Total Complaints
1 filings
VOLVO VNL · model year
2002 VOLVO VNL
1 NHTSA complaints, and 7 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002VOLVOVNL carries 1 consumer safety complaint 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 2002 VNL is service brakes, air with 1 filings. 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 2002 VNL. 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.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 1 |
Recalls (7)
03V20400030/05/2003
TRAILER HITCHES:FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY
ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH JOST INTERNATIONAL JSK 37U SERIES FIFTH WHEELS, A FATIGUE CRACK CAN DEVELOP IN THE BRACKET PIN WELD UNDER CERTAIN LOADING CONDITIONS.
03V19900028/05/2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH TRUCK HUB UNITS MANUFACTURED BY SKF EXCLUSIVELY FOR USE ON ARVINMERITOR'S FF98X SERIES NON-DRIVE STEER AXLES, THE HUB UNIT BEARINGS CAN WEAR PREMATURELY.
10V28200024/06/2010
STEERING:LINKAGES:DRAG:LINK:CONNECTION
VOLVO TRUCKS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2006 VNL AND VNM TRUCKS MANUFACTURED WITH A TRW SEALED DRAG LINKS. CERTAIN FACTORS CAN EXIST, WHICH IF LEFT UNTREATED MAY RESULT IN A BALL SOCKET SEPARATION.
03V26000022/07/2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTED TO THE CHASSIS MOUNTED ELECTRICAL INVERTER MAY ALLOW WATER TO ENTER THE INVERTER AND CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE INVERTER.
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.
03V51600010/12/2003
EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
ON CERTAIN HEAVY-DUTY TRUCKS, WHEN THE BUNK IS RAISED INTO THE STORED POSITION, AN OBJECT LEFT ON THE BUNK MAY INADVERTENTLY TURN ON A BUNK LAMP.
02V23800009/09/2002
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS:SWITCH
CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY CLASS 8 TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE TWO TAIL LAMPS, BACK-UP LAMP,AND LICENSE TAG LAMP WERE MOUNTED ON INSUFFICIENTLY RIGID MOUNTS.
Recent Complaints
20050714SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
DT: CALLER HAD A HEAVY DUTY TRUCK. CALLER SAID HE COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY IF THE BRAKES FAILED. CALLER HAD IT IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER TOLD HIM THEY COULD NOT FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. MANUFACTURER SAID TO TAKE IT TO A LOCAL DEALER, WHO GUESSED AT WHAT WAS WRONG AND REPLACED PARTS, BUT THEY NEVER SOLVED THE PROBLEM.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE JAKE BRAKE WAS VERY WEAK. UPDATED 12/07/05 *JB
Mileage: 159,000
Compare 2002VOLVOVNL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 VOLVO VNL have?▼
The 2002 VOLVO VNL has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2002 VOLVO VNL?▼
Yes, the 2002 VOLVO VNL has 7 recall(s). The most common affected component is TRAILER HITCHES:FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 VOLVO VNL?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 VOLVO VNL is SERVICE BRAKES, AIR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2002 VOLVO VNL 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.