvo on 23 June 2011.Volvo responded on 17 August 2011 and then provided updated warranty information on 9 January 2012.Volvo provided production change data and warranty information which was correlated to vehicle build month and failure date.ODI analyzed the data to determine if additional production time frames should have been included in previous recalls.ODI also requested information from its network of fleet owners.The response from this network reaffirmed the accuracy of the updated warranty information.Based on the information and data received, ODI has concluded that all production periods have been appropriately addressed by Volvo's previous recalls and no additional recall action is required at this time.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLVO VNL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUCK CABIN JERKED OUT OF CONTROL WHEN A BUMP WAS HIT OR WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH TERRAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE REAR SHOCKS; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED ALL THE SHOCKS, BUT THE FAILURE WAS STILL NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 621,232.

NHTSA ID

10783673

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

621,232 mi

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED RUNNING INTERMITTENT WHEN HITTING A BUMP OR ACCELLERATING, THEN ABRUPTLY SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN WHILE DRIVING. LUCKELY THE SPEED WAS LOW AND WE WERE ABLE TO STOP, BUT ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION ON THE ROAD, SPARKS CAME OFF FROM UNDER THE CAB WITH ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. SHUT DOWN BATTERY SYSTEM. FOUND POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE BEHIND THE ENGINE RUBBED AGAINST CHASSIS SUPPORT BRACKET AND WELDED ITSELF TO THE BRACKET. 40A FUSE IN ENGINE FUSE COMPARTMENT BURNED THROUGH.

NHTSA ID

10734949

Incident

Jul 18, 2015

Mileage

474,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLVO VNL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND ENGINE FAULT WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE NOX SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 247,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 247,430.

NHTSA ID

10556343

Incident

Dec 16, 2013

Mileage

247,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLVO VNL TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ABNORMALLY WHENEVER THE WHEEL WAS TURNED WHILE THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SIX TIMES WHERE THERE WERE VARIOUS REPAIRS PERFORMED. THE REPAIRS DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THE FAILURE WAS A COMMON FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING PUMP SEEMED TO BE SMALLER THAN WHAT VOLVO USED PREVIOUSLY IN THEIR TRUCKS AND IT WAS LOOSING PRESSURE AND OVERHEATING. UPDATED 08/10/11

NHTSA ID

10402066

Incident

Nov 4, 2010

Mileage

45 mi

CBR - Telematics Gateway (TGW) Connect Ability Issues.

CBR - Automated Manual Transmission ( AMT ) Flywheel Pilot Bearing Wear On Input Shaft.

CBR - Active "Set Park Brake" Message On Drivers Information Display (DID)

CBR: TGW Will Not Connect After SIM Card Replacement

CBR: 11L Engine - Air Conditioner (A/C) Line Damaged At Bracket - Model Year 2007 to Present.

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