HEADSUP/USDOT Announces Unrepaired Recalled Volvo Trucks Are to Be Immediately Placed Out of Service

On March 23, 2016, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in collaboration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), determined that vehicles subject to Volvo Trucks’ Safety Recall (NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report No. 16V-097000) that have not already received the interim or permanent recall remedy repair specified by Volvo in the recall and are still operating on the nation’s roadways are in an unsafe condition and should not be operated. Such vehicles are to be immediately ordered out of service by federal and state roadside safety inspectors.

On March 10, 2016, Volvo Trucks North America announced the recall of certain model year 2016-2017 VNL, VNX and VNM trucks manufactured from May 11, 2015, through March 8, 2016. The recall affects nearly 20,000 Class 8 motor vehicles.

The trucks may have been manufactured without a roll pin on the steering shaft. If the roll pin is missing, the lower steering shaft may disconnect from the junction block. Also, the bolt connecting the upper steering shaft to the lower steering shaft may not have been properly tightened. Either condition can lead to separation of the steering shaft without warning, resulting in a complete loss of steering, which may lead to a crash.

On March 18, 2016, FMCSA issued an Urgent Inspection Bulletin advising operators and carriers of recalled vehicles to take the vehicles out of service immediately and contact Volvo Customer Support at 1-877-800-4945 (Option 1).

FMCSA’s declaration is not intended to provide a basis for further enforcement action, but seeks only the immediate cessation of the unrepaired, unsafe trucks. Operators of vehicles declared out of service must comply; violating a federal out-of-service order may result in civil penalties as well as criminal prosecution. CVSA encourages carriers/operators to maintain copies of receipts for any interim or permanent repairs to facilitate verification at roadside.

If a federal or state inspector, auditor, or investigator identifies one of these vehicles being operated, the inspector should conduct a Level IV Inspection following this inspection procedure. As shown in the inspection procedure, if the vehicle is subject to the recall and one of the two authorized repairs has not been completed, the carrier should be cited for a violation of 49 C.F.R. § 393.209 (c), and the vehicle should be placed out of service.


http://cvsa.informz.net/informzdata...9NTQ1OTk5NyZzdWJzY3JpYmVyaWQ9MTA1ODI2OTY4Mw==

 

Thank you admin was not sure where to post this important information too.