The 2020 Volvo VNL has 10 recalls, the most serious involving steering and brakes: steering gear fasteners or components on certain trucks can loosen or fail, and the brake pedal can detach and become inoperable, both of which can result in loss of vehicle control.
Three separate steering recalls cover this truck. Depending on the specific vehicle, the steering gear mounting fasteners may not be tight enough, or the steering gear assembly may be missing internal components, any of which can cause the driver to lose steering control. The brake pedal concern involves a cast pedal plate that can crack at its mounting point and dislodge entirely.
On the structural side, the sleeper bunk windows on 740 and 760 sleeper models can detach from the truck while driving, whether the windows are open or closed, and fall into the path of other vehicles or pedestrians. There is also a transmission concern: a fuse in the transmission circuit can blow and prevent gear changes, and separately, an auxiliary air tank beneath the truck can drop to the road if its mounting strap hardware fails. The certification label on certain trucks incorrectly states a rear axle weight rating that exceeds what the wheel hubs can handle, which can lead to premature hub failure if those axles are loaded to the labeled limit.
At a glance
What can fail
The steering gear assembly may have been assembled with too few recirculating balls, which could cause loss of steering control.
What the fix does
A dealer will inspect and replace the defective gears as needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
The sleeper bunk window attachment may fail, allowing the window to separate from the vehicle during operation.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the sleeper bunk window hinge to secure the window properly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The window hinge and mounting hardware on the sleeper bunk windows are not strong enough to keep the window secure when the truck is driven with those windows open.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the window hinge at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The die cast pedal plate can break at its attachment points, which may cause the brake pedal to come loose.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the pedal plates if needed at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear drive axle weight rating printed on the vehicle's certification label is higher than what the wheel hubs can safely support.
What the fix does
Volvo will send corrected certification labels at no cost to replace the inaccurate ones.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fasteners that secure the steering gear may not have been properly tightened during manufacturing.
What the fix does
Dealers will tighten the steering gear fasteners to the proper specification at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fasteners securing the steering gear may not be tightened enough, allowing the steering gear to loosen over time.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and re-torque the steering gear fasteners to the correct specification. The steering gear will be replaced if necessary.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The t-bolt fasteners on the transmission auxiliary air tank straps may have been over-tightened, causing the strap to deform where the fastener is anchored.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the air tank strap and replace it if necessary at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fuse in the transmission circuit may blow, which prevents the transmission from shifting gears.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission circuit fuse if needed at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The sleeper bunk window hinge may fail, causing the window to detach and fall from the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the window hinge at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
