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FaultScore report

1988 Volvo 240 problems

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 1988 Volvo 240 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2014. The largest single group is the tires.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Volvo 240
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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

12

Complaints

2

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

1

Injuries reported

How 1988 compares with every other Volvo 240

Click any bar 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

What breaks on a 1988 Volvo 240

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Tires 4 33.3%

Median failure at 222,350 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 2 16.7%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Other & Unspecified 1 8.3%
Equipment & Accessories 1 8.3%
Seat Belts 1 8.3%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 50,000 mi

Brakes 1 8.3%
Transmission & Drivetrain 1 8.3%
Engine & Cooling 1 8.3%

Median failure at 102,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

50,000 – 74,999 miles 1 33.3%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 1 33.3%
150,000+ miles 1 33.3%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Jun 1995 peak 1 Oct 2014

NHTSA investigations into the 1988 Volvo 240

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

DP89010 Opened 28 Jun 1989 Closed 16 Nov 1989 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

BRAKE PERFORMANCE

BRAKE PERFORMANCE

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 50,000 miles West Islip, NY Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT WAS DARK AND FOGGY. I WAS GOING SLOWLY AROUND A CURVE, AT THE SPEED LIMIT ABOUT 20MPH, AND A TEENAGE DRIVER, DRIVING ALONE WITHOUT A PERMIT DROVE THROUGH A YIELD SIGN FROM THE RIGHT DIRECTLY INTO MY PATH. I HAD ABOUT 8 FEET TO STOP AND COULD NOT, AND T-BONED INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON BUT I WAS THROWN FORWARD AND MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND MY HEAD LEFT A SWELL IN THE WINDSHIELD, LIKE A LUMP OR DENT, AND THE GLASS WAS SHATTERED SOMEWHAT BUT ALL STILL INTACT. NONE THE LESS I REMAINED CONSCIIOUS BUT STILL HAD A MINOR CONCUSSION WHICH GAVE ME HEADACHES FOR UP TO ABOUT 8 WEEKS AFTERWARDS. I SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION BUT THEY FELT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BUT SAID TO COME BACK IF IT GOT WORSE. I REMEMBER THAT I OFTEN WONDERED IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SEATBELT. IT WOULD SOMETIMES LOCK WHEN I PUT IT ON, BUT SOMETIMES, AND FREQUENTLY IT DID NOT LOCK IN. THAT IS EVEN THOUGH IT LOCKED INTO THE CLAMP, IT WAS OFTEN STILL LOOSE. SO ANYWAY IT WAS LOOSE AND DIDN'T RESTRAIN ME THAT TIME WHEN I NEEDED IT. I DON'T KNOW AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IF THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THESE ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA complaint #10649266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carol Stream, IL Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, INTO THEIR GARAGE, CAUSING VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. WHEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE AGAIN ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY BACK INTO OUR HOME'S GARAGE, HITTING OUR SECOND VEHICLE. TWO OF OUR VEHICLES DAMAGED (INCLUDING VOLVO), TWO NEIGHBOR'S VEHICLES DAMAGED, AS WELL AS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO NEIGHBOR'S GARAGE.

NHTSA complaint #727703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 50,000 miles West Islip, NY Crash 1 injured

SEAT BELTS

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT WAS DARK AND FOGGY. I WAS GOING SLOWLY AROUND A CURVE, AT THE SPEED LIMIT ABOUT 20MPH, AND A TEENAGE DRIVER, DRIVING ALONE WITHOUT A PERMIT DROVE THROUGH A YIELD SIGN FROM THE RIGHT DIRECTLY INTO MY PATH. I HAD ABOUT 8 FEET TO STOP AND COULD NOT, AND T-BONED INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON BUT I WAS THROWN FORWARD AND MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND MY HEAD LEFT A SWELL IN THE WINDSHIELD, LIKE A LUMP OR DENT, AND THE GLASS WAS SHATTERED SOMEWHAT BUT ALL STILL INTACT. NONE THE LESS I REMAINED CONSCIIOUS BUT STILL HAD A MINOR CONCUSSION WHICH GAVE ME HEADACHES FOR UP TO ABOUT 8 WEEKS AFTERWARDS. I SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION BUT THEY FELT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BUT SAID TO COME BACK IF IT GOT WORSE. I REMEMBER THAT I OFTEN WONDERED IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SEATBELT. IT WOULD SOMETIMES LOCK WHEN I PUT IT ON, BUT SOMETIMES, AND FREQUENTLY IT DID NOT LOCK IN. THAT IS EVEN THOUGH IT LOCKED INTO THE CLAMP, IT WAS OFTEN STILL LOOSE. SO ANYWAY IT WAS LOOSE AND DIDN'T RESTRAIN ME THAT TIME WHEN I NEEDED IT. I DON'T KNOW AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IF THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THESE ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA complaint #10649266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 222,350 miles Federway, WV

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 VOLVO 240. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR INTEGRITY, SIZE 175/70R13 TIRES. SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING NEW TIRES, THEY DEFLATED. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO WHERE SHE PURCHASED THE TIRES TO HAVE THEM INFLATED. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND INFLATED AGAIN FIVE DAYS LATER. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE TIRES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 228,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 222,350. UPDATED 02-14-08. *KB UPDATED 02/14/08

NHTSA complaint #10214783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 102,000 miles Summersville, WV

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A1988 VOLVO 240 DL. THE REAR CAMSHAFT SEAL FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH UNDER DRY CONDITIONS WHEN HE SMELLED SMOKE. THE CONTACT THEN PULLED OVER AN LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SAW OIL LEAKING ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS HOME WHERE HE FOUND THAT THE REAR CAMSHAFT SEAL HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT ORDERED THE PART FROM THE DEALER AND REPAIRED IT. *AK UPDATED 02/13/07.

NHTSA complaint #10178287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sarasota, FL

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE OUTER FACING ON THE GLOVE BOX FELL OFF WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROADWAY. *TS THE FACING WAS ONLY SECURED TO THE METAL BACKING WITH AN ADHESIVE. THE CONSUMER FELLS THAT IF A PASSENGER HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE SEAT THEY WOULD HAVE SUSTAIN KNEE/LEG INJURIES BECAUSE THE FACING WEIGHS 1 LB 9 OZ.

NHTSA complaint #10139898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Deltona, FL

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED AND THE OUTER RUNNING SURFACE CAME OFF THE TIRE, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. (THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS MARSHALL RADIAL TUBELESS SIZE P185/70R 14).

NHTSA complaint #560812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Deltona, FL

TIRES

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED AND THE OUTER RUNNING SURFACE CAME OFF THE TIRE, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. (THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS MARSHALL RADIAL TUBELESS SIZE P185/70R 14).

NHTSA complaint #560812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Deltona, FL

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE TRAVELING RIGHT REAR (MARSHALL) TIRE EXPERIENCE TREAD SEPARATION, CONSUMER HAS TRIED CONTACTING MANUFACTURER BUT HAS RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. *JB TIRE SIZE P185/70R14, DOT NUMBER H20PYP15367. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #560812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carol Stream, IL Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, INTO THEIR GARAGE, CAUSING VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. WHEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE AGAIN ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY BACK INTO OUR HOME'S GARAGE, HITTING OUR SECOND VEHICLE. TWO OF OUR VEHICLES DAMAGED (INCLUDING VOLVO), TWO NEIGHBOR'S VEHICLES DAMAGED, AS WELL AS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO NEIGHBOR'S GARAGE.

NHTSA complaint #727703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FT. DIX, NJ

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

WHEN THE CAR IS COOL AND THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD HOWLING NOISE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN.

NHTSA complaint #830562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW York, NY

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION: VEHICLE GETS STUCK IN NEUTRAL POSITION AND WILL NOT SHIFT TO ANOTHER POSITION. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALER HAS ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.

NHTSA complaint #813093 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

West Hollywood, CA

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED 3 TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #516628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

North Lauder, FL

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN PLACING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE VEHICLE SURGE INTO REVERSE AT HIGH SPEED. TT

NHTSA complaint #967717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.