Owners have filed 12 complaints
about the 2018 Volvo VNL with NHTSA between 2018 and 2023.
The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain.
Across this model's run it ranks 5 of 8 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 42
Against the median year of the Volvo VNL. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
50% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 17
10% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2018 Volvo VNL
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Transmission & Drivetrain
325.0%
Median failure at 537,850 miles
Acceleration & Cruise Control
216.7%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 387,000 mi
Steering
216.7%
Median failure at 150,312 miles
Fuel & Propulsion
18.3%
Median failure at 537,850 miles
Brakes
18.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 200,000 mi
Airbags
18.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 200,000 mi
Electrical System
18.3%
Engine & Cooling
18.3%
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
110.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
110.0%
150,000+ miles
880.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Sep 2018peak 3Feb 2023
Recalls on the 2018 Volvo VNL
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 2021120283 units in Canada
Lights And Instruments
Issue: On certain trucks, when the manual override is used to switch off the daytime running lamps (DRLs), the lights may not turn on again when you start driving. Canadian regulations require that if DRLs are manually turned off, they must turn on again when you start driving. Safety Risk: Driving without daytime running lights could make the vehicle less visible to others and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Volvo Trucks will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your truck to a dealer to update the vehicle software.
Recall 20203068 units in Canada
Suspension
Issue: On certain trucks, the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for rear drive axles exceeds the load rating of the wheel hubs. This could cause the hubs to fail prematurely. If this happens, a wheel could separate from the truck. Safety Risk: A wheel separation could increase the risk of a crash. A wheel that detaches from a vehicle could also create a hazard for other drivers and nearby people. Corrective Actions: Volvo will notify owners by mail and provide them with a new compliance label that has a lower GAWR.
Recall 2019330265 units in Canada
Powertrain
Issue: On certain trucks, the fuse for the transmission electrical circuit may have a lower rating than what is required. As a result, the fuse could blow while driving. This could cause the transmission not to shift. Safety Risk: A transmission that does not shift properly could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Volvo will notify owners by mail and instruct them to take their truck to a dealer to install the correct fuse.
Recall 20191442,754 units in Canada
Structure
Issue: On certain vehicles, the sleeper bunk window may not be properly attached. This could cause the window to separate from the vehicle. Safety Risk: If the window separates, it could fall and become a hazard for road users and bystanders. This could create a risk of injury and/or a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to have the hinge on the sleeper bunk window replaced.
Recall 201902165 units in Canada
Powertrain
Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with an Eaton automated manual transmission and electronic clutch actuator (ECA), a manufacturing problem could cause the clutch to fail. If this occurs, the broken clutch components could prevent the transmission from disengaging or shifting to neutral. Safety Risk: If the transmission does not disengage, the vehicle could move unexpectedly, even if the parking brake is applied. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to update the Transmission Control Module (TCM) software.
Recall 2018532258 units in Canada
Fuel System
On certain trucks built with a Cummins X15 or ISX15 engine equipped with nylon fuel lines and a banjo bolt on the fuel pump, a blockage in the fuel cooling system may cause a fuel line to burst. This could result in a significant fuel leak onto the roadway, which would create a road hazard for other motorists. Additionally, this condition could also cause an engine stall without warning, without the ability to restart the engine. Both of these conditions may increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Cummins-authorized dealers will replace the affected nylon line with a steel line.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 200,000 milesWalbridge, OHCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
A PRIOR WRECK HAPPEN SEMI TRUCK TRAILER CROSS MEDIAN AND LAY OVER BLOCKING ALL MY LANES IN THE DARK ON 09/10/18 TIME 0040 HRS RAINING WIPER ON . DID NOT SEE IT TILL FINAL SECONDS ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER FACING ME ON THE GROUND I DROVE THRU THE ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER WITH A LOAD OF CANDY IN IT AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF , EARLY WARNING DISTANCE SENSOR DID NOT GO OFF EXTREME DAMAGE TO FRONT HOOD , CAB AREA MAYBE WITH THE TRAILER IN A ANGLE HIT AND ROOF FACING ME SENSORS DID NOT GO OFF VEHICLE ???
NHTSA complaint #11131041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 200,000 milesWalbridge, OHCrash1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
A PRIOR WRECK HAPPEN SEMI TRUCK TRAILER CROSS MEDIAN AND LAY OVER BLOCKING ALL MY LANES IN THE DARK ON 09/10/18 TIME 0040 HRS RAINING WIPER ON . DID NOT SEE IT TILL FINAL SECONDS ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER FACING ME ON THE GROUND I DROVE THRU THE ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER WITH A LOAD OF CANDY IN IT AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF , EARLY WARNING DISTANCE SENSOR DID NOT GO OFF EXTREME DAMAGE TO FRONT HOOD , CAB AREA MAYBE WITH THE TRAILER IN A ANGLE HIT AND ROOF FACING ME SENSORS DID NOT GO OFF VEHICLE ???
NHTSA complaint #11131041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 200,000 milesWalbridge, OHCrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES
A PRIOR WRECK HAPPEN SEMI TRUCK TRAILER CROSS MEDIAN AND LAY OVER BLOCKING ALL MY LANES IN THE DARK ON 09/10/18 TIME 0040 HRS RAINING WIPER ON . DID NOT SEE IT TILL FINAL SECONDS ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER FACING ME ON THE GROUND I DROVE THRU THE ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER WITH A LOAD OF CANDY IN IT AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF , EARLY WARNING DISTANCE SENSOR DID NOT GO OFF EXTREME DAMAGE TO FRONT HOOD , CAB AREA MAYBE WITH THE TRAILER IN A ANGLE HIT AND ROOF FACING ME SENSORS DID NOT GO OFF VEHICLE ???
NHTSA complaint #11131041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 600,000 milesOntario, CA
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2018 Volvo VNL Truck. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was lunging forward and failed to properly respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no additional information provided. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the power train warning light illuminated a week later. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 600,000.
NHTSA complaint #11508392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 537,850 milesOntario, CA
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a Volvo 2018 VNL64 Commercial vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle would shut down while driving at various speeds. There was no further information provided. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the high pressure fuel pump filter, the differential pressure sensor, the rear wire harness were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing transmission failures and would fail to respond intermittently while reversing. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 537,850.
NHTSA complaint #11508399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 537,850 milesOntario, CA
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a Volvo 2018 VNL64 Commercial vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle would shut down while driving at various speeds. There was no further information provided. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the high pressure fuel pump filter, the differential pressure sensor, the rear wire harness were replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing transmission failures and would fail to respond intermittently while reversing. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 537,850.
NHTSA complaint #11508399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 574,000 milesClear Brook, VA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:THROTTLE
The contact owns a 2018 Volvo VNL. The contact stated that while approaching a stop, the clutch failed to disengage. The contact also stated that after decelerating, he depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle rolled back. The contact stated that the check warning light illuminated, indicating to check the transmission at the next stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and produced code: DTC-P107538 (Throttle Actuator Control Module) however, the contact was informed by the dealer that the clutch needed to fail 5 more times before the vehicle would be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 574,000.
NHTSA complaint #11499899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 300,000 milesLeander, TX
STEERING
2019 COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT UNEVEN WEARING OF THE FRONT TIRES THEY CHECKED ALIGNMENT THEN SAME COMPLAINT IN MARCH 2020 NO DEFECTS FIND THEN IN JULY 02 2020 I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF VIBRATION , AFTER INSPECTION THEY FOUND PLASTIC BUSHINGS FOR BOTH KINGPINS WORN OUT AND REPLACED AS WHOLE SETS. MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT PREMATURE FAILURE COMPONENTS AT 300000 MILES DUE TO USE OF PLASTIC BUSHINGS BY MANUFACTURER. TRUCK WAS USED ON HIGHWAYS NOT AS A VOCATIONAL TRUCK
NHTSA complaint #11338922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lake IN THE Hills, IL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE WORKING NOT PROPERLY AND SHAKING!!!ITS HAPPENED IN 2019 !!! NOW THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN!!!
NHTSA complaint #11318728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lake IN THE Hills, IL
ENGINE
ENGINE WORKING NOT PROPERLY AND SHAKING!!!ITS HAPPENED IN 2019 !!! NOW THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN!!!
NHTSA complaint #11318728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 99,421 milesLAS Vegas, NV
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLVO VNL. WHILE DRIVING 57-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE DRIVESHAFT TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,421.
NHTSA complaint #11182763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 625 milesPaducah, KY
STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL ON ALL NEW 2018 VOLVO VNL760 TRACTORS IS PAINFUL TO USE, IMPOSSIBLE TO GRIP PROPERLY, AND HAS A MIS-FUNCTIONING TURN SIGNAL LEVER. PLEASE SEE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=8LT4MCUVUCG
NHTSA complaint #11164980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 200,000 milesWalbridge, OHCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
A PRIOR WRECK HAPPEN SEMI TRUCK TRAILER CROSS MEDIAN AND LAY OVER BLOCKING ALL MY LANES IN THE DARK ON 09/10/18 TIME 0040 HRS RAINING WIPER ON . DID NOT SEE IT TILL FINAL SECONDS ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER FACING ME ON THE GROUND I DROVE THRU THE ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER WITH A LOAD OF CANDY IN IT AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF , EARLY WARNING DISTANCE SENSOR DID NOT GO OFF EXTREME DAMAGE TO FRONT HOOD , CAB AREA MAYBE WITH THE TRAILER IN A ANGLE HIT AND ROOF FACING ME SENSORS DID NOT GO OFF VEHICLE ???
NHTSA complaint #11131041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 200,000 milesWalbridge, OHCrash1 injured
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
A PRIOR WRECK HAPPEN SEMI TRUCK TRAILER CROSS MEDIAN AND LAY OVER BLOCKING ALL MY LANES IN THE DARK ON 09/10/18 TIME 0040 HRS RAINING WIPER ON . DID NOT SEE IT TILL FINAL SECONDS ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER FACING ME ON THE GROUND I DROVE THRU THE ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER WITH A LOAD OF CANDY IN IT AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF , EARLY WARNING DISTANCE SENSOR DID NOT GO OFF EXTREME DAMAGE TO FRONT HOOD , CAB AREA MAYBE WITH THE TRAILER IN A ANGLE HIT AND ROOF FACING ME SENSORS DID NOT GO OFF VEHICLE ???
NHTSA complaint #11131041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 200,000 milesWalbridge, OHCrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES
A PRIOR WRECK HAPPEN SEMI TRUCK TRAILER CROSS MEDIAN AND LAY OVER BLOCKING ALL MY LANES IN THE DARK ON 09/10/18 TIME 0040 HRS RAINING WIPER ON . DID NOT SEE IT TILL FINAL SECONDS ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER FACING ME ON THE GROUND I DROVE THRU THE ROOF OF SEMI TRAILER WITH A LOAD OF CANDY IN IT AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF , EARLY WARNING DISTANCE SENSOR DID NOT GO OFF EXTREME DAMAGE TO FRONT HOOD , CAB AREA MAYBE WITH THE TRAILER IN A ANGLE HIT AND ROOF FACING ME SENSORS DID NOT GO OFF VEHICLE ???
NHTSA complaint #11131041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.