Volvo Recalls Thousands of Vehicles for Door Latch and Parking Brake Issues

Volvo Car USA, LLC, and Volvo Trucks North America have initiated recalls for two separate issues affecting a significant number of vehicles. According to reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Volvo Car USA is recalling 2,758 of its 2017 S60L sedan models due to a defect in the side door latches. Separately, Volvo Trucks North America is recalling 800 of its 2024-2027 VNL (4) trucks, specifically those equipped with electronically controlled suspensions and lacking auxiliary parking brakes, due to concerns about insufficient parking brake holding force.

The Volvo S60L recall addresses a defect that can occur when the vehicle is exposed to extreme heat over prolonged periods. This prolonged exposure can weaken the door latch mechanism, potentially causing the retention hook for the pawl spring to break while the door is being opened. The safety risk associated with this defect is the possibility of a door opening unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion, such as during reversing or navigating a roundabout. For unbelted occupants, this scenario carries a heightened risk of injury, and there is also a potential for property damage. While customers may have noticed difficulty in closing the doors, the recall also notes that an open-door warning light on the Driver Information Module will illuminate if the latch fails to secure properly. This recall is an addition to a previous recall, NHTSA No. 19V849 (Volvo Cars recall no. R89978). The remedy for affected S60L models involves replacing all four door latches in both the front and rear doors with new, improved versions at no cost to the customer. Owners who have already paid for this repair out-of-pocket may be eligible for reimbursement. The VINs for these vehicles will be searchable starting January 19, 2026, with dealers notified around February 9, 2026, and owners notified around February 23, 2026.

The recall for Volvo VNL (4) trucks addresses a more serious safety concern related to the parking brake system. The defect arises from an inadequate design for a specific combination of features: vehicles equipped with electronically controlled suspensions and no auxiliary parking brake may experience insufficient parking brake holding force when the vehicle’s weight is biased. In such a weight-bias mode, the drive axle with the parking brakes could lose sufficient downforce to keep the truck stationary, increasing the risk of a dangerous vehicle rollaway. The manufacturer has indicated that there are no warning signs for this particular defect. The consequences of a rollaway could include significant equipment damage or a crash. To rectify this issue, Volvo Trucks North America will replace the brake chambers with units that include auxiliary parking brakes. The company issued a stop-ship order on February 4, 2026, and is requesting a build deviation on February 9, 2026, to implement the fix in production. Dealers are scheduled to be notified by February 17, 2026, and owners will be notified by April 10, 2026. The VINs for these trucks will be searchable starting February 17, 2026.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

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