Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 41 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1989 Volvo 740. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 41 · page 1 of 2
WHILE BRAKING AT THIS SPEED OR HIGHER THE CAR STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHACK AND PULL TO THE LEFT. TOOK IT TO VOLVO AND THEY SAID THE CALIBER WAS NOT RELEASING PROPERLY. HAD CALIBERS REPLACED SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR DUE TO A SIMILAR MALFUNCTION. *JS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 VOLVO 740. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXCESSIVELY OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED AN OIL LEAK UNDER THE HOOD. WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PC VALVE FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH VOLVOVILLE USA FOR RECALL CAMPAIGN 96V08500 FOR DATE BELOW. SHOWED UP ON TIME AND PROVIDED VIN # FOR VEHICLE THAT WAS PURCHASED FROM VOLVOVILLE (AS A NEW CAR BY MY WIFE PENNIE WILFONG ) AND ALL OTHER DATA REQUESTED BY SERVICE WRITER. I STATED I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ANY OTHER SERVICE AND ONLY WANTED THE RECALL ITEM TAKEN CARE OF. THE SERVICE WRITER WENT INTO HER DATABASE AND INFORMED ME THERE WAS NOTHING THERE AND DID NOT PROVIDE ANY EXPLANATION EVEN WHEN ONE WAS REQUESTED. THE CAR WAS NEVER IN THE SERVICE BAY FOR INSPECTION BY A FACTORY TRAINED TECHNICIAN I FEEL THAT SINCE I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN SPENDING ANY MONEY THAT DAY, THAT VOLVOVILLE USA WAS NOT WILLING TO HAVE A SERVICE TECHNICIAN CHECK OUT MY VEHICLE. PLEASE HAVE AN EXPLANATION PROVIDED OR HAVE THE CAR EXAMINED AS PER THE SAFTEY RECALL ISSUED BY NHSTA. THANKS. *AK
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH AN CAUSED ACCIDENT.(OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT 10-89-312) *YH
I ENTERED MY CAR AND PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE ENGINE, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MY LEFT HAND WAS RESTING ON THE STEERING WHELL AS I TURNED THE KEY. THE AIR BAG RIPPED MY WATCH FROM MY WRIST AND LACERATED THE WRIST IN NUMEROUS PLACES. MY NECK, CHEST AND BOTH ARMS WERE ABRAISED. VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA WAS NOTIFIED. THEY SENT A "TECHNICAL SPECIALIST TO INSPECT THE CAR. VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA SENT ME A REPORT OF HIS FINDINGS WHICH STATED, "OUR TECNHICAL SPECIALIST DID OBSERVE THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FLOORING HAD SIGNS OF EXTENSIVE WATER DAMAGE AND THAT THE SRS SENSOR WAS HEAVILY CORRODED DUE TO THE EXPOSURE TO WATER. IT IS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE SENSOR THAT CAUSED THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY." I LIVE IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. WE RECEIVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF SNOW IN THE WINTER. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO HAVE WATER ACCUMULATE ON THE FRONT FLOORING. THE SENSOR IS LOCATED ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT. ONE WOULD EXPECT THAT IT WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO THE ACCUMULATED WATER. THE QUESTION ARISES IN MY MIND WHY IS SUCH A CRITICAL SENSOR PLACED IN AN AREA THAT IS VULNERABLE TO WATER CORROSION? IT APPEARS TO ME TO BE A DESIGN ERROR. MY AUTO IS 13 YEARS OLD AND HAS OVER 200,000 MILES ON IT. MAYBE IT TAKES THAT LONG TO CORROD. THE POINT IS THAT IT DID BECAUSE IT WAS ON THE FLOOR WHERE WATER CAN SOAK THE CARPETING. I SHUTTER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RESULT IF I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MILES PER HOUR WHEN IT DEPLOYED. ONE THING WOULD BE CERTAIN, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING THIS LETTER. I WOULD LIKE VOLVO TO REPLACE MY STEERING WHEEL WITH A NEW BAG AND A NEW SENSOR. I ALSO THINK THEY SHOULD CONSIDER PLACING THE SENSOR IN A MORE SECURE AREA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.*AK
4 TIRES DELAMINATE---DEALER JUST GAVE ME A PRO RATING WOULD NOT REPLACE FREE EVEN THOUGH ITS OBVIOUS THE TIRES ARE CRAP. *AK (TIRESIZE: 205/60/15)
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE REAR WHILE DRIVING, PRIOR TO THIS FIRE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PLAGUED WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND SHORT CIRCUITS, NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT 40 MPH AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. VOLVO MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
VEICLE STOPPED, FAILED TO FUNCTION DUE TO FAULTY TIMING BELT. HAD TO BE TOWED TO MECHANIC. *AK
THE TIMING BELT HAD BROKEN WHILE WAITING AT STOP LIGHT. HAD STARTED FORWARD WHEN VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM WAS THE TIMING GEAR. THE TIMING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
ABS BRAKE SYSTEM MAKES SOME STRANGE SOUNDS AND VIBRATION AT LOW SPEEDS OR STOPPING. YH
AIR CONDITIONER DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE. IT WAS DESIGNED TO BRING INTO VEHICLE COOL AIR. THE ENGINE DESIGN IS CURVED, PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE COILS. MANUFACTURER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
BATTERY CABLES FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL FIRE.
THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE PUTTING CAR INTO GEAR WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE.
STARTED VEHICLE, BRUSHED SNOW OFF VEHICLE, OPENED DOOR & NOTICED DARK GREY SMOKE NEAR GEAR SHIFT AREA, TRIED PUTTING SMOKE OUT, FLAMES SHOT OUT. FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A SHORT IN LEFT FRONT SEAT HEATER SWITCH. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. *AK
DASHBOARD CRACKED.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
ANTILOCK BRAKE FAILURE.
INTERMITTENT STALLING.
FIRE--SHORT CIRCUIT CAUSED BY BATTERY CABLES.
BATTERY CABLE INSULATION WORE OFF, CAUSING SHORT CIRCUIT/FIRE PRIOR TO RECALL.
THE CAR BATTERY CABLE CAUGHT ON FIRE PRIOR TO RECALL. *AK
CAR WAS SITTING FOR OVER TWO HOURS AND CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. ELECTRICAL FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .