AT 110K I NOTICED COOLANT LEVEL DROPPING FASTER THAN USUAL, AND COOLANT ON GARAGE FLOOR. DEALER REMOVED SIDE ENGINE COVER AND SHOWED ME A LINE OF PINHOLE LEAKS IN THE ALUMINUM BLOCK. TECHNICIAN SAID THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT HE HAD SEEN BEFORE, AND THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. VOLVO OFFERED NO HELP, "OUT OF WARRANTY." I PURCHASED A USED 1998 960 ENGINE FOR $1900 AND DEALER INSTALLED FOR $1800, INCLUDING INCIDENTAL PARTS. SOON THEREAFTER, RADIATOR BLEW AND RUINED CYLINDER HEAD. THE 1 YEAR USED ENGINE WARRANTY COVERED CYLINDER HEAD AND I PAID ABOUT $800 FOR NEW RADIATOR. TOTAL OUTLAY $4500! I FOLDED MY CARDS AND GOT $3500 FOR VOLVO TOWARD A NEW TOYOTA COROLLA. NO MORE VOLVOS FOR ME!
NHTSA complaint #10182120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CUSTOMER 1997 VOLVO 960 ENGINE FAILED DUE TO TIMING BELT PULLEY FAILURE. **CC THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE A HEAD BOLT HAD SEIZED IN THE ENGINE BLOCK.
NHTSA complaint #10181621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1992 960 STALLS WHILE DRIVING. *TS THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A JERKING MOTION BEFORE SHUTTING OFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL WHILE PARKING. THE POWER WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED. THE BATTERY DIED IF THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 1 DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL DRAIN ON THE CIRCUIT FOR THE POWER WINDOWS AND SHIFTLOCK CIRCUIT.
NHTSA complaint #10168038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
DT: CONTACT OWNS A 1993 VOLVO STATION WAGON 960. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY HEARD A LOUD NOISE, MOST OF THE LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD LIT UP. VEHICLE WAS IN TRAFFIC AND THE TEMPERATURE HAND DID NOT RISE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME. THE THERMOSTAT BROKE. THIS CAUSED THE TEMPERATURE HAND NOT TO RISE. THE NEXT DAY WENT OUT TO CHECK UNDER HOOD AND BASICALLY FOUND THE SERPENTINE BELT OFF TRACK. THE CONTACT PUT THE SERPENTINE BELT BACK ON THE VEHICLE, THEN SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, AND FOUND THAT THE SPINNING BELT HAD IDLER PULLEY, BELT PULLEY, AND BELT TENSIONER. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE PARTS WERE ORDERED AND THEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #10139308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AS OF JULY 29, 2005, MY 1996 VOLVO 960 STARTED LOSING SPEED AND THE ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING! THUS FAR, NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. ON AUGUST 1, 2005, WBAL-TV REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH 1999-2001 VOLVOS. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED AND UP TO NOW HAS BEEN IN EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION. PLEASE ADVISE.
NHTSA complaint #10131502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN LOW COOLANT LIGHT. SUDDENLY LOST POWER DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. IT SEIZED UP DUE TO OVERHEATING. TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER REGISTERED HOT. RADIATOR NECK BROKE OFF AT NECK CAUSING LOST OF COOLANT. ENGINE RUINED. DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE CLAIMING THERMOSTAT STUCK EVEN THOUGH THEY COULDN'T PROVE THIS.
NHTSA complaint #10064444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIMING BELT FAILED, DEALER REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, DRIVE BELT, CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND HAD TO REBUILD THE CYLINDER HEAD WITH NEW VALVES. *SLC *MJ *DT PH (DAUGHTER LUCY PICARDI ON BEHALF OF MOTHER) *JB
NHTSA complaint #564938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON HIGWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOARD PANEL. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDERS. VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8002428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
5/14 - VEHICLE STALLS AS CROSSING INTERSECTION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOW ON. ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE AND HAD 2 MORE STALLS BEFORE ARRIVING AT DEALER FOR SERVICING. 6/13 - WHILE TRAVELLING UPHILL, APPLIED GAS AND VEHICLE DIED WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. AGAIN RETURNED VEHICLE FOR SERVICING. 7/6 - WHILE TRAVELLING ON FLAT ROAD, CAR STALLS WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. NUMEROUS STALLS WHILE DRIVING FROM FRIEND'S HOME TO DEALER FOR SERVICING. 7/17 - PICKED CAR UP AT DEALERSHIP, 3 STALLS WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON BEFORE MAKING IT TO THE MAIN. CAR RETURNED TO DEALER FOR SERVICING.
NHTSA complaint #749872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UPON STARTING UP VEHICLE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. A NEIGHBOR STARTED YELLING FOR HER HUSBAND TO GET OUT OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM BELOW THE VEHICLE WHILE ENGINE ATTEMPTED TO START, EVEN THOUGH THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM IGNITION. NO DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE AS TO CAUSE OF THIS FIRE. INSURANCE COMPANY WAS GOING TO HAVE VEHICLE REMOVED. *AK AREA OF FIRE ORIGIN WAS IN THE ENGINE ARE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #891869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WITH NO INDICATION OF OVERHEATING THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND WAS DESTROYED. THE ONLY IDIOT LIGHT TO COME ON WAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THAT WAS AFTER BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER REGISTERED OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL RANGE AND NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ACCORDING TO VOLVO BUT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY STATE IT DOES NOT MATTER THAT THE GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED AND THEY CAN NOT BE TESTED ANYWAY BECAUSE THE CAR CAN NOT BE STARTED.
NHTSA complaint #747100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE ALUMINUM ALLOY IN THE BLOCK FAILED RESULTING IN A LINE OF PINHOLES IN THE SIDE OF THE BLOCK WHICH CAUSED LOW COOLANT IN THE RADIATOR, THE LEAK CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE A GALLON OF COOLANT EVERY TEN MILES CAUSING THE RADIATOR TO BOIL RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE, OIL WAS ALSO LEAKING FROM BLOCK PARALLEL TO THOSE BLEEDING COOLANT. NLM
NHTSA complaint #557452 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.