2013 VOLVO VNL Recalls — Canada & USA

The 2013 Volvo VNL has 13 recalls, the most serious involving a fifth wheel locking mechanism that can fail and allow a trailer to detach from the tractor while in motion. Several recalls involve fire risk. Battery disconnect switch cables can loosen and chafe, causing the cable and switch to overheat and potentially catch fire. In extremely cold weather, certain brake relay valves can develop internal leakage that causes inadvertent brake application, overheating the brakes and raising the risk of fire. A separate brake concern involves the trailer hand brake handle sticking in the on position, which drags the trailer service brakes, overheats the wheel ends, and can cause a wheel end fire or tire blowout. On trucks equipped with Cummins natural gas engines, condensation in the intake manifold can freeze in cold weather and cause elevated exhaust temperatures or flames from the exhaust pipe. On the drivetrain and chassis side, the front axle beam can fracture at the kingpin and cause a sudden loss of steering control. Trucks with a Meritor RPL-20 driveline can shed a failed driveshaft onto the road. Vehicles equipped with the Eco-Roll fuel-saving feature may find the drivetrain fails to reengage after coasting, leaving the truck without drive power. A missing redundant clutch disengagement switch can extend stopping distance when the brakes are applied. Two recalls address an auxiliary power unit whose mounting points can crack and allow the unit to fall from the truck as road debris. Trucks with enhanced cruise control but no side fairings