Suspension. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

21 reports

501,493 miles · Mar 19, 2003

SteeringCrash

OWNER REPORTS THAT BALL SOCKET ON DRAG LINK SEPARATED CREATING A LOSS OF STEERING. VEHICLE DEPARTED RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY AND CAME TO REST IN A SWAMP. OWNER REPORTS VEHICLE MILEAGE AT JUST OVER 501,000. ROUTINE INSPECTS FAILED TO REVEAL ANY INDICATION OF IMPENDING FAILURE. THIS BALL SOCKET WAS NOT SUBJECT OF RECALL *CB

NHTSA ODI #10015372

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 2003

SuspensionTires

POOR TIRE TREAD WEAR - TREAD FAILS AFTER 60000 MILES. WHEEL ALIGNMENT GOOD, PERHAPS SPRINGS TOO WEAK. STEER AXLE APPEARS HEAVY - BOBTAIL WEIGHT 12,180 LBS. VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH CUMMINS N-14 ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10007133

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 2002

Electrical System

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THE DASH BOARD. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE DASH BOARD LOSES POWER. DEALER WAS CONTACTED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. TS

NHTSA ODI #10001055

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2002

Electrical SystemSuspension

CONSUMER HAS HAD TO REPLACE U-BOLTS 3 TIMES AND HAD TO HAVE WHEELS ALIGNED IN THE REAR BECAUSE OF THE U-BOLTS THROWING IT OUT OF PLACE. *JG

NHTSA ODI #565927

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2002

Suspension

THE STEERING TIRES WERE WORN OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS MISALIGNED. THE STEER AXLE TIRES WERE REPLACED SIX TIMES. *YH

NHTSA ODI #565924

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2002

Power Train

VEHICLE HAS NO POWER, IT RATTLES, IS FALLING APART AND NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *JG

NHTSA ODI #565901

Mileage unknown · May 30, 2002

Suspension

CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF HIS VEHICLE HAVING A HEAVY FRONT AXLE. VOLVO SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *JG

NHTSA ODI #565898

Mileage unknown · May 13, 2002

Suspension

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING PREMATURE STEER TIRE WEAR. HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END AND IS ON 2ND SET OF TIRES. THEY ARE WEARING ON THE LEFT SIDE, BUSHINGS ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JG

NHTSA ODI #565637

Mileage unknown · May 9, 2002

Exterior LightingService Brakes, AirSuspension

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERS AND EXCESSIVE EFFORT WITH STEERING. *TT

NHTSA ODI #565627

Mileage unknown · May 7, 2002

Electrical System

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED TWICE. *TT

NHTSA ODI #565586

Official recalls

No 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

EA04016 · 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

Steering

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.