VOLVO VN · model year

2005 VOLVO VN

3 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005VOLVOVN carries 3 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 2005 VN is electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers with 1 filings, followed by exterior lighting:brake lights:switch (1) and exterior lighting (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 2 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 2005 VN. 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.

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

3 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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1

Recalls (2)

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

05V31100007/07/2005

SUSPENSION

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 TRUCKS, EQUIPPED WITH HOLLAND AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEMS, A TRANSVERSE BEAM CASTING MAY FRACTURE UNDER NORMAL LOADS. IF A CASTING BREAKS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING ON A ROADWAY THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR PIECES OF THE CASTING TO BECOME PROJECTILES AND THE SUSPENSION?S T

Recent Complaints

20120115EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE VOLVO VN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS HAVE A LOW BEAM LIGHTING SYSTEM THAT IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE. THESE LIGHTS ARE MUCH TOO DIM AND WHEN THE DEALERSHIPS ARE CONFRONTED WITH THIS, THEY ONLY WANT TO SELL AN ENTIRE NEW LIGHTING UNIT. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND THE COMPANY SEEMS TO BE USING THIS AS A "CASH COW".

20070322ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO VN. THE TRACTOR TRAILERS DID NOT HAVE CIRCUIT BREAKERS WHICH CAUSED THE FUSE TO BLOW AND THE BRAKE LIGHT NOT TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *AK

20070322EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO VN. THE TRACTOR TRAILERS DID NOT HAVE CIRCUIT BREAKERS WHICH CAUSED THE FUSE TO BLOW AND THE BRAKE LIGHT NOT TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *AK

Compare 2005VOLVOVN to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 VOLVO VN have?
The 2005 VOLVO VN has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 VOLVO VN?
Yes, the 2005 VOLVO VN has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is SEAT BELTS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 VOLVO VN?
The most-complained component for the 2005 VOLVO VN is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH and EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 2005 VOLVO VN 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.