VOLVO VHD · model year

2004 VOLVO VHD

4 NHTSA complaints, and 7 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2004VOLVOVHD carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2004 VHD is structure with 1 filings, followed by visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:exterior (1) and engine and engine cooling (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 7 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 28 investigation files overlapping the 2004 VHD. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

4 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STRUCTURE1
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS1

Recalls (7)

18V76600030/10/2018

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo) is recalling certain 2004-2019 Volvo VHD trucks equipped with snow plow lamp preparation kits. The snow plow headlights can be turned on without other exterior lights, and high beam indicator will not work when the snow plow high beams are on. As such, these vehicl

06V02100026/01/2006

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH D12D ENGINES, THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION (EGR) COOLER INLET PIPES OR THE PIPES THAT CONNECT THE EGR VALVES TO THE COOLER MAY CRACK OR BREAK.

09V17300021/05/2009

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

VOLVO TRUCKS IS RECALLING 127,764 MY 2001-2008 VHD, VNL, VNM, AND MY 2005-2008 VT TRUCKS. A SEAL MAY FAIL ALLOWING WATER AND CONTAMINANTS TO SEEP INTO THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR.

12V51000018/10/2012

SEAT BELTS

Volvo is recalling certain model year 2002-2013 VHD and VN trucks, manufactured from August 4, 2000, through June 22, 2012, and equipped with bench passenger seats. The seat belt d-ring weld may not be sufficient enough to meet the seat belt pull test. Therefore, these vehicles fail to conform to th

04V45700017/09/2004

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH VALEO WIPER SYSTEMS, THE WIPER MOTOR MAY BE SUSCEPTIVE TO SALT INTRUSION THAT COULD POSSIBLY LEAD TO A CONDITION WHERE THE CONNECTOR OVERHEATS TO A POINT WHERE THE CONNECTOR COULD IGNITE.

07V57300014/12/2007

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS, THE CIRCUIT PROTECTION (I.E. AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKERS) USED TO PROTECT THE VEHICLE LIGHTING SYSTEM MAY NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION.

06V21300014/06/2006

WHEELS

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE WHEEL SPACER MAY BECOME DISTORTED FROM HEAT WHICH POTENTIALLY COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF CLAMP THAT MAY RESULT IN LOOSE WHEEL NUTS.

Recent Complaints

20050920WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

1. A TRI AXLE TRUCK OWNED BY DAHN TIBBETT AND MANUFACTURED BY VOLVO MODEL VHD-84F WAS INVOLVED IN THREE SEPARATE FAILURES OF THE WHEEL STUDS WHICH ARE PART OF THE REAR WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY. THE REFERENCED TRUCK WAS USED ON PAVED ROADWAY HAULING OF SAND, LOAM AND AGGREGATE MATERIAL. ALL HAULING WAS DONE WITH LEGAL LOADS THAT WERE WEIGHED ON REGISTERED SCALES. 2. THE THREE FAILURES ARE DESCRIBED IN SEQUENCE. A. THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE PAVED ROAD AND THE STUDS FAILED. THE OWNER DAHN TIBBETT REPLACED THE WHEEL HUB, TWO RIMS AND WHEEL SEAL. THE STUDS THAT FAILED WERE ON THE LEFT REAR HUB. B. THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY WITH A LOAD AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRES BECAME DETACHED FROM THE TRUCK AT A SPEED OF 55 MPH. THE TWO TIRES WERE RECOVERED AND IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE LUGS WERE STILL TIGHTENED AND THE LUGS HAD SHEARED FROM THE HUB. C. THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A SECONDARY PAVED ROAD WITH A LOAD AT A SPEED OF 30 MPH AND SEVEN STUDS SHEARED FR

Mileage: 75,100

20050128ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

ON MAY 9TH, WE PURCHASED A NEW VOLVO V 40 STATION WAGON FROM PUTNAM VOLVO IN BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA. ON MAY 17 2004 THIS BRAND NEW CAR STALLED DEAD WHILE MOVING FORWARD IN TRAFFIC, A WEEK AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY BLEW US OFF AND SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS PROBABLY "BAD GAS." A FEW WEEKS LATER IN JULY 2004 ITT STALLED DEAD AGAIN WHILE MAKING A TURN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION (MILEAGE 3,612). WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! WE TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND SAID IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TWO WEEKS WENT BY AND THE PUTNAM VOLVO DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED IT SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC IN SERVICE LET IT SLIP THAT THEY HAD SEEN 4 OTHER VOLVOS WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE THINK THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS, LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM AND WONDER IF SOMEONE HAS TO DIE BEFORE THIS IS MADE PUBLIC AND CORRECTED. WE HAVE LOST FAITH IN THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR WHICH IS THE SOLE REASON WE PURCHASED A VOLVO. VOLVO FI

Mileage: 3,612

20041210STRUCTURE

WINTER WEATHER, RAIN, SNOW ON HIGHWAY. *AK

20041210VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR

WINTER WEATHER, RAIN, SNOW ON HIGHWAY. *AK

Compare 2004VOLVOVHD to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2004 VOLVO VHD have?
The 2004 VOLVO VHD has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 VOLVO VHD?
Yes, the 2004 VOLVO VHD has 7 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 VOLVO VHD?
The most-complained component for the 2004 VOLVO VHD is STRUCTURE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 2004 VOLVO VHD safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.