IllustrationTHE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED WIRING HARNESS PROBLEMS UNDER DASH, ALSO THE EMS WAS REPLACED. *YH. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED U-BOLT PROBLEMS, THE CLUTCH FAILED, THE BELTS ON THE STEER TIRES SLIPPED, THE ENGINE RACED FOR NO REASON AND THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK.*JB
1998 Volvo VN610
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all VN610 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 59 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Suspension complaints
41 reportsCONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH HEAD GASKET. *JG OTHER PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: POWER STEERING, THE ENGINE STALLED DUE TO A LOOSE WIRE, MULTIPLE RE-ALIGNMENTS, THE U-BOLT POPS IN THE FRONT AND HAD BROKEN IN THE REAR, AND THE STEER TIRE IS WEARING ON THE OUTSIDE. *SCC
U-BOLTS PROBLEMS; CONSUMER LISTED PHONE NUMBER AS 336-918-07824. *SLC
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASH, THE ON BOARD COMPUTER READ OUT HAS FADED OUT TWICE, THE DASH LIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT EVERY THREE MONTHS, THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT MODULE KEEPS FAILING, ALSO THE ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED.*JB
CONSUMER REPLACED U-BOLT, EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR AND FRONT SUSPENSION, FRONT STRUT/SHOCK AND TIRE/WHEEL. *YD
CONSUMER STATES HE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASH.*JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING BOX BLEW OUT, THE SEAL AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP. *YD *DT
CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER DASH AND SHORTS IN THE LIGHTS.*YD
PREMATURE WEAR FROM STEER TIRES RESULTING FROM IMPROPER COMBINATION OF RACE/BEARINGS IN MERITOR AXLES. *MJS
PREMATURE WEAR FROM STEER TIRES RESULTING FROM IMPROPER COMBINATION OF RACE/BEARINGS IN MERITOR AXLES. *MJS
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
6EA04016 · Steering Binding
Opened Jun 24, 2004 · Closed Mar 31, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:column
ODI'S INVESTIGATIONCONCLUDED THAT THE LEGS THAT RETAIN THE TURN SIGNAL CANCELING RING (TSCR), PART NUMBER 1607363, TO THE STEERING WHEEL INSTALLED IN MODEL YEAR 1998 - 1999 VN AND VHD SERIES VTNA (VOLVO TRUCK NORTH AMERICA) VEHICLES ARE PRONE TO CRACKING AND BREAKING.WHEN THE RETENTION LEGS BREAK, THE SEPARATED PIECES OF THE TSCR TYPICALLYREPOSE IN THE HOST CAVITY IN THE STEERING WHEEL HUB WHERE THEY WERE DEPOSITED.ODIFOUND THAT BROKEN PIECES OF THE TSCR EITHER (1) MIGRATED FROM THEIR HOST CAVITY AND DROPPED COMPLETELY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY OR (2) LODGED IN VARIOUS AREAS OF THE STEERING WHEEL PROXIMATE TO THE TSCR.ODI SIMULATED VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND POSITIONS THAT A SEPARATED PIECE OF THE TSCR MIGHT BECOME LODGED WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY, BUT NONE OF THESE SIMULATIONS GENERATED ANY APPRECIABLE INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Steering:column
ODI'S INVESTIGATIONCONCLUDED THAT THE LEGS THAT RETAIN THE TURN SIGNAL CANCELING RING (TSCR), PART NUMBER 1607363, TO THE STEERING WHEEL INSTALLED IN MODEL YEAR 1998 - 1999 VN AND VHD SERIES VTNA (VOLVO TRUCK NORTH AMERICA) VEHICLES ARE PRONE TO CRACKING AND BREAKING.WHEN THE RETENTION LEGS BREAK, THE SEPARATED PIECES OF THE TSCR TYPICALLYREPOSE IN THE HOST CAVITY IN THE STEERING WHEEL HUB WHERE THEY WERE DEPOSITED.ODIFOUND THAT BROKEN PIECES OF THE TSCR EITHER (1) MIGRATED FROM THEIR HOST CAVITY AND DROPPED COMPLETELY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY OR (2) LODGED IN VARIOUS AREAS OF THE STEERING WHEEL PROXIMATE TO THE TSCR.ODI SIMULATED VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND POSITIONS THAT A SEPARATED PIECE OF THE TSCR MIGHT BECOME LODGED WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY, BUT NONE OF THESE SIMULATIONS GENERATED ANY APPRECIABLE INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT.
Steering
ODI'S INVESTIGATIONCONCLUDED THAT THE LEGS THAT RETAIN THE TURN SIGNAL CANCELING RING (TSCR), PART NUMBER 1607363, TO THE STEERING WHEEL INSTALLED IN MODEL YEAR 1998 - 1999 VN AND VHD SERIES VTNA (VOLVO TRUCK NORTH AMERICA) VEHICLES ARE PRONE TO CRACKING AND BREAKING.WHEN THE RETENTION LEGS BREAK, THE SEPARATED PIECES OF THE TSCR TYPICALLYREPOSE IN THE HOST CAVITY IN THE STEERING WHEEL HUB WHERE THEY WERE DEPOSITED.ODIFOUND THAT BROKEN PIECES OF THE TSCR EITHER (1) MIGRATED FROM THEIR HOST CAVITY AND DROPPED COMPLETELY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY OR (2) LODGED IN VARIOUS AREAS OF THE STEERING WHEEL PROXIMATE TO THE TSCR.ODI SIMULATED VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND POSITIONS THAT A SEPARATED PIECE OF THE TSCR MIGHT BECOME LODGED WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY, BUT NONE OF THESE SIMULATIONS GENERATED ANY APPRECIABLE INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT.
PE04014 · Steering Binding
Opened Feb 5, 2004 · Closed Jun 24, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
ODI'S PRELIMINARY EVALUATION FOCUSED ON THE POTENTIAL FOR A BROKEN, BENT, DEFORMED, FRAGMENTED OR DISPLACED TURN SIGNAL CANCELING RING (TSCR), VTNA PART NUMBER 1607363, TO RESTRICT THEVEHICLE OPERATOR'S ABILITY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.THE PE IDENTIFIED THIRTEEN VTNA WARRANTY CLAIMS THAT ALLEGE THAT THE TSCR HAD FAILED AND THAT THE VEHICLE STEERING EFFORT HAD BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED.TO DATE, ODI HAS NOT FOUND ANY SAMPLES OF A FAILED TSCR AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DEFINITIVELY ESTABLISH WHETHER A FAILED TSCR CAN OR CANNOT CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED STEERING EFFORT.ODI BELIEVES THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE TO CONDUCT FURTHER INVESTIGATION(EA LEVEL) TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TSCR FAILURES AND TO ASSESS THE EFFECT, IF ANY, THAT THESE TYPES OF FAILURES COULD HAVE ON VEHICLE STEERING EFFORT.
EA02021 · Front Suspension U-BOLTS Loosen Or Break
Opened Sep 6, 2002 · Closed Nov 6, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
ODI'SINVESTIGATION DID NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE THAT LOOSE OR BROKENFRONT SUSPENSION U-BOLTS HAVE CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO ANY CRASHES OR NEAR MISS EVENTS.SEE THE ATTACHED ENGINEERING ANALYSISREPORT FOR FULL TECHNICAL DETAILS.* 1996/1997 BUILT VEHICLES ARE DESIGNATED BY VOLVO AS 1998 MODEL YEAR.
PE01040 · Sleeper Berth Fires
Opened Dec 3, 2001 · Closed Mar 26, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
No summary supplied.
PE01041 · Steering Gearbox Or U-JOINT
Opened Dec 3, 2001 · Closed Jun 14, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
No summary supplied.
PE01042 · Steering Axle U-BOLT
Opened Dec 3, 2001 · Closed Sep 6, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
No summary supplied.