FaultScore

Volvo 854 vs Mercedes Benz GL550

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Volvo 854 Mercedes Benz GL550
Complaints on file 28 70
Model years covered 1994–1997 2010–2016
Worst model year 2013
Best model year 2011
Crashes reported 3 3
Fires reported 0 3
Injuries reported 2 7
Deaths reported 0 0
Most complained-about part Fuel & Propulsion Airbags
Share of complaints involving harm 17.9% 18.6%

Volvo 854 by year

94 95 96 97
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Fuel & Propulsion 6 21.4%
Brakes 5 17.9%
Engine & Cooling 4 14.3%
Electrical System 4 14.3%
Transmission & Drivetrain 3 10.7%
Airbags 3 10.7%
Steering 1 3.6%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 3.6%

Mercedes Benz GL550 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 20 28.6%
Engine & Cooling 10 14.3%
Electrical System 9 12.9%
Other & Unspecified 7 10.0%
Transmission & Drivetrain 4 5.7%
Steering 4 5.7%
Brakes 3 4.3%
Body & Structure 2 2.9%