The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently issued recall notices for commercial vehicles, including brands from Ford and Volvo Trucks.
Owners of the affected vehicles should be contacted via U.S. mail over the next two months, but fleet and independent owners of these vehicles can contact the NHTSA Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 or visit nhtsa.gov for more details. More information on each recall can be found below.
Ford Transit models may have inadequate rear axle lubrication
Ford is recalling certain 2023-2024 Ford Transit vehicles. An inadequate amount of rear axle lubricant may cause rear axle tail bearing damage and seizure, resulting in wheel lock-up or driveshaft separation. Wheel lock-up or driveshaft separation can result in a loss of drive power. A disconnected driveshaft can also result in a rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake applied. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
This recall potentially affects 77,584 vehicles. Dealers will inspect the rear axle and replace the axle bearings or axle assembly as necessary. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 4. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S05.
See also: Scaling up: Ecolab to electrify fleet with Ford Pro
Steering gear shafts on some VNL and VNR models could fracture
Volvo Trucks North America is recalling certain 2024-2025 VNL and VNR vehicles. The steering gear sector shaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which can cause the gear teeth to crack or fracture. A fractured steering gear shaft can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the crash risk.
This recall potentially affects 45 vehicles. Dealers will inspect the serial numbers and replace the steering gears as necessary. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 15. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks customer service at 800-528-6586. Volvo Truck's number for this recall is RVXX2401.