14 of the
148 complaints about the 1995 Volvo 850 are about the
electrical system — 9% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
133,000 miles.
. I HAVE SPENT $2200 IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS WHILE HERB GORDON TRIES TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, CLEANED AND RESEALED THE BRAKE CALIPERS AND NOW AS A LAST RESORT ARE REPLACING THE INTERNAL ABS SYSTEM, WHICH FINALLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BOLTS CAME LOOSE CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN, AIR SENSORS AND OXYGEN SENSORS SEEM TO NEED REPLACING AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10138511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Medford, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, AND BACKING OUT THE DRIVE WAY, CONSUMER SAW SMOKE, SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT. CONSUMER THEN WENT INTO THE HOUSE TO GET WATER. UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE IT WAS ENGULFED IN SMOKE, AND FIRE.*AK *BF
NHTSA complaint #10115446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Knoxville, TN
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
THE FIRST TWO COMPLAINTS ARE ACTUALLY THE SAME PROBLEM (DISREGARD THE 1ST, "STEERING"). THIS PROBLEM IS CLEARLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF ANY REPORTED; WE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE HORN PERMANENTLY. MECHANICS HAVE TOLD US THAT THE "HORN CONTACTS" WITHIN STEER.
NHTSA complaint #762647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Francisco, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
GEAR POSITION SENSOR,S1 & S2 SOLENOIDS: VOLVO HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT FOR SOME TIME AND SHOULD HAVE DECLARED A RECALL.( VOLVO EVEN LOST A SMALL CLAIMS SUIT IN CALIFORNIA OVER THIS FAILURE) WHILE VOLVO PAID $900 OF THE $1300 REPAIR BILL TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THE WHOLE BILL. RE: HORN FAILURE, THE VOLVO MECHANICS SAID VOLVO HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ALSO, BUT REFUSES TO DO ANY THING ABOUT IT. MY CAR HAS NOT YET REACHED 50,000 MILES AND I HAVE HAD TO SPEND ABOUT $1,400 DOLLARS TO REPAIR A SUNROOF, REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL, AND FIX THE SOLENOIDS AND GEAR POSITION SENSORS. I BELIEVE VOLVO SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THESE EXPENDITURES. I HAVE BEEN A VOLVO OWNER SINCE 1972, AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOLVO AGAIN. FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT ON A VOLVO, I COULD HAVE HAD A RELIABLE CAR LIKE A SMALL LEXUS!
NHTSA complaint #751419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Houston, TXFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
MY CAR BURNED COMPLETELY WITHIN 15-20 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING A CERTIFIED VOLVO DEALERSHIP DUE TO A FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #739415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOS Angeles, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COIL REPLACED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #554552 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LOS Angeles, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
CONTROL UNIT SHORTED OUT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #554552 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Waco, TXFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
AT 70 MPH, ON CRUISE CONTROL, HAVING BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY CONTINUOUSLY FOR 60+ MILES, THE CRUISE CONTROL CUT OUT, THROTTLE DID NOT RESPOND, SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING FROM BEHIND VEHICLE, ENGINE QUIT AND WITHIN APPROX. 10 SECONDS OF COMING TO STOP AND DRIVER EXITING VEHICLE, CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. CONTACTED VOLVO AND THEY REFUSED COMMENT AFTER THEIR INVESTIGATION.
NHTSA complaint #718734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bartlett, IL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
DEALER INSPECTED THE STEERING WHEEL AND STATED THAT IT WILL COST $700 TO REPLACE IT. DEALER STATED THAT NONE OF THE OTHER 850 OWNERS HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HORNS.
NHTSA complaint #713567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Columbia, SC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL WIRING CONNECTORS SHORTED OUT CAUSING HORN TO BURN. MJS
NHTSA complaint #545145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fair Oaks, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
HORN STUCK IN ON-POSITION WHILE DRIVING ON FWY. HAD TO PULL ONTO SHOULDER AND DISCONNECT WIRES AT HORN. DEALER DETERMINED SHORT OCCURRED INSIDE STEERING COLUMN. COLUMN REPLACED AT A COST OVER $360. VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE NOTED THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL. REFUSED TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #704773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Orlando, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE DUE TO DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #535713 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alexandria, VAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #514480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Diego, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION SYSTEM FAILURE, PREVENTING ENGINE FROM STARTING.
NHTSA complaint #600400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.