1996 Volvo WIA Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other WIA years
- Not enough data 1st of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Volvo WIA. That is the most of any WIA model year in the database (8 years). The most reported problem area is suspension (5 complaints, 63%). Complaints mention 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 8owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Volvo WIA problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 5 | 63% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 50% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 50% | 200,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 38% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Volvo WIA recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:tail lights:switch
Problem: Certain heavy duty class 8 trucks fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the two tail lamps, back-up lamp,and license tag lamp were mounted on insufficiently rigid mounts.
Risk: It may not allow the driver of a rearward approaching vehicle to have full view of the lamps.
Fix: Dealers will attach the two tail lamps, back-up lamp, and the license tap lamp on stiffer brackets. Owner notification began october 31, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volvo trucks at 1-800-528-6586.
Suspension:front:springs:air suspension:lines and fittings
Problem: Vehicle description: class 8 heavy duty trucks. The air suspension control valve supply line was not plumbed through an air pressure protection valve. In the event of a failure, there would be loss of air pressure in the 'b' system air reservoir that supplies air pressure for the front steer axle brakes.
Risk: This condition would result in increased stopping distances.
Fix: Dealers will install the necessary air pressure protection valve.
Suspension:front:hub
Problem: Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks equipped with design level 1, rockwell ff980 series front axle. The front axle hub flange can develop cracks due to high stress levels.
Risk: Cracks in a hub flange can result in a wheel separation.
Fix: Dealers will remove and replace the front hubs with an improved design level 2 hub.
Structure:body
Problem: Warning labels identifying the climbing sequence and process were omitted.
Risk: Persons not using the sequence and process during cab entry or exit or when using the optional back of cab access may slip and/or fall causing personal injury.
Fix: Volvo heavy truck will be providing warning labels to be installed by owners on their trucks.
Suspension:rear
Problem: Vehicle description: class 8 heavy duty vehicles equipped with eaton drive axles and axilok spindle nuts. The drive axle housings consist of a plate steel center section and two forged spindles, one of which is welded to each end of the center section. Each spindle contains a keyway slot in which the locking tab for the wheel bearing nut locking mechanism is inserted. The length of the keyway slot may not be long enough to accommodate the tab causing the tab to be deformed or damaged during installation.
Risk: This locking tab prevents the wheel bearing nut from loosening during vehicle operation. If this tab is deformed, the nut can loosen allowing the wheel to separate from the axle increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will replace the drive axle housing nuts with a conventional wheel nut hardware system.
Service brakes, air
Problem: The traction solenoid exhaust can be obstructed due to inadequate drainage and a build-up of road contamination between the mounting bracket and the solenoid housing. The obstructed exhaust prevents the relay valve control air pressure from venting after a differential braking traction event.
Risk: This condition would keep the rear axle service brakes applied without any brake pedal movement by the driver increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will remove the suspect valve and install a new valve that has a modified solenoid housing which will allow for sufficient drainage and a new valve mounting bracket with increased height to reduce entry of contamination.
Steering:linkages
Problem: Vehicle description: heavy duty class 8 vehicles built with a volvo 5.7 (12,500 lbs) front steering axle. Due to hydrogen embrittlement, the front steering axle king pins could have broken during assembly. Continued operation of a vehicle with a broken king pin could allow the pin to work loose.
Risk: This condition can cause erratic steering resulting in loss of steering control increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for a broken king pin and replace the king pins if broken.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Truck rollover crashes (PE99018) — opened Mar 3, 1999, closed Sep 14, 1999.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 volvo wia. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the steering failed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure…
1996 conventional caught on fire. *ts the fire started in the engine compartment. It was unknown if it was electrical. *jb
Consumer states the truck will not stay aligned, various parts have been replaced to keep the truck aligned such as the tie rod ends, the tires were replaced, shocks, rear torsion bar, right rear air bag, torqued rod arm, replaced rear spring pins, lead springs, u-bolts, air suspension level valve…
Consumer complains of problems with the air conditioner being out. *jg
Consumer states that the wheel bearing in the left side of the front axle has always run much hotter than the other side, secondly, consumer only gets 60,000 to 80,000 miles out of a pair of steer tires which could possibly be a result of premature steer tire wear, there is a problem with the truck…
Other Volvo WIA years
See all Volvo WIA problems by year, every Volvo model, or the Volvo VIN decoder.
Similar Volvo models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Volvo WIA?
Owners most often report suspension, electrical system, steering problems. The top one, suspension, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Volvo WIA?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Volvo WIA a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other WIA model years, the 1996 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.