NHTSA Complaint #10137044 — 2004 VOLVO VHD

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 FROM THE HUB. THE LEFT REAR HUB ASSEMBLY WAS INVOLVED IN THIS EPISODE. PART NUMBER OF HUB IS VOLVO PART # 20478408 RIGHT REAR VOLVO PART # 20478407 LEFT REAR 3. THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE DONE TO CORRECT THE LUG FAILURE. A. THE OLD LUGS WAS REPLACE ALSO 2 RIMS, OIL SEAL B. THE OLD LUGS WERE REPLACED, REPLACED HUB 2 RIMS 2 TIRES, SHOCK AND OIL SEAL C. THE OLD LUGS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED. THE DEALER IS O'CONNELL BASED IN MAINE. VOLVO WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT INCIDENT #1. VOLVO WAS CONTACTED ABOUT INCIDENT #2 AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF VOLVO COMPENSATED DAHN TIBBETT FOR THE COST OF PARTS ONLY, ADMITTING NO STRUCTURAL FAILURE OCCURED.VOLVE WAS INFORMED OF INCIDENT #3 AND VOLVO HAS SAID THAT THEY HAVE NO LIABILITY IN THIS INCIDENT. *JB