2014 Volvo Bus 9700: complaints, problems and recalls

Reported: 2014-03-04 (March 4, 2014)

Volvo Bus Corporation (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 9700 coaches equipped with a wheelchair lift. In the affected vehicles,the sliding seats, which can be moved to make room for wheelchair passengers, have lock down handles which can be forced to latch in an incorrect location. Locking the seats incorrectly may cause damage to the handle and allow the seat to not latch properly.

Consequence: If the sliding seat is not locked in place, the seat may move forward and backwards on the track, increasing the risk of injury to the seat passenger if the coach is involved in a crash.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will install plates along the sliding seat rail to show correct locking positions and provide an addendum to the operator's manual. The recall began on April 28, 2014. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-528-6586. Volvo's number associated with this recall is SR14-82.

Reported: 2016-11-18 (November 18, 2016)

Volvo Bus Corporation (Volvo Bus) is recalling certain model year 2008-2017 9700 buses manufactured January 7, 2008, to August 25, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with a power feed relay for the engine and transmission which may be undersized for the application, causing the relay to fail and the engine to stall.

Consequence: An unexpected engine shutdown increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volvo Bus will notify owners, and dealers will replace the existing relay with a larger, more robust, relay, free of charge. The recall began on December 20, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo Bus customer service at 1-877-773-8678. Volvo Bus' number for this recall is SR16-86.

Reported: 2021-08-02 (August 2, 2021)

Volvo Bus Corporation (Volvo Bus) is recalling certain 2009-2021 Volvo 9700 vehicles equipped with wheelchair lifts. When the lift's outer barrier is fully deployed, it may not withstand a sufficient amount of force, which could cause it to fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 403, "Platform Lift Systems" and 404, "Platform Lift Installations."

Consequence: In the event that a mobility device pushes into the outer barrier, the barrier may fail, increasing the risk of injury for the lift occupant.

Remedy: Volvo Bus will reinforce the outer barrier with additional supports, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on September 28, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volvo Bus customer service at 1-866-870-2046.

Reported: 2021-09-15 (September 15, 2021)

Volvo Bus Corporation (Volvo Bus) is recalling certain 2008-2021 9700 vehicles. The headlights may not have the correct amount of light output, and either be too bright, or too dim. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence: Excessively bright or dim headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace of the headlight assembly or the bulbs, free of charge. Owners notification letters were mailed September 1, 2023. Owners may contact Volvo Bus' customer service at 1-866-870-2046.

Reported: 2023-12-22 (December 22, 2023)

Volvo Bus Corporation (Volvo Bus) is recalling certain 2013-2021 9700 buses. The red beacon lighting on the Threshold Warning System (TWS) may not be bright enough. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 403, "Platform Lift Systems."

Consequence: Beacons that do not provide proper illumination may be less visible to wheelchair lift users, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Prevost will replace the red beacons, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 16, 2024. Owners may contact Volvo Bus customer service at 1-866-870-2043. Volvo Bus number for this recall is SR24-81.