A Volvo spokesman says the voluntary recall of 1,577 VN trucks is unrelated to the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s request for a federal investigation of its Class 8 trucks produced between 1989 and 2000.
OOIDA spokesman Todd Spencer says the voluntary recall “addresses some of the same issues” listed in the association’s petition.
Keith Brandis, marketing vice president, says the recall involves trucks manufactured between Nov. 22, 1997 and Aug. 28, 1999. The action relates to the weight rating on the certification label and the distribution of weight on the front axle without the trailer.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will determine by July if an investigation is necessary into OOIDA’s complaint, which represents more than 260 Volvo owners. Most of those allegations concern the truck’s front end, noise and vibration.
Brandis says the OOIDA petition disregards Volvo’s safety record. “It’s a broad sweeping statement against all Volvos and Volvo,” Brandis says.
Christopher Patterson, a Volvo executive vice president, says that about a year ago Volvo contacted a dozen owners and found that maintenance practices caused the problems.
Brandis says Volvo has been trying to locate all the customers on the OOIDA petition. “We’ll step up to our responsibility,” he says.
