32 of the
186 complaints filed about the Volvo 240
are about the electrical system —
17% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1990.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1990 VOLVO 240 WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS CONTINUOUSLY FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE STATION FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO THE SERVICE BAY AREA. AS SOON AS SHE SHIFTED FROM PARK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT MADE A HARD LEFT TURN TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF THE SHOP AND CRASHED INTO A WALL INSTEAD. THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY BECAME FILLED WITH WHITE SMOKE AND A STRONG ODOR OF BURNING RUBBER. THE VEHICLE ONLY CAME TO A STOP DUE TO THE OBSTRUCTIONS BUT WAS STILL ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT HAD TO BE EXTRACTED FROM THE VEHICLE BY EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER, AND THE WALL HAD TO BE OPENED IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE CONTACT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS REMOVED. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE ANY FURTHER DUE TO THE OBSTRUCTION OF THE WALL. THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED TO THE SCENE BUT BECAUSE THE CONTACT WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK, REFUSED MEDICAL TRANSPORT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE FAILURE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR DUPLICATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
NHTSA complaint #10652550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 VOLVO 240. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND THE BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE GLASS DOORS OF THE AUTO DEPARTMENT AND THROUGH THE BUILDING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 01/05/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIRS DUE TO THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY SHUTTING OFF.
NHTSA complaint #10650380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR WAS IN DRIVEWAY WARMING UP PRIOR TO DRIVING FOR SCHOOL. AFTER ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES DASH CAUGHT FIRE AND FLAMES WERE COMING FOR HEATER VENTS. USED A GARDEN HOSE TO EXTINGUISH FIRE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. DASH AND INTERIOR WAS DAMAGED BUY SMOKE, WATER AND FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10149443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FOLLOWING MULTIPLE BREAKDOWNS FAILED INSULATION ON EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND ALTERNATOR WERE FOUND. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH COULD LEAD TO FIRE AND HAVE TAKEN THE CAR OFF THE ROAD PENDING REPAIR. I SEARCHED GOOGLE FOR VOLVO BAD WIRING AND CAME UP WITH MANY HITS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY RELATED DESIGN FAULT RELATED TO THE TYPE OF WIRE USED ONLY IN CERTAIN YEARS IN THE EARLY 1980'S. EARLIER AND LATER CARS SEEM TO BE OK. IT SEEMS THE WIRE IS NOT HEAT RESISTENT.
NHTSA complaint #10068043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE INSTALLATION OF THE WIRE HARNESS IS CRUMBLING INTO DUST AND THE WIRES ARE EXPOSED UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB. CONSUMER STATED THE MAIN POWER FROM ALTERNATOR TO STARTER HAD BAD INSULATION AND MAJOR PORTIONS OF THE COPPER CABLE WERE EXPOSED, VIRTUALLY THE FUEL INJECTION, IGNITION, AND EMISSION CONTROLS WERE IN THE SAME CONDITION, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, CONSUMER SAW SPARKS AT NIGHT WHEN HARNESS WAS AGITATED.
NHTSA complaint #8010430 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I NEED RECALL #84V017000 DATED 03/84 ON THIS 1983 VOLVO GLT PLEASE. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO READ THE RECALL VERBATIM THAT WAS PUBLISHED RE:ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ALTERNATOR;REGULATOR;STARTER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HELP TO ME ON THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #712726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE COLLISION ON 1/5/99 DAMAGED THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL AND TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. . ALSO, THE HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP NO LONGER WORKED. WHEN THE REPAIR SHOP LOOKED AT THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE TAILGATE, THEY DETERMINED THAT, THOUGH THE IMPACT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE WIRES FOR THE TAIL LIGHT TO SEPARATE, THE PROBLEM WAS PRE-EXISTING IN THAT THE DESIGN OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE WIRES TO FLEX EACH TIME THE TAILGATE OPENED AND CLOSED. WITH TIME, AS THE WIRES GET BRITTLE WITH AGE (DUE TO METAL FATIGUE), THEY ARE BOUND TO BREAK. THE WIRES FOR THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME, THOUGH I WAS UNAWARE OF THAT, AS THERE IS NOT MUCH NEED TO USE THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER WHEN THE CAR IS KEPT IN A GARAGE IN TEXAS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AS IT WAS A "PRE-EXISTING" CONDITION. (THE BROKEN WIRES DID NOT CAUSE THE ACCIDENT, BUT NOW THE CAR WILL NOT PASS A SAFETY INSPECTION). THE BODY REPAIR SHOP WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE VOLVO DEALERS IN THE AREA, AND HAS BEEN TOLD BY THESE DEALERS THAT THEY OFTEN REPLACE THE TAILGATE WIRING HARNESS. A SEARCH THROUGH THE NHTSA COMPLAINT DATABASE SHOWS THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AS EVIDENCED BY THE FOLOWING REPORTS: ODI ID: 516365 MAKE: VOLVO MODEL: 240 YEAR: 1993 COMPONENT: LIGHTING:GENERAL OR UNKNOWN COMPONENT: SUMMARY: HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP HIGH MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT FAILED. COMPONENT: HEATER:WATER:DEFROSTER:DEFOGGER SUMMARY: REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER FAILED DUE TO A BROKEN WIRE. ODI ID: 97V4608 DATE OF FAILURE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 1995 COMPONENT: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:HARNESS:REAR COMPARTMENT SUMMARY: THE REAR LIGHT WIRES ARE BEING BROKEN DUE TO METAL FATIQUE AND CAUSING THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT NOT TO WORK. ODI ID: 385260 DATE OF FAILURE: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1990 COMPONENT: HEATER:WATER:DEFOGGER REAR-VIEW WINDOW:HOSE DUCT:AIR SUMMARY: REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA complaint #702952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CRUISE CONTROL/SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER/AIR INTAKE SENSOR/GLOVE BOX DOOR HINGE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONER INDOOR FAN/ RADIO ANTENNA/INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR/DOME LIGHT, TAIL LIGHT LENSE/CATALITIC CONVERTER/WATER PUMP/TIMING BELT/PLASTIC COVER UNDER ENGINE/WHEEL STUDS/THROTTLE CABLE/BRACKETS THAT HOLD SUNVISOR/ROCKER PANEL TRIM MOLDING AROUND WHEEL WELLS/VENT LINE FOR GAS TANK, AND ALTERNATOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #781540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.