Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks are recalling a combined 5,137 heavy-duty tractors built across four model lines after identifying unprotected electrical connectors on rear brake modulators that can short-circuit and disable anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control. The two recalls — filed simultaneously with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on April 23, 2026 — share a common defect, a common Bendix supplier, and a common Volvo Group production stop-shipment order issued April 16. Owner notification letters are scheduled to mail by June 22, 2026.
Highlights
- 5,137 vehicles affected across Volvo VNL and VNR tractors (2,800 units, NHTSA 26V260) and Mack Pioneer and Anthem tractors (2,337 units, NHTSA 26V261)
- Loss of ABS and ESC can occur without warning; no driver alerts are generated when the fault triggers
- 48 field reports and 47 warranty claims logged across the two populations, with no accidents or injuries reported to date
- Stop-shipment order issued April 16, 2026 to all Volvo Group facilities producing the affected vehicles
A Single Defect Across Two Brands
The defect involves a Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems rear brake modulator — part number 24710104, a 2-channel, 4-sensor PWSS unit — installed on tractors built with multiple rear brake modulators. A design error left an electrical connector on the modulator unprotected from environmental exposure during normal operation. Moisture or contamination at that connector can produce a short circuit that disables both the anti-lock brake system and Electronic Stability Program.
Vehicles equipped with only a single rear brake modulator are not affected by either recall.
According to NHTSA Part 573 filings, the loss of ABS and ESC increases crash and injury risk, particularly during emergency braking or stability events on slick surfaces. No fault code, dashboard warning, or audible alert accompanies the failure.
Recall Population by Brand
The Volvo Trucks recall covers 2,770 model year 2025-2027 VNL (4) tractors built between January 8, 2024 and April 15, 2026, plus 30 model year 2026-2027 VNR (4) tractors built between May 28, 2025 and April 14, 2026. Volvo estimates 3.7% of the population carries the defect.
The Mack recall covers 1,694 model year 2025-2027 Pioneer PR (4) tractors built between October 22, 2024 and April 8, 2026, plus 643 model year 2026-2027 Anthem AN (4) tractors built between July 8, 2025 and April 8, 2026. Mack estimates 0.7% of its population is defective.
Field Report Disparity
Volvo’s filing documents 43 field reports and 43 warranty claims tied to 50 unique VINs, with the bulk of claims clustered in late 2024 and the first half of 2025. Mack’s filing documents only five field reports and four warranty claims tied to six unique VINs. The disparity is notable given that the two brands share the component and the production line responsible for the defect.
How the Defect Surfaced
Both filings describe an identical investigation timeline. A Service Market quality report opened on January 12, 2026 after engineering teams flagged a rising number of vehicles logging diagnostic trouble code C10C256. Initial root-cause analysis on March 2 was inconclusive. On March 10, Bendix technical support visited an affected vehicle and identified the unprotected connector as the source of the fault.
The Volvo Group Product Safety Office launched a formal safety investigation on March 16. After three Product Safety Evaluation Committee reviews and additional driver-experience analysis, the Product Safety Committee voted to initiate the recall on April 16, 2026 — the same day the production stop-shipment order took effect across all Volvo Group facilities building the affected models.
Remedy and Notification
Dealers will inspect the rear brake modulator electrical connectors on every recalled vehicle. Any non-conforming modulators will be replaced, and a protective cover (Bendix part number 995115) will be installed over the previously unprotected connector. The remedy component differs from the recalled component only in the addition of that cover.
Repairs will be performed at no cost to the owner. Volvo Group has committed to its general reimbursement plan on file with NHTSA for owners who paid for related repairs prior to the recall.
Dealer notifications begin on or before April 30, 2026, with VIN lookup activating the same day. Owner notification letters are scheduled to mail on or before June 22, 2026, on a phased schedule. Volvo Trucks owners can contact customer service at 1-800-528-6586 referencing recall RVXX2605. Mack owners can contact 1-800-866-1177 referencing recall SC0494.
Volvo Group’s Bendix Brake History
This is the second major Bendix-related brake safety action affecting Volvo Trucks and Mack in roughly 18 months. In late 2024, the two brands recalled nearly 187,000 trucks built between 2020 and 2025 over a Bendix EC80 Advanced ECU software defect that could similarly compromise ABS, traction control, and stability systems through electrical interference on the trailer power line carrier. That recall was subsequently expanded by Bendix and extended to PACCAR and International Motors populations, ultimately affecting more than 744,000 vehicles industry-wide.
The current modulator recall is mechanically and procedurally distinct from the EC80 ECU campaign — it stems from a connector design flaw rather than a software fault — but it again places Bendix-supplied components at the center of an ABS/ESC defect across the Volvo Group fleet.
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