Update: Volvo Recalls Electric Trucks Over Battery Fire Risk
Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks on August 7, 2023, announced that the companies are recalling nearly all the battery-powered electric trucks they manufactured since 2019 for a potential issue that can lead to a battery fire, according to FreightWaves [1.].
This recall affects 173 Volvo and nine Mack vehicles built between April 1, 2019, and Feb. 10, 2023, marking the 4th recall for the electric trucks since they entered series production in 2022.
The latest recalls for the 2 Volvo Group brands are related to an over-torquing of a buss bar, which is an electrical junction used for collecting electric power from the incoming feeders and distributing it to the outgoing feeders.
Over-torquing of a rivet nut can cause shearing that results in debris in the battery pack. That could lead to a short inside the battery pack, increasing the risk of a fire, according to the NHTSA. Volvo said insufficient process controls in assembly tooling and in the battery assembly rework were the cause of the problem.
On July 5, 2023, Volvo was made aware that a battery shipped to its Virginia assembly plant had a non-spreading fire inside a Generation 3 Akasol battery. That discovery triggered a safety investigation and a stop-delivery order on July 12.
The NHTSA recall for Volvo is 23V-512.
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What's the Problem?
According to the NHTSA Recall Notice, this recall affects Volvo VNL and VNR trucks from model years 2020-2021.
The steering gear fasteners on affected trucks may have not been properly tightened, NHTSA said. The loose fasteners may result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Volvo is notifying owners and dealers will tighten the steering gear fasteners to specification, free of charge. This recall began on May 29, 2020.
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Do I Have a Volvo Trucks Recall Lawsuit?
The Product Liability Litigation Group at Schmidt & Clark, LLP law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Volvo Trucks Recall Lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new injury and death cases in all 50 states.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a recalled Volvo truck, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.