The Volvo FE has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1988–1998. On average a defect was admitted 3.69 years after the car was built, the slowest took 12 years. The most recalled system is Service Brakes, Air (3 campaigns).
What was recalled on the Volvo FE
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Service Brakes, Air 3 Read
What's wrong. The traction solenoid exhaust can be obstructed due to inadequate drainage and a build-up of road contamination between the mounting bracket and the solenoid housing. The obstructed exhaust prevents the relay valve control air pressure from venting after a differential braking traction event
Risk. This condition would keep the rear axle service brakes applied without any brake pedal movement by the driver increasing the risk of a vehicle accident
Fix. Dealers will remove the suspect valve and install a new valve that has a modified solenoid housing which will allow for sufficient drainage and a new valve mounting bracket with increased height to reduce entry of contamination
What's wrong. Air system blockage in the air dryer occurs degrading the moisture removing capabilities of the dryer when the vehicle is operated in a cold environment and moisture accumulates and freezes in the air dryer or in the line between the dryer and the air system reservoir. The air dryer can become overpressurized causing the air dryer cartridge to separate from the mounting base
Risk. If the air dryer separates from the base, the cartridgecan separate sufficiently enough to cause personal injury or property damage
Fix. Dealers will equip air systems with a pressure relief valve to be located between the compressor and the air dryer. This pressure relief valve is intended to vent if excessive pressure develops in the air dryer
What's wrong. The traction solenoid exhaust can be obstructed due to inadequate drainage and a build-up of road contamination between the mounting bracket and the solenoid housing. The obstructed exhaust prevents the relay valve control air pressure from venting after a differential braking traction event
Risk. This condition would keep the rear axle service brakes applied without any brake pedal movement by the driver increasing the risk of a vehicle accident
Fix. Dealers will remove the suspect valve and install a new valve that has a modified solenoid housing which will allow for sufficient drainage and a new valve mounting bracket with increased height to reduce entry of contamination
Suspension 2 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: class 8 heavy duty trucks. The air suspension control valve supply line was not plumbed through an air pressure protection valve. In the event of a failure, there would be loss of air pressure in the 'b' system air reservoir that supplies air pressure for the front steer axle brakes
Risk. This condition would result in increased stopping distances
Fix. Dealers will install the necessary air pressure protection valve
What's wrong. Vehicle description: class 8 heavy duty trucks. The air suspension control valve supply line was not plumbed through an air pressure protection valve. In the event of a failure, there would be loss of air pressure in the 'b' system air reservoir that supplies air pressure for the front steer axle brakes
Risk. This condition would result in increased stopping distances
Fix. Dealers will install the necessary air pressure protection valve
What's wrong. Vehicle description: class 8 heavy duty trucks. The air suspension control valve supply line was not plumbed through an air pressure protection valve. In the event of a failure, there would be loss of air pressure in the 'b' system air reservoir that supplies air pressure for the front steer axle brakes
Risk. This condition would result in increased stopping distances
Fix. Dealers will install the necessary air pressure protection valve
Steering 2 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: heavy duty class 8 vehicles built with a volvo 5.7 (12,500 lbs) front steering axle. Due to hydrogen embrittlement, the front steering axle king pins could have broken during assembly. Continued operation of a vehicle with a broken king pin could allow the pin to work loose
Risk. This condition can cause erratic steering resulting in loss of steering control increasing the potential for a vehicle accident
Fix. Dealers will inspect the vehicles for a broken king pin and replace the king pins if broken
What's wrong. Two bolts attaching the upper steering arm to the front steering axle were not tightened properly
Risk. The bolts could loosen increasing the potential for loss of steering control and an accident
Fix. Dealers will install new bolts and tighten to proper torque specification
Seat Belts 2 Read
What's wrong. The safety belt buckle assembly can get caught in the seat suspension mechanism. The movement of the air suspension seat could cause the safety belt buckle tether cable to fray
Risk. Fraying of the safety belt buckle tether cable couldresult in failure of the cable and increased risk of injury to seat occupantin an accident
Fix. Replace the safety belt buckle assembly with a new design buckle assembly
What's wrong. Vehicle description: heavy duty trucks. The steel braided tether of the safety belt buckle is deformed and can possibly be cracked. This happens as the seats are being moved on the sliding rail, at the same time they are often caught and pinched under the seat frames
Risk. In the event of a vehicle crash, the seat occupant may not be properly restrained increasing the risk of personal injury
Fix. Dealers will inspect and replace seat belt buckles with the cable tether
What's wrong. The safety belt buckle assembly can get caught in the seat suspension mechanism. The movement of the air suspension seat could cause the safety belt buckle tether cable to fray
Risk. Fraying of the safety belt buckle tether cable couldresult in failure of the cable and increased risk of injury to seat occupantin an accident
Fix. Replace the safety belt buckle assembly with a new design buckle assembly
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 1 Read
What's wrong. The rear most axle of the tandem axle set could have inoperable brakes on one or both wheels because the brake s-cam was incorrectly installed
Risk. This condition could cause increased stopping distance increasing the potential for a vehicle accident
Fix. Dealers will inspect the brake system and repair the s-cam assembly if found reversed
Trailer Hitches 1 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: heavy duty class 8 trucks equipped with fontaine fifth wheel assemblies, models sl5wms6125, sl5wms7125, sl5wms8125, sl5wms9125, sl5wms10125, sl5apm6125, sl5apm7125, slapm8125, sl5apm9125, sl5apm10125, sl5wms-d, sl5apm-d, and sl5bps-d. Improper installation of the fifth wheel assembly can cause cracking of the fifth wheel mounting plate
Risk. Under the trailer loading, the mounting plate could eventually fail due to fatigue
Fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the mounting plates that are cracked
What's wrong. Vehicle description: heavy duty class 8 trucks equipped with fontaine fifth wheel assemblies, models sl5wms6125, sl5wms7125, sl5wms8125, sl5wms9125, sl5wms10125, sl5apm6125, sl5apm7125, slapm8125, sl5apm9125, sl5apm10125, sl5wms-d, sl5apm-d, and sl5bps-d. Improper installation of the fifth wheel assembly can cause cracking of the fifth wheel mounting plate
Risk. Under the trailer loading, the mounting plate could eventually fail due to fatigue
Fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the mounting plates that are cracked
What's wrong. Vehicle description: heavy duty class 8 trucks equipped with fontaine fifth wheel assemblies, models sl5wms6125, sl5wms7125, sl5wms8125, sl5wms9125, sl5wms10125, sl5apm6125, sl5apm7125, slapm8125, sl5apm9125, sl5apm10125, sl5wms-d, sl5apm-d, and sl5bps-d. Improper installation of the fifth wheel assembly can cause cracking of the fifth wheel mounting plate
Risk. Under the trailer loading, the mounting plate could eventually fail due to fatigue
Fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the mounting plates that are cracked
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 3.69 years |
| Slowest campaign | 12 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 37.1% |
| Campaigns on record | 11 |
Which FE years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Suspension | |
| 1997 | Suspension | |
| 1996 | Steering | |
| 1995 | Service Brakes, Air | |
| 1994 | Service Brakes, Air | |
| 1993 | Trailer Hitches | |
| 1992 | Trailer Hitches | |
| 1991 | Trailer Hitches | |
| 1990 | Trailer Hitches | |
| 1989 | Trailer Hitches | |
| 1988 | Trailer Hitches |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Volvo FE have?
11 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1988–1998. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my FE still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 3.69 years, and the slowest campaign came 12 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.