Volvo trucks that were subject to a recall two weeks ago are now in worse shape—the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared today that they are so unsafe that they must be taken off the road immediately.
Nearly 16,000 vehicles in the U.S. are affected. The recall is for 2016-2017 VNL, VNX and VIM trucks, manufactured from May 11, 2015 through March 8, 2016, which may have been manufactured without a roll pin in the steering shaft. Without the roll pin, the lower steering shaft can disconnect from the junction block, causing a “complete loss of steering, which may lead to a crash,” the FMCSA said in a statement.
In addition, the bolt connecting the upper and lower steering shafts may not be properly tightened. This can also cause the disconnection of the steering shaft and is a crash risk.
The FMCSA is ordering commercial vehicle operators that vehicles that are not repaired “be subject to an immediate out of service order.”
Dow Jones Business News is reporting that more than 13,000 trucks in the U.S. and Canada have already been taken out of service and 6,300 of those repaired. The company sent instructions to drivers' dashboard displays today telling them to contact Volvo.
