11 of the 235 complaints about the 1996 Volvo 850 are about the seat belts — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 83,000 miles.
11
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE RETRACTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10159092 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE RETRACTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10159096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT
REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT WILL NOT EXTEND, RESULT IN INOPERABLE SEAT BELTS. *AK THE SEAT BELT FOR THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT WOULD NOT EXTEND TO ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO FASTEN THE CHILD IN THE SEAT.
NHTSA complaint #10079906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
AS A MATTER OF SAFETY I HAD THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT REPLACED BECAUSE THE BUCKLE RELEASE PLASTIC LATCH HAD BROKEN AND A PORTION OF THE PLASTIC PIECE HAD FALLEN INTO THE ASSEMBLY. I AM AWARE OF THE TAKATA SEATBELT RECALL DEALING WITH A SIMILAR FAILURE MODE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF FALSE LATCHING RESULTING FROM PLASTIC PIECES BECOMING ENGAGED IN THE BUCKLE INNER MECHANISMS. DT
NHTSA complaint #770093 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING INVOLVED IN A SIDE COLLISION. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER, DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR BODY INJURIES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #8015726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT
PLEASE DISREGARD NO COMPLAINT CONCERNING CHILD SEAT.
NHTSA complaint #895660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THE SEAT BELTS ARE VERY TIGHT AND DESIGNED IMPROPERLY. THEY ALLOW NO MOVEMENT AND YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE BELT TO ADJUST ANYTHING ON THE DASH. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT CHANGE THE BELT TO THE NEWER UNIT, THAT IS NOW IN THE V70. HE WANTED TO INSTALL AN EXTENSION BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO SIGN A NON RESPONSIBILITY WAVER WHICH WE WOULD NOT. I ASKED THE VOLVO REPRESENTATIVE TO WEAR THE BELT AND HE COULD NOT WITHOUT AN EXTENSION. WHEN WE WEAR WINTER COATS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BUCKLE UP PROPERLY. I HAVE TURNED THE CAR IN UNDER WARRANTY SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALER WOULD DO NOTHING, BECAUSE VOLVO WOULD DO NOTHING. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS ON ALL 850 MODELS. THE BELTS ALSO FLY BACK WHEN REMOVED IF YOU CAN'T CATCH THEM. I HAVE BEEN HIT SEVERAL TIMES IN THE HEAD AND DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, WHICH VOLVO REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY SEVERAL TIMES. OUR FAMILY PURCHASED TWO VEHICLES, SAME MODEL AT THE SAME TIME. BOTH HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. VOLVO SAYS THE BELTS ARE SAFE, THATS THEIR ARGUMENT. I SAY THEY ARE VERY UNSAFE AND NOT COMFORTABLE. THE PROBLEM COULD BE FIXED EASILY WITH THE INSTALL OF THE V-70 BELTS. I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR THEM BUT VOLVO WON'T DO IT. DONALD P. CONE.
NHTSA complaint #725891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WE PURCHASED THIS CAR USED. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT REPLACED, STATING THAT IT WOULD FAIL TO LATCH AT TIMES. WE PERSONALLY HAVE HAD 3 FAILURES WITH THE REAR SEAT BELTS, 2 ON THE LEFT REAR AND 1 ON THE RIGHT. THESE FAILURES ARE OCCURING WHEN WE ATTEMPT TO INSTALL OUR CHILD SAFETY SEATS. THERE IS A SPECIAL COMPONENT ON THE SEAT BELT LATCH THAT PREVENTS THE SEAT BELT FROM RETRACTING WHEN USING CAR SEATS. THIS COMPONENT BREAKS WHEN WE PULL ON THE SEAT BELT IN ORDER TO TIGHTEN IT FOR PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CAR SEATS. IF THIS CAN OCCUR WITH MANUAL PULLING, IT SEEMS SURE TO FAIL IN AN ACCIDENT. I DO NOT FEEL THAT MY CHILDREN ARE SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO THE DEALER WITH LITTLE RESPONSE AS TO A SOLUTION OTHER THAN TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT. PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE AND IF THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REPORTS SUCH AS MINE. I WANT TO SELL THE CAR, BUT DO NOT WANT TO PASS THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE ALONG TO ANOTHER OWNER. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. KARLA CANNON
NHTSA complaint #708777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
CSS TECH. REPORTS REAR LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS HAVE A SWITCHABLE RETRACTOR PLATE. HOWEVER, PLATE DOES NOT SWITCH AND LOCK IN PLACE WHEN APPLIED. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
NHTSA complaint #836893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
BOTH AIRBAG'S DEPLOYED AFTER RUNNING OVER A MANHOLE THAT HAD IT'S COVER MISSING, BREAKING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, AND INJURED THE DRIVER'S RIGHT WRIST. THERE WAS REAR SUSPENSION DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #539946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #604886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.