Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1986 Volvo 740
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Engine & Cooling
436.4%
0 crashes, 3 fires · median 140,000 mi
Electrical System
327.3%
0 crashes, 2 fires
Seat Belts
19.1%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Fuel & Propulsion
19.1%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Body & Structure
19.1%
Transmission & Drivetrain
19.1%
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 1996peak 1Dec 2013
NHTSA investigations into the 1986 Volvo 740
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.
PE89107Opened 4 Apr 1989Closed 21 Nov 1989VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
FUEL TANK/DRIVESHAFT
===
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Clinton, ILFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER BELIEVES WIRING PROBLEM EXISTED WHICH CAUSED PLASTIC ODOR AND FIRE TO START WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM NEAR THE GEAR SHIFTER, FLAMES APPEARED AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY INCINERATED, ENGINE RELATIVELY UNDAMAGED.
NHTSA complaint #784441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bessemer, ALFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #525446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Norwalk, CTFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER PUT OUT FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
NHTSA complaint #534702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
North Merrick, NYFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #816411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Rafael, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
THIS PARTICULAR MODEL HAS DEFECTIVE BATTERY CABLE WHICH CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE, HOWEVER VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO MODEL YEAR. (REPRESENTATIVE OF AUTO SHOP)
NHTSA complaint #516127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pikesville, MDFire
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, FAILURE OF FUEL INJECTORS, VEHICLE WAS IN A IDLE POSITION WHEN SAW UNDER THE HOOD SMOKE.
NHTSA complaint #808482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 140,000 milesSAN Rafael, CA
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 VOLVO 740 GLE (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO PASS STATE EMISSIONS STANDARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A STATE CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
NHTSA complaint #10555824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fayetteville, NC
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
FORWARD RUBBER BUSHING TEARS MUCH TO OFTEN. IM AFRAID ONE DAY, THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WILL FALL AND HIT STREET , CAUSE A SPARK AND START A FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #741115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clinton, ILFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER BELIEVES WIRING PROBLEM EXISTED WHICH CAUSED PLASTIC ODOR AND FIRE TO START WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM NEAR THE GEAR SHIFTER, FLAMES APPEARED AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY INCINERATED, ENGINE RELATIVELY UNDAMAGED.
NHTSA complaint #784441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Arlington, TX
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
PLASTIC MOULDING COVERING WIRES COMING OFF, ELECTRICAL WIRES ARE EXPOSED. MECHANIC DID NOT REPAIR DUE TO NOT BEING UNDER WARRANTY. *AK CONSUMER STATED DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEMS THIS CAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND PARKING LIGHTS TO BE INOPERATIVE AS WELL AS OTHER COMPONETS THAT ARE AFFECTED.
NHTSA complaint #828203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bessemer, ALFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #525446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Norwalk, CTFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER PUT OUT FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
NHTSA complaint #534702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
North Merrick, NYFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #816411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Rafael, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
THIS PARTICULAR MODEL HAS DEFECTIVE BATTERY CABLE WHICH CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE, HOWEVER VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO MODEL YEAR. (REPRESENTATIVE OF AUTO SHOP)
NHTSA complaint #516127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pikesville, MDFire
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, FAILURE OF FUEL INJECTORS, VEHICLE WAS IN A IDLE POSITION WHEN SAW UNDER THE HOOD SMOKE.
NHTSA complaint #808482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOS Angelas, CA
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
HYDRAULIC SUPPORT SCREWS FRACTURED, CAUSING HOOD TO RELEASE.
NHTSA complaint #804526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ringgold, GACrash1 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT FAILED, BROKE CONSUMER NECK, PLEASE DESCRIBE .
NHTSA complaint #985479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.