The defect
THE EQUALIZING BEAM SHAFT OF THE TANDEM AXLE SUSPENSION WERE MANUFACTURED FROM AS-ROLLED SAE4140 STEEL RATHER THAN THE SPECIFIED ANNEALED SAE4140. THESE SHAFTS CAN FRACTURE INSIDE THE BEAM AT THE TOE OF THE WELD.
The risk
VEHICLES ARE SUBJECT TO VEHICLE TILT AND POSSIBLE ROLLOVER IN THE EVENT THAT BOTH EQUALIZING BEAMS, ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, EXPERIENCE A SIMULTANEOUS SHAFT FAILURE. AFFECTED SUSPENSIONS CAN ALSO DROP AND CONTACT THE ROAD SURFACE GENERATING SPARKS WHICH COULD IGNITE FLAMMABLE MATERIAL.
The remedy
OWNER NOTIFICATION IS BEING CONDUCTED BY NEWAY ANCHORLOK. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE ALL SUSPENSION SUSPENSION BEAMS WITH SUSPENSION BEAMS CONTAINING APPROPRIATE SHAFTS.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Volvo Volvo Truck | 1990, 1996 |
| White GMC | 1995, 1996 |
Components: SUSPENSION
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volvo Volvo Truck | 1990 | 1 | 1 |
| Volvo Volvo Truck | 1996 | 5 | 3 |
| White GMC | 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| White GMC | 1996 | 0 | 1 |
Other suspension recalls in 1996
25 of the 297 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1996 concerned the suspension; VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC filed 58 campaigns in all.
| 96V252000 18 Dec 1996 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY |
| 96V233004 2 Dec 1996 | VOLVO TRUCKS NORTH AMERICA INC |
| 96V240000 27 Nov 1996 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 96V233002 22 Nov 1996 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
| 96V233003 20 Nov 1996 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 96V227001 15 Nov 1996 | ELDORADO NATIONAL |
| 96V188000 25 Sept 1996 | KARAVAN TRAILERS |
| 96V124006 10 Sept 1996 | MAXIM TRUCK COMPANY, INC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1996