2012 Volvo Vah recalls and problems

The 2012 Volvo Vah has 6 recalls and 0 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.

How the 2012 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

6recalls
0complaints
0crashes
0fires
0injuries
—median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

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Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.
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6 recalls

Trailer Hitches

Oct 13, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V643000 · 669 vehicles

Problem: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 VNL and VNM trucks manufactured June 21, 2010, to December 14, 2012. The affected trucks are equipped with Fontaine Ultra LT Fifth Wheel connectors, which, due to cumulative damage to the fifth wheel and its locking mechanism, have a locking mechanism that may fail to operate or to properly engage.

Risk: If the fifth wheel and locking mechanism are sufficiently damaged, the locking mechanism may fail to operate as intended and the trailer may unexpectedly detach from the tractor, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Volvo will notify owners, and Fontaine dealers will replace the fifth wheel with an Ultra NT model fifth wheel, free of charge. The recall began on November 23, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-528-6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX1507.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Steering

Aug 17, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V523000 · 1,319 vehicles

Problem: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2012-2016 VAH trucks manufactured January 31, 2011, to June 25, 2015, and equipped with a sealed drag link. In the affected trucks, the draglink ball socket boot may be damaged due to the angle of the ball stud. A damaged boot may allow contaminants to enter and corrode the ball socket.

Risk: Corrosion will accelerate wear of the ball, possibly resulting in the ball joint separating from the socket, causing loss of steering and an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the drag link with one that has an improved geometry, free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-528-6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX1503.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Tires

Nov 18, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V740000 · 115 vehicles

Problem: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 VAH and VNL trucks manufactured May 12, 2010, to October 31, 2014. The affected vehicles may experience premature tire failure during certain operating conditions such as high speeds, heavy load, and high road temperature.

Risk: Premature tire failure could increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy & notes

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tires and set the road speed limiter, free of charge. The recall began on January 16, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-528-6586. Volvo's number for this recall is RVXX1405.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Engine

Oct 17, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V497000 · 206 vehicles

Problem: Fontaine Modification (Fontaine) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Volvo VAH vehicles modified with upward facing exhaust diffusers for use as auto-haulers. In the affected vehicles, heat from the exhaust may transfer to the roof of the truck cab and/or the vehicles above the cab.

Risk: Excessive heat could result in a fire.

Remedy & notes

Fontaine will notify owners and dealers will replace the diffuser with one of a different shape and design, free of charge. Owners may contact Fontaine at 1-800-366-8246.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Visibility

Aug 13, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V349000 · 17,824 vehicles

Problem: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 VAH, VHD, VNL, and VNM trucks manufactured February 1, 2010, through September 30, 2010 and June 1, 2011, through November 30, 2011. The windshield wiper motor may fail.

Risk: Inoperable wipers may result in poor driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Volvo will notify owners and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor, free of charge. The recallbegan on December 6, 2013. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-336-393-2000. Volvo's recall number is RVXX1304.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Power Train

Jun 26, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V268000 · 23,056 vehicles

Problem: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2007-2014 VAH, VHD, VNL, VNM, and VT models. The affected vehicles were built without a redundant clutch disengagement switch. Without a redundant switch, a loss of signal from the brake air pressure switch can prevent the clutch from automatically disengaging when the brake is applied.

Risk: Without a signal to disengage the clutch when the brakes are applied, the distance required to stop the truck may lengthen, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & notes

Volvo Trucks will notify owners and dealers will inspect and repair the vehicles if necessary. The recall began on August 26, 2013. Volvo's recall number is RVXX1303. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-336-393-2000.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

NHTSA investigations

Discrepancies in Required CFR Reporting

AQ18005 · opened Oct 22, 2018 · closed Aug 4, 2023
Summary

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 o…

Stop Lamp Switch Signal

PE13002 · opened Feb 7, 2013 · closed Jul 3, 2013 · led to recall 13V268000
Summary

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 …

2012 vs. other Volvo Vah years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2012. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2012 Volvo Vah have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns covering the 2012 Volvo Vah, the latest from Oct 13, 2015 (trailer hitches). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Volvo Vah?

Few complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Volvo Vah.