Volvo Trucks North America and the Western Star brand of Daimler Trucks North America will recall nearly 3,700 trucks between them for separate steering-related issues that could cause a crash.
Neither issue has resulted in any crashes or injuries, according to postings on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.
2020 Volvo VNR and VNL
Volvo Trucks is recalling certain 2020 VNR and VNL vehicles because the steering gear mounting fasteners may be insufficiently tightened, allowing the steering gear to loosen. The affected trucks are equipped with HD94 Sheppard gear variants.
The recalled Class 8 trucks were manufactured from Jan. 1, 2019, through Oct. 17, 2019. Drivers with affected trucks may notice a steering wander or a feeling of looseness in the steering. A total of 2,345 vehicles are in the recall, including 58 in Canada. The NHTSA recall number is 19V-756.
Volvo Trucks planned to notify owners of the recall on Nov. 15. Dealers will inspect and re-torque the steering gear to a higher value or replace the steering gear, if necessary, free of charge. The repair is expected to take about 24 minutes, depending on how busy the dealer is.
2020 Western Star 4700
Separately, Daimler Trucks North America said it was recalling 1,331 Western Star 4700 Class 8 trucks from the 2020 model year because the steering shaft may have been improperly installed. That could potentially cause a loss of connection between the steering wheel and front axle wheels, which could lead to a loss of vehicle control.
Daimler began investigating reports of steering issues in July. By October, the company determined that inspection criteria changes that had gone into effect in January were less clearly defined than previous procedures. The suspect vehicles were manufactured in Cleveland, North Carolina, between Jan. 7 and Oct. 4.
Only two-tenths of 1% of the recalled trucks are suspected to have the issue, Daimler said. Dealers and owners of the trucks will be notified of the recall on Dec. 23. Suspect vehicles will be inspected and, if necessary, repaired for free. The NHTSA recall number is 19V-769.
