RoadVitals

1990 Volvo 740 Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Dec 28, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
30%
of 47 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
10
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1990 Volvo 740 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 28, 2015
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1990 VOLVO 740. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE GARAGE, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE SLAMMED INTO A BRICK WALL. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT AND WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS BLEEDING FROM HIS HEAD AND REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID
10816574
Incident
Dec 13, 2015
Mileage
200,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 26, 2015
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 VOLVO 740. WHILE REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE SERVICE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO REMOVE THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ID
10730707
Incident
Jun 24, 2015
Mileage
170,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Mar 12, 2010

RAPID ACCELERATION INCIDENT IN A 1990 VOLVO 740 TURBO SEDAN. GIVEN THE RECENT PRESS RE TOYOTA, I WOULD JUST LIKE IT KNOWN THAT THE ISSUE MAY EXTEND TO OTHER MANUFACTURERS AS WELL. MY VEHICLE BECAME "POSSESSED" IN A PARKING GARAGE IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS IN 1996. I WAS ABOUT TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, AND IT WENT INTO A SUPER HIGH SPEED REVERSE (ON ITS OWN FROM ZERO TO PERHAPS 40 MPH?) WHILE MY FOOT WAS JAMMED IN TERROR ON THE BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO THROW THE TRANSMISSION INTO FIRST GEAR, WHICH DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, BEFORE I SMASHED INTO A CAR BEHIND ME. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, BUT TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AND FOUND NO RECALLS. I SOLD THE CAR LONG AGO, BUT THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW. I LOVE VOLVO AND STILL BELIEVE THEY ARE SAFE CARS, SO I REGRET TO BRING THIS UP.

NHTSA ID
10319236
Incident
Apr 15, 1996
Mileage
65,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 18, 2007
Crash reported1 injury reported

IN A PARKING LOT AT A LOCAL GROCERY STORE, MY DAUGHTER AND I WENT INTO THE CAR, STARTED IT AND SHIFTED THE GEAR, WHILE HOLDING THE BRAKE, FROM PARK MODE TO REVERS MODE TO GET OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. AS SOON AS I SHIFTED IT, THE CAR TOOK OFF IN FULL SPEED BACKWARD AS IF IT WAS CRAZY, HITTING A CAR AND A PASSENGER THAT WAS COMING OUT OF THE CAR. AS MY CAR HIT THE 2ND VEHICLE'S OPEN DOOR, IT BOUNCED FORWARD, ALSO IN FULL SPEED. BY THIS TIME, I SHIFTED THE GEAR TO PARK MODE IN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE CAR. NEVERTHELESS, THE CAR FLEW AND HIT A SUV AND AS THE AIRBAG BROKE, MY CAR STOPPED. THE SUV WAS THEN SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN MY CAR AND A PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF IT. BOTH CARS WERE EMPTY BUT THE PASSENGER FROM THE FIRST CAR WAS BADLY BRUISED IN HER SIDE AND KNEE. THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAD OCCURED AND THE TIRE MARKS REMAINED FROM THE STARTING LOCATION TO THE END BECAUSE I WAS PUSHING THE BRAKE ALL THE TIME, NEVERTHELESS, THE CAR FLEW UNINTENTIONALLY. SINCE IT IS A VERY UNUSUAL CASE, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO THE CAR YET AND I WILL PROBABLY TOTAL THAT CAR.

NHTSA ID
10185465
Incident
Mar 13, 2007
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 30, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE ROUNDING A CURVE AT 20MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY ACCELERATED TO 50-60MPH. BRAKES WERE INEFFECTIVE TO SLOW ACCELERATION. VEHICLE FLEW OVER CURB, INTO PARK CRASHING INTO TREE. THANKFULLY, AIRBAG DEPLOYED SAVING ELDERLY DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ID
740135
Incident
Jan 28, 2001
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jan 29, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND WHEN ATTEMTPING TO TURN AROUND A CURVE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING UNWANTED AND UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED VOLVO. *AK THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE ACCELERATING VEHICLE. *YH

NHTSA ID
879198
Incident
Jan 28, 2001
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 21, 2000

UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION. DRIVER SITTING IN A CARPOOL PICKUP LINE WITH CAR TURNED OFF. DRIVER STARTED CAR IN ORDER TO MOVE IT FORWARD ABOUT 25 FEET( THEN THE INTENTION WAS TO TURN IT OFF AND SIT AND WAIT ANOTHER 10 MINUTES UNTIL SCHOOL GOT OUT). DRIVER PUT CAR IN DRIVE AND WENT TO GIVE CAR SOME GAS AND THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD, ENGINE COMPLETLY REVED. TRIED TO JAM ON BRAKES BUT THE CAR ENGINE STILL TOTALLY REVED. SMASHED INTO FORD EXPEDITION IN FRONT OF ME. AIR BAG DEPLOYED HITTING STOMACH ONLY.

NHTSA ID
734869
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 14, 1999
Crash reported

WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITH THE DRIVERS FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN THE TOTALED VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
842344
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 17, 1998

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.

NHTSA ID
536805
Incident
Jun 6, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 17, 1997
Crash reported

WHILE WAITING IN LINE PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT 50MPH. APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE KEPT ON GOING, WHEN VEHICLE HIT THE WALL THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, DID NOT HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE ONCE IT STARTED ACCELERATING.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID
813202
Incident
May 19, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 13, 1997
Crash reported

WHILE BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATED. VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER.

NHTSA ID
808877
Incident
Jan 26, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 12, 1997

OWNER STATES THAT FOR NO REASON WHILE BACKING OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL OWNER IS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY. *AK

NHTSA ID
808839
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 27, 1995
Crash reported

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *SD

NHTSA ID
488271
Incident
Sep 27, 1995
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 28, 1995
Crash reported

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE ATTEMPTING RIGHT TURN, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. (OTHER VEHICLE ON 489061). *SKD

NHTSA ID
479611
Incident
Mar 20, 1995

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .