FaultScore

Volvo 850 engine problems

55 of the 732 complaints filed about the Volvo 850 are about the engine — 8% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1996.

55

Complaints

8%

Share of all complaints

1

Crashes

9

Fires

Engine & Cooling complaints by model year

1993 850 8 14.5%

Median failure at 200 miles

1994 850 11 20.0%

Median failure at 268,964 miles

1995 850 8 14.5%

Median failure at 130,500 miles

1996 850 21 38.2%

Median failure at 97,500 miles

1997 850 6 10.9%

Median failure at 120,000 miles

1999 850 1 1.8%

What owners said

1994 Volvo 850 Irvine, CA 1 injured

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 VOLVO 850. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR FOR THE HEATING CORE WAS LEAKING AND EMITTING CHEMICAL FUMES INTO THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUFFERED A SEVERE RESPIRATORY PROBLEM. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS FOR TREATMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10448829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Volvo 850 at 150,000 miles N. Potomac, MD

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. CAR IN NORMAL DRIVE, JUST STARTS TO ACCELERATE. ALSO SOMETIMES ENGINE RACES WHILE IN PARK OR IDLE FOR NO REASON. OCCURS RANDOMLY, BUT HAS BEEN RECURRING DAILY FOR TWO WEEKS. HAVEN'T TAKEN TO DEALER YET.

NHTSA complaint #10341787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Volvo 850 at 155,000 miles Amherst, NH Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLVO 850 GLT. WHILE PARKED IN THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE REPORT INDICATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE GARAGE DOOR, HOUSE SIDING, AND DRIVEWAY SURFACE WERE DAMAGED. IN ADDITION, A SMALL AREA OF THE LAWN WAS DAMAGED BY THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED AND HAS NOT BEEN TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 155,000.

NHTSA complaint #10264219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Volvo 850 Unknow, DC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CONSUMER HAS ISSUES ABOUT 1996 VOLVO 850 ENGINE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THAT CARBON MONOXIDE SEEPED INTO THE VEHICLE AND WHITE SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE TAILPIPE. THE VEHICLE CONSUMED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. A MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE NEEDED SERIOUS ENGINE WORK. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED A ONE-TIME RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED ONE YEAR BEFORE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10251331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Volvo 850 at 268,964 miles NEW Haven, CT

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

STALLS ALL THE TIME MECHANIC CAN'T FIND PROBLEM THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. IT STALLS AT 60MPH AND IT STALLS WHILE IDLING. IT STALLED 7 TIMES GOING A TOTAL OF 4.5 MILES. HELP

NHTSA complaint #10238806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Volvo 850 Mill Creek, WA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

HEAT GENERATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSES ABS CONTROL MODULE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE TO FAIL IN MY '96 VOLVO 850R. AS OF TODAY, THERE'S 3 MODULES ALREADY REPLACED (EACH COSTING $800). THE DEALER SAID THAT THE CONTROL MODULE FAILS BECAUSE IT'S NOT DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO WITHSTAND TYPICAL ENGINE HEAT. THE CHATROOM OF VOLVO OWNERS (WWW.BRICKBOARD.COM) IS FILLED WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT FROM VARIOUS MODEL YEARS. THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS SINCE THE FAILURE CAUSES INTERMITTENT BRAKING CAPABILITY AND HAZARDOUS DURING WINTER/SNOWY ROAD CONDITIONS. THE FAILURE IS SUDDEN AND WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #10198193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Volvo 850 Hooksett, NH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

1993 VOLVO 850GLT ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. NEWSPAPER AD SAID 1999 THROUGH 2001, C70,S60,S80,V70 & V70XC. THE 850 WAS NEVER MENTIONED. HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 1998 & IT HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES. REAL SCARY, CAN IT BE FIXED?

NHTSA complaint #10171591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Volvo 850 at 200 miles Denver, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

GOOD EVENING;THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION ABOUT A POTENTIAL VEHICLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE. I AM INTERESTED IN PURCHASING A 1993 VOLVO 850 4 DOOR. SEDAN ,AUTO/A/C,4 CYL,LOADED. I WENT TO TEST DRIVE THE CAR AND THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHTS STAYED ON WHILE I DROVE THE CAR. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE LOT THE CAR STALLED,BUT RESTARTED RIGHT AWAY. THE USED CAR DEALER SAID THE CAR WAS LOW ON FUEL THAT'S WHY THE LIGHTS STAYED ON? I DOUBT THIS VERY MUCH!!ARE THERE ANY RECALLS ON THESE CARS FOR THIS PROBLEM?IF SO I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU! JM

NHTSA complaint #10152813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Volvo 850 Livingston, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL BUT HE WAS UNSURE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED CHANGING THE MASTER CYLINDER AND IT WAS CHANGED AT A LOCAL SERVICE STATION, HOWEVER THE LEAK CONTINUED. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE ABS. THE MODULE WAS CHANGED, THE LEAK STOPPED AND THE BRAKES WORKED PROPERLY. HE THEN RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V368000 CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM. RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED BUT THERE WAS STILL A SMELL OF FUEL. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE WINDOWS UP OR DOWN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS CAME ON. UPON INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP THE COMPUTER FOUND THE AIR MASS FLOW METER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO IDLE ROUGHER AND NOT RUN SMOOTHLY. THE AIR MASS FLOW METER HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005.

NHTSA complaint #10141944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Volvo 850 Campbell Hall, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

MY 1994 850 VOLVO STATION WAGON WOULD SUDDENLY LOOSE POWER AND STALL. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY VOLVO MECHANIC ( AN UNAUTHORIZED DEALER) WHO TRIED 3 TIMES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I READ SOME CONSUMER ALERTS THAT DESCRIBED THE SAME PROBLEMS BUT DID NOT INCLUDE MY YEAR. I CALLED VOLVO AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP UNLESS I WENT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WOULD NOT WORK WITH MY MECHANIC.

NHTSA complaint #10137411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Volvo 850 at 93,000 miles Bakersfield, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

DT: RECEIVED MANUFACTURER'S RECALL S139032105, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. AFTER AN EMISSION TEST WAS DONE VEHICLE DID NOT PASS IT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR A CHECK UP. THE DEALER SAID THAT PART FOR THE EMISSION WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE SAME THING. THIS WAS DONE ON JULY 18, 2005. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS PART SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS RELATED TO THE DEFECTIVE PART MENTIONED IN THE RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10130598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Volvo 850 at 168,000 miles Blue Island, IL Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE IT CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE FUEL LEAKAGE. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10113069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Volvo 850 at 90,000 miles Yellow Springs, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

THIS COMPLAINT APPLIES TO TWO YEARS OF THE SAME MODEL 850 VOLVO,A 1994 AND A1997T. BOTH CARS HAD MAIN OIL SEAL FAILURES. THE 1994 CAR WAS A HIGH MILEAGE CAR WITH ABOUT 180,000 MILES IT STARTED LEAKING AT 150,000 MILES AND PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE TO POINT OF ONE TO TWO QUARTS A DAY. WE DECIDED TO TRADE THE CAR IN AND PURCHASE ANOTHER 850 BECAUSE WE HAD GOOD SERVICE OUT OF THE CAR EXCEPT FOR THE OIL LEAKS. I WAS HONEST WITH THE DEALER WHY I WAS TRADING IN THE CAR. THE DEALER WAS THE LOCAL DEALER FOR DAYTON OHIO,FRANK Z IMPORTS. THE SALESMAN FAILED TO INFORM US THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE 850 MODEL. NOW THE 1997 MODEL STARTED LEAKING AT 90,000 MILES. I DISCOVERED THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WHEN I RESEARCHED COMPLAINT FILES. I ALSO DISCOVERED THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL ENGINE FIRES DUE TO OIL LEAKING ON HOT EXHAUST PIPES . I FEEL THE DEALER OR MFG. SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE REPAIRS. TO CORRECT THIS OBVIOUS MFG.PROBLEM. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE CAR MFG. AND THE DEALER FOR NOT BEING HONEST ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I USED TO PRAISE VOLVO, FOR I AM A AIRCRAFT MECHANIC OF 25 YEARS. I WILL NO LONGER DO SO AND IF ASKED I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND A VOLVO OR FRANK Z IMPORTS.

NHTSA complaint #10110679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Volvo 850 Summit, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THE FRONT SEATS HAVE BROKEN THREE TIMES. THE BAND THAT KEEPS THE BACKS IN POSITION EITHER FAILS AND THE SEAT WILL NOT RETURN TO A PREVIOUS POSITION OR IT SLIPS AND FAILS TO ADJEST THE SEATS. THIS WAS FIXED AND PAID FOR TWICE. NOW WITHIN 15 MONTHS IT HAS FAILED AGAIN AND SMYTHE VOLVO WILL ONLY OFFER A 10% REDUCTION IN THE COST. THIS SHOULD LAST MONGER THEN 15 MONTHS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. WE WEIGH 124 AND 145 RESPECTIVELY. WE HAVEN'T ADJUSTED THE SEATS VERY OFTEN. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS. VOLVO SAYS IT IS NOT COMMON. WE THINK IT IS DEFECTIVE REPAIR OR DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND THEY SHARE IN THE RESPONSIBILITY. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA complaint #10069615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Volvo 850 at 37,000 miles Mclean, VA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

EXHAUST: CATALYTIC CONVERTEWR FAILED/PLUGGED UP. TRANSMISSION: SHIFT LOCK RELEASE BUTTON ON SHIFTER LOCKED UP.

NHTSA complaint #10068954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Volvo 850 SAN Diego, CA Crash

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED.

NHTSA complaint #10058002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Volvo 850 at 97,500 miles Boxford, MA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

REAR MAIN SEAL FAILURE, WHICH APPEARS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE, PRESENTS FIRE HAZARD AND CALLS DURABILITY REPUTATION OF MANUFACTURER INTO SERIOUS QUESTION.

NHTSA complaint #10056249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Volvo 850 BEL AIR, MD Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

THE ENTIRE ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS WAS MELTED AND DESTROYED BEFORE THE FUSEABLE LINK OPENED THE CIRCUIT. THIS CLEARLY IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ELECTRICAL DESIGN. IN FACT, IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT IF MY WIFE HAD NOT TURNED THE CAR OFF WHEN SHE DID, DUE TO THE WHITE SMOKE FROM THE FAN, THE WIRING HARNESS WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. MOST LIKELY THE RESULTING FIRE WOULD HAVE DESTROYED THE CAR AS THE MELTED WIRING HARNESS IS DIRECTLY UNDER AND AROUND THE ENGINES FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. PERSONALLY INSPECTED THE ELECTRICAL DAMAGE, AND WAS APPALLED BY HOW MUCH OF THE WIRING WAS FUSED TOGETHER. IF THE SAFETY DESIGN (FUSEABLE LINK) OF THE FAN CIRCUIT HAD WORKED PROPERLY THE ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN DAMAGED TO THE EXTENT I SAW AND MORE IMPORTANTLY MY WIFE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN IN PERSONAL DANGER.I HAVE REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO VOLVO AMERICA AND THEY CONTEND THAT A LOOSE FAN MOUNT CAUSED THIS ISSUE. THE REPAIR SHOP WAS AT A LOSE TO EXPLAIN THIS POSITION TO ME AS THEY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WAS RELEVENT TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE CAUSED AS THE WIRING HARNESS MELTED DOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10030704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Volvo 850 at 115,000 miles Marlborough, CT

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

REAR MAIN SEAL FAILURE CAUSING OIL TO LEAK OVER UNDERSIDE OF CAR, INCLUDING EXHAUST, POTENTIALLY CAUSING FIRE. NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME FAILURE AT VARIOUS MILEAGE INTERVALS.

NHTSA complaint #10013969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Volvo 850 at 85,000 miles Rock Hill, SC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

THIS ISN'T SAFETY RELATED, BUT EMISSION'S PROBLEM. STARTED LATTER PART OF NOV.,2002. TECH HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SATISFACTORY REPAIR TO DATE. AUTO HAS BEEN IN SHOP OVER 30 DAYS AND IS IN SHOP AT PRESENT. TECH HAS REPLACED ALMOST ALL EMISSION RELATED PARTS,SOME MORE THAN ONCE, BUT AUTO STILL RUNNING EXTREMELY RICH, ONLY ABOUT 10 MPG(CITY), NORMALLY GETS 21-22 MPG. ENGINE HAS BEEN CHECKED ON LATEST DIAG. EQUIPMENT TO NO AVAIL. AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A PROBLEM WITH OUR 96 VOLVO(MODEL 850)???? *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10010624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Volvo 850 problems