Voltmeters do not carry amperage - they simply measure voltage - if it has failed prematurely it was either of poor quality or just bad luck that it failed.
Ammeters on the other hand will carry a load through them and can fail if the load is higher than the rating of the meter - initial indication of too much load on an analogue ammeter would be the needle spiked fully to the right and off scale although you may not catch it since it will happen rather quickly and ruin the meter - of course you may notice smoke - heh.
I'm sure there are board members that can suggest more reliable voltmeters if yours is of questionable quality
but, I think that I will replace it anyway. I'm thinking of getting a autometer brand voltmeter.