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1998 problems

FaultScore report

1998 Volvo S90 problems

Owners have filed 38 complaints about the 1998 Volvo S90 with NHTSA between 1998 and 2014. The largest single group is the brakes.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Volvo S90 All 1998 cars

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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

Complaints

Crashes reported

Fires reported

Injuries reported

49,349 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

How 1998 compares with every other Volvo S90

Click any bar to open that year's report.

8 38 1 8 25 3 5 2 2 2

97 98 99 17 18 19 20 22 23 24

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1998 Volvo S90

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Brakes 13 34.2%

Median failure at 89,187 miles

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 6 15.8%

Median failure at 50,000 miles

Equipment & Accessories 4 10.5%

Median failure at 48,699 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 4 10.5%

2 crashes, 0 fires · median 160,997 mi

Transmission & Drivetrain 3 7.9%

Median failure at 48,699 miles

Other & Unspecified 2 5.3%

Body & Structure 2 5.3%

Tires 1 2.6%

Steering 1 2.6%

Median failure at 48,699 miles

Electrical System 1 2.6%

Median failure at 48,699 miles

Engine & Cooling 1 2.6%

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

25,000 – 49,999 miles 5 50.0%

50,000 – 74,999 miles 2 20.0%

75,000 – 99,999 miles 1 10.0%

100,000 – 149,999 miles 1 10.0%

150,000+ miles 1 10.0%

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 1998 peak 9 Nov 2014

NHTSA investigations into the 1998 Volvo S90

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.

PE99040 Opened 7 Jun 1999 Closed 27 Oct 1999 AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Filed 15 Mar 2010 at 212,994 miles Lithonia, GA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE BACKING INTO MY GARAGE ON 2/6/2010, MY 1998 VOLVO S90 SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS SPEEDING AND I APPLIED THE BRAKE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS GOING SO FAST THAT IT CRASHED INTO A WOODEN PLATFORM IN MY GARAGE. THE PLATFORM AND MY CAR WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE PLATFORM HAS BEEN REPAIRED; BUT MY CAR WAS TOTALED (>$5000.00 IN DAMAGES). I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL VOLVO DEALER AND VOLVO CUSTOMER CAR AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10319904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 4 Jan 2008 at 109,000 miles Centre, AL Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLVO S90. THE GEAR SHIFT BECAME STUCK WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE. SHE PRESSED THE GEAR RELEASE BUTTON AND PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE WALL AND THEN INTO THE HOUSE. THE VEHICLE, GARAGE WALL, AND HOUSE WERE DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 109,000.

NHTSA complaint #10213685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Filed 19 Nov 2014 Atlanta, GA

TIRES

MICHELIN TIRES - PILOT SPORT A/S SPORT PLUS- 205/55/ZR16. TIRE SIDE WALLS ARE SEPARATING - THIS PROBLEM IS KNOW AS CHUNKING. TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10659463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 27 Oct 2010 Northridge, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING- LETTER FROM REGARDING VOLVO PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WOULD RACE IN AN ERRATIC MANNER FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON AS HIGH AS 5,000 RPM'S. USING THE BRAKE HAD NO EFFECT. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE IN PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10363170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 15 Mar 2010 at 212,994 miles Lithonia, GA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

NHTSA complaint #10319904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 4 Jan 2008 at 109,000 miles Centre, AL Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

NHTSA complaint #10213685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 20 Sep 2006 at 89,187 miles East Amherst, NY

PARKING BRAKE:DRIVELINE:HYDRAULIC:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PERFORMING A STATE INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DETERMINED THE PARKING BRAKE LINES WERE WORN AND FRACTURED. THE PARKING BRAKE LINES WERE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED FOR THE SAME CONDITION, BUT THE PROBLEM HAD REOCCURRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #10168742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 14 Mar 2006 at 50,000 miles Lexington, SC

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

1988 VOLVO S90 SUNROOF HAS BROKEN DOWN REPEATEDLY SINCE IT WAS NEW. IT WOULD TYPICALLY WORK APPROXIMATELY A FEW TIMES THEN MALFUNCTION UNEXPECTEDLY WITH BROKEN PIECES RAINING DOWN UPON THE HEADS OF THE FRONT OCCUPANTS, POSING A DANGER TO DRIVING. AFTER THE MALFUNCTION IT WOULD THEN NOT BE OPERABLE AT ALL, POSING A THREAT TO WEATHER DAMAGE, THEFT, ETC. AFTER REPAIRING IT SEVERAL TIMES, BOTH THE DEALER (DICK DYER VOLVO OF COLUMBIA, SC) AND VOLVO REFUSED TO FIX IT ANY MORE UNDER WARRANTY, EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS EXACTLY AT 50,000 MILES AND LESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD. BOTH THE DEALER AND VOLVO CLAIMED THE WARRANTY WAS GOOD UP TO, BUT NOT INCLUDING, 50,000 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #10152648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 1 Sep 2005 Powder Springs, GA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1998 VOLVO S90 WITH 69,000 MILES. THE ETM UNIT ON THE CAR HAS FAILED. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON IT AND FOUND THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THAT CAR. IT CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO ACT ERRATICALLY. MY MECHANIC HAS TOLD ME THAT EVEN IF I CHANGE IT , IT WILL FAIL AGAIN IN A SHORT WHILE BECAUSE IT HAS A BAD DESIGN. I HAVE CONTACTED VOLVO ABOUT IT, AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I JUST WANT TO HAVE THIS COMPLAINT REGISTERED IN CASE VOLVO IS MADE TO CORRECT THIS THROUGH SOME LAWSUIT OR OTHER.

NHTSA complaint #10135037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 7 Sep 2004 at 50,000 miles Wellington, FL

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

THE SUN ROOF STRUTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TRYING TO OPEN/CLOSE THE SUN ROOF. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM ONCE, BUT THE CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #10091443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.