VOLVO VN · model year

2006 VOLVO VN

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

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2006VOLVOVN carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 2006 VN is power train:driveline:differential unit with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (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 4 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 2006 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 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
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recalls (4)

05V18200022/04/2005

WHEELS

ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH ACCURIDE ALUMINUM WHEELS, THE WHEELS WERE NOT PROPERLY PRE-STRESSED. THIS ALLOWS CRACKS TO DEVELOP OVER TIME.

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

10V57100012/11/2010

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:SUPPLY:QUICK RELEASE VALVE

VOLVO TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2009 VHD, MODEL YEAR 2006 THROUGH 2010 VN, AND MODEL YEAR 2007 THROUGH 2009 VT TRUCKS MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 7, 2005, THROUGH OCTOBER 30, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH AN AIR RELEASE FIFTH WHEEL. THE INVERSION VALVE ON THE FRAME MAY BE ORIENTATED WHER

05V45700004/10/2005

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH ARVINMERITOR SERIES 145 AND 160 REAR DRIVE AXLES. SOME OF THE SPINDLES WERE OVERHEATED DURING THE HEAT TREAT PROCESS WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FRACTURE OF THE SPINDLE.

Recent Complaints

20100427FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLVO TRACTOR TRAILER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED BURNING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DOUSE THE FIRE USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE PICTURES AVAILABLE OF THE FIRE DAMAGE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 570,000.

Mileage: 570,000

20060807POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT, AND THE TIRES WORE UNEVENLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL SERVICE DEALERS, WHERE SEVERAL ALIGNMENTS WERE PERFORMED. THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED. THE DEALER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

Compare 2006VOLVOVN to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2006 VOLVO VN have?
The 2006 VOLVO VN has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2006 VOLVO VN?
Yes, the 2006 VOLVO VN has 4 recall(s). The most common affected component is WHEELS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 VOLVO VN?
The most-complained component for the 2006 VOLVO VN is POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2006 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.