Volvo is launching a recall campaign in the States because of a production fault that could cause a screw to fall into the steering gears. That could cause the steering to lock up on affected vehicles.
Fortunately, the issue is highly limited in nature, and just 74 vehicles in the U.S. are at risk of being affected by this issue. Moreover, Volvo expects the problem to present itself in just 10 percent of cases.
The issue affects certain 2019-2022 Volvo V60s, XC60s and XC90s that may have been fitted with a misassembled part. One of the automaker’s suppliers had a defect in the manufacturing process that could, in rare cases, have doubled up screws in some areas.
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If one of those extra screws falls from the location it was supposed to be, it can drop into the gear assembly in the steering box, causing it to jam, and locking the steering mechanism for the driver. It’s not hard to imagine why that would be bad.
Volvo says that vehicles afflicted with this issue will not present a warning light or message to the driver, but they may become aware of the fault if they hear a grinding noise when they turn.
The automaker first became aware of this issue in September 2022, when its supplier reported that a loose screw had been detected during inspection. Volvo then launched an investigation into the issue and discovered that it might affect multiple vehicles. So far, though, just one case of this occurring in the field has been noted.
To remedy the issue, Volvo will start getting in touch with owners on March 1. They will be asked to return their vehicle to a dealer, where the steering gear will be replaced where necessary, free of charge. The supplier has also improved its production line to prevent this issue from happening in the future.
