FaultScore

Volvo 240 problems

Owners have filed 186 complaints about the Volvo 240 with NHTSA across model years 1976 to 1994. More of them are about the electrical system than anything else.

Every Volvo 240 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
1994 2 0 0 Body & Structure
1993 16 4 0 Airbags
1992 29 8 0 Airbags
1991 19 9 1 Airbags
1990 26 10 3 129,288 Electrical System
1989 19 2 1 Electrical System
1988 12 2 0 Tires
1987 8 0 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
1986 29 1 2 Lights
1985 8 1 0 Engine & Cooling
1984 5 0 0 Electrical System
1983 9 0 1 Electrical System
1982 2 0 0 Body & Structure
1980 1 0 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
1976 1 0 0 Suspension

What breaks on a Volvo 240

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Worst in 1990

Acceleration & Cruise Control 22 11.8%

Worst in 1990

Brakes 19 10.2%

Worst in 1990

Transmission & Drivetrain 18 9.7%

Worst in 1992

Airbags 17 9.1%

Worst in 1991

Tires 15 8.1%

Worst in 1992

Engine & Cooling 12 6.5%

Worst in 1986

Lights 9 4.8%

Worst in 1986

Seats 8 4.3%

Worst in 1990

Body & Structure 7 3.8%

Worst in 1992

Fuel & Propulsion 6 3.2%

Worst in 1989

Seat Belts 5 2.7%

Worst in 1993

Equipment & Accessories 4 2.2%

Worst in 1989

Steering 3 1.6%

Worst in 1992

Exactly what failed on a Volvo 240

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Frontal 11 21.2%
Module 7 13.5%
Front Underhood 7 13.5%
Wiring 6 11.5%
Tread/Belt 4 7.7%
Pads 4 7.7%
Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch 4 7.7%
Gasoline 3 5.8%
Ignition 3 5.8%
Cruise Control 3 5.8%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Volvo 240, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 21 Mar 2018

Compare the Volvo 240

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.