2020 Volvo Vhd Safety Report

The 2020 Volvo VHD has a unique safety profile, primarily due to its classification as a heavy-duty commercial truck, which means it does not undergo NHTSA's typical passenger vehicle crash testing, resulting in 'N/A' ratings for Overall, Frontal, Side, and Rollover safety. Despite the lack of crash test data, the vehicle has a clean record with 0 total NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported by consumers. This suggests that, from a consumer complaint perspective, the vehicle has not exhibited widespread safety issues. However, the vehicle has been subject to 5 safety recalls, indicating several potential manufacturing or design defects identified by Volvo Trucks North America. These recalls address critical safety components. For instance, one recall (NHTSA ID: 20V-761) pertains to the 'ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE' where electrical noise could affect safety systems like ABS and Electronic Stability Control. Another significant recall (NHTSA ID: 23V-800) addresses 'SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS', where an inadequately attached passenger bench seat could increase injury risk in a crash. The 'SERVICE BRAKES, AIR' recall (NHTSA ID: 20V-082) highlights a risk of a dislodged brake pedal, which could lead to a crash. Further recalls include issues with the 'POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION' (NHTSA ID: 19V-858) where over-tightened t-bolt clasps could cause the air tank to drop, and 'ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS' (NHTSA ID: 19V-859) where a blown transmission fuse could prevent shifting, increasing crash risk. While consumer complaints are absent, these recalls demonstrate proactive identification and remediation of potential safety hazards by the manufacturer. The absence of consumer complaints despite these recalls suggests that either the issues were caught early, or the affected population is small, or the issues have not manifested widely in a way that prompts consumer reporting.

Our recommendation: Given the absence of consumer complaints but the presence of 5 safety recalls, potential buyers should ensure all recall remedies have been performed by a Volvo dealer before purchase. Verify service records to confirm these critical safety issues have been addressed.