NHTSA Complaint #10060442 — 1998 VOLVO 770

CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD NOT ENGAGE AS DESIGNED. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IT FAILED. TWICE IN TRAFFIC AND ONE AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. USED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO ENGAGE, FOR IT WOULD ENGAGE AFTER REPEATED STOMPING ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL. HOWEVER, THE LAST TIME IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE, I USED BOTH FEET TOO ENGAGE IT, HOPING THAT THE FOR TO MENTIONED WOULD OCCUR, IT DID NOT. THE ENTIRE CLUTCH PLATE ON THE FIRE WALL BROKE. THIS LED TO THE SUDDEN COLLAPSE OF THE PEDAL WHICH SLAMMED INTO THE FLOOR AND SNAPPED BOTH KNEES AND BUCKLED MY LEFT HIP WHICH I NOW HAVE RECURRING INJURIES WHICH HAS NOW FORCED ME TO LEAVE THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY. THE SHOP SUPERVISOR EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL VOLVO TRUCKS AND HE HAS HAD TO REPLACE THEM FOR THE CYLINDER THAT CONTROLS THE CLUTCH LEVER RODS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RUST AND OTHER CONTAINMENTS WHICH CAN CAUSE THE LEVEL ROD THAT CONTROL THE CLUTCH PEDAL TOO FREEZE UP, WHICH STOPS THE CLUTCH FROM ENGAGING. THIS IS CAUSED BY THE CYLINDER HAVING TOO MUCH OPEN SPACE ON THE TOP BEFORE A RUBBER SEAL WHICH IS LOWER INSIDE TO STOP THE RUST, WATER, AND CONTANIMENTS FROM CAUSEING PROBLEMS WITH CLUTCH OPERATION. VOLVO HAS A REPLACEMENT FOR THIS AND DID IN FACT REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER CORRECTED CYLINDER AT THE TIME OF MY INJURIES.*AK