Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 83 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 Volvo 850. 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 83 · page 1 of 4
I HAVE A 1994 VOLVO 850. I HAVE A LEAK WHERE THE HEAT SHIELD IS ATTACHED TO THE GAS TANK. VOLVO IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT MY VIN DOES NOT SHOW THE RECALL. THE LEAK OF GAS IS 100% FROM THE RECALLED SPOT HEATSHIELD SIDE OF THE GAS TANK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT COULD BLOW BACK ON THE EXHAUST AND CAUSE A FIRE.
WE SMELL GAS. WHEN STOP NOTICE FUEL LEAKING FROM FUEL ENTRY PIPE. WHEN GOT CLOSER LOOK IT WAS LEAKING FROM FUEL ENTRY PIPE THAT CONNECTED TO FUEL TANK. *TR
THE CONSOLE AND STEERING WHEEL WERE WET FROM RAIN. THE SRS DASH WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. ABOUT 5 MILES AFTER THAT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE BAG WAS THE ORIGINAL BAG. THE SRS LIGHT HAD GONE ON ONCE 20 MONTHS BEFORE WHEN THE CONSOLE GOT WET. THE DEALERSHIP RAN A TEST FOR ABOUT $115 EACH ON BOTH OCCASIONS AND SAID THE CAUSE OF THE SRS LIGHT COMING ON WAS INDETERMINATE. TWENTY MONTHS AGO A TOP, LONGTIME VOLVO DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGER ASSURED ME THAT AIR BAGS NEVER GO OFF WITHOUT AN IMPACT. HE SAID THERE HAD NOT BEEN A SINGLE OCCASION OF THAT EVER HAPPENING. I SHOULD HAVE GOOGLED THE TOPIC. I WOULD HAVE SEEN RIGHT AWAY THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. TWO BONES IN MY FOREARM WERE BROKEN AND HEAVY BRUISES THAT ARE STILL VISIBLE 5 WEEKS LATER WERE LEFT ON MY STOMACH AND THIGHS. CORPORATE OFFICES AND THE DEALERSHIP SAY THE BAG WAS OUT OF WARRANTY; A REPLACEMENT STEERING WHEEL TO INSTALL A NEW BAG IS NOT AVAILABLE; AND THAT THEY WILL NOT DISCONNECT THE PASSENGER BAG, THOUGH I CONSIDER IT A TIME BOMB. BEFORE WRITING AN EMAIL ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE BLAME ON ME, ERICA AT "THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF VOLVO" LEFT AN APPARENTLY INANE VOICE MAIL THAT I HAVE SAVED FOR NOW SAYING "THIS IS NOT EXACTLY A SPONTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT. WE DO KNOW WHY THE BAG DEPLOYED IN YOUR VEHICLE." I EMAILED BACK THAT HER CLAIM THAT "WE" KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE BAG TO DEPLOY "STRUCK ME AS ODD BECAUSE NO ONE AT THE VOLVO [DEALERSHIP] THIS PAST WEEK SAID THAT THEY KNEW." EVEN AFTER RUNNING A CHECK ON THE SRS SYSTEM, AND CHARGING ME $115 TO DO SO, THEY STILL SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW. IN FACT A FEW WEEKS AGO TWO LONG TIME SERVICE MANAGERS WERE SAYING MY EXPERIENCE WAS UNPRECEDENTED OR IMPOSSIBLE. I SUGGESTED IN ANOTHER EMAIL TO ERICA THAT THE CORPORATION HAD A MORAL OBLIGATION TO INFORM THEIR SERVICE MANAGERS OF DOCUMENTED CASES OF SPONTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 VOLVO 850 TURBO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FUEL LEAKED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STATED THAT THE REMEDY FOR THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V368000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE) WAS PERFORMED SEVEN YEARS AGO. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,000.
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.
I HAVE HAD THE SMELL OF GAS AND EVIDENCE OF LEAKS AT THE GAS TANK FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS PLUS. I CALLED VOLVO TWO YEARS AGO ABOUT THE RECALL (NHTSA # EA03008 FROM JULY/2004). I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR VIN DOES NOT MATCH THE RECALL. I JUST HAD THE TANK PULLED BY MY MECHANIC AND IT IS A PLASTIC TANK WHICH IS LEAKING FROM THE 3 BOLTS WHICH ATTACH IT TO THE HEAT SHIELD- EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL- AND IT HAS BEEN OPERATED IN A HOT WEATHER STATE(TX). THIS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY EXCLUDE THIS FROM RECALL. I AM GETTING THE RUNAROUND FROM VOLVO.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 VOLVO 850. THE CONTACT STATED HE NOTICED GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. HE ADDED GASOLINE TO THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE LEAK CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THEY DISCOVERED SEVERAL CRACKS ON THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHED TO THE FUEL TANK. A NEW FUEL TANK WAS ORDERED FOR THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THERE WAS NOT A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V368000 ( FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE) BUT WAS TOLD HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157,030.
BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF INTERNAL LATCHING MECHANISMS, THE DOORS OF THE 1994 VOLVO 850 (AND POSSIBLY OTHER MODELS) AFTER BEING CLOSED CAN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BE RENDERED PERMANENTLY CLOSED AND UNABLE TO BE OPENED FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. USE OF THE VEHICLE KEY, DOOR LOCKS OR DOOR HANDLES ARE INEFFECTIVE AT ALLOWING AN AFFECTED DOOR TO BE OPENED, EVEN THOUGH UNAFFECTED DOORS WILL CONTINUE TO UNLOCK, LOCK, CLOSE AND OPEN NORMALLY. THE ISSUE OCCURRED ON MY VEHICLE ON BOTH REAR DOORS, ALTHOUGH AT DIFFERENT TIMES. OCCUPANTS CAN BECOME ENTRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE, MAKING TIMELY EGRESS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY IMPOSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY FOR ELDERLY, DISABLED OR INFANT PASSENGERS, WHO MAY HAVE TO CLIMB OR BE PULLED OVER SEATBACKS IN ORDER TO EXIT VIA A DOOR THAT IS STILL OPERATIONAL. EXITING VIA A REAR WINDOW OF THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT PERSONAL INJURY WOULD BE EXTREMELY UNLIKELY OR IMPOSSIBLE FOR MOST PEOPLE. *TR
ENGINE HEATER BLOCK CONTACT SURFACE DOES NOT MATCH CORRECTLY WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK AS INTENDED.,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, COLD WEATHER CONDITION ICE CRYSTALS CAN FORM AT THE THROTTLE IN THE ENGINE INTAKE SYSTEM, PREVENT THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE. FUEL SYSTEM , THE FUEL TANK MAY SEEP OR LEAK FUEL AT THE ONTO WHERE THE HEAT SHIELD IS ATTACHED. THESE ARE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND NEED TO BE FIXED NO MATTER IF A TICKET IS OPENED OR NOT. *TR
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 *TR
I OWN A 1994 VOLVO 850 SEDAN. I WAS PARKED ON A BUSY DOWNTOWN PORTLAND ST. AND GOT IN MY CAR, TURNED ON THE IGNITION AND MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED. IT WAS SO LOUD I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN SHOT. (AS DID PASSERSBY) MY CAR FILLED WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SMOKE (DUE TO GUNPOWDER SMELL) AND GOT OUT QUICKLY. I WAS VERY DISTRAUGHT AND IN SHOCK...MY ARMS AND CHEST HAD BURNS AND CUTS AND BRUISES INSTANTLY. I WENT TO THE ER..THANKFULLY NOTHING BROKEN BUT NOW MY INSURANCE COMPANY (FARMER'S) IS SAYING IT'S NOT COVERED SINCE IT IS "SO RARE" AND THEY FEEL "DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT". I THEN CONTACTED VOLVO HEADQUARTERS AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT SINCE THE CAR IS 14 YRS. OLD THERE COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE A "FACTORY DEFECT". AT THIS POINT I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO HELP ME WITH THIS. I FEEL LIKE I AM SUCH AN INNOCENT VICTIM IN ALL THIS. ALL I DID WAS TRY TO START MY CAR........... *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 VOLVO 850. THE VEHICLE CHECK STRAP HAS FAILED AND IS CAUSING THE METAL TO WEAR OUT AND DAMAGE THE HINGES. THE FAILURE IS CREATING A HOLE IN THE DOOR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PILLARS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR IS $947. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 18,700.
DRIVERS SIDE WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR WINDSHIELD. THEY SAY TO TIGHTEN NUT BUT IT NO LONGER WORKS. I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE TOTAL ASSEMBLY. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE 850. SHOULDN'T THIS BE FIXED BY VOLVO? *JB
I BELIEVE IT'S THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. I'VE HAD THE PART REPLACED AND YET THE CAR STILL RUNS POORLY. IT STALLS, LOOSES SPEED, AND QUITS RUNNING ALL TOGETHER. IT IS A VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. *JB
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. *NM
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. *NM
I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. STRANGELY, FIRST IT STARTED OUT CUTTING OFF WHENEVER I WOULD MAKE A RIGHT TURN. THE CAR WOULD JUST CUT OFF, ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH WOULD COME ON. I HAVE HAD THREE AUTO REPAIR PLACES LOOK AT IT. OF COURSE I WAS ADVISED TO DO SEVERAL THINGS WHICH THEY THOUGHT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. IT DID NOT. WELL THE LASTEST AND WORST HAPPENED ON 8/6 WHEN THE CAR CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND ON A BUSY STREET. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE FAR SIDE AND SWITCH THE CAR OFF AND IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP. PLEASE I NEED HELP. I AM SCARED TO GET ON THE INTERSTATE IN FEAR THAT IT WILL SHUT DOWN ON ME.
DT:THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 VOLVO 850. THE VEHICLE WILL STALL WHILE DRIVING HE HAS HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE MECHANIC CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AT ACCELERATING, DECELERATING, STARTUP, AND OTHER TIMES. THERE IS NO WARNING TO THIS FAIKURE.THERE IS NO AVERAGE SPEED FOR THIS OCCURRENCE. IF AN A BACKROADTAKE FOOT OF TO GO AROUND THE CURVE THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. WITHIN KAST YEAR IT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS DAY. THEN TWO WEEKS KATER, AND THEN THREE AND A HALF MONTHS LATER, AND TODAY AUGUST 10,2005 IT HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES. THE ENGINE WILL RESTART ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE MINUTES AFTER THEN STALLING. THE TRANSMISSION IS AUTOMATIC.*AK
DT: THE OWNER NOTICED AFTER DELIVERY OF VEHICLE THAT THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THE MILEAGE. THE GAUGE WOULD READ HOW FAST THE OWNER WAS TRAVELING, BUT NOT HOW FAR THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING. THE OWNER NOTICED THIS WITHIN THE FIRST 10 MILES OF DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON THE PHONE AFTER VIEWING A WEBSITE. THE DEALERSHIP WHO SOLD THE VEHICLE DID NOT INDICATE THAT THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY. ALSO, CERTAIN FIELDS IN THE VEHICLE INFORMATION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CHECKED TO INDICATE AN ODOMETER PROBLEM, AND THESE FIELDS WERE NOT CHECKED. WHEN THE OWNER ASKED ABOUT THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE THE OWNER WAS TOLD BY SALESMAN THAT THERE WERE 131,889 MILES. THIS WAS THE SAME MILEAGE THAT WAS ON THE TITLE AND ON THE WEB SITE. THIS WAS THE MILEAGE THAT THE ODOMETER SHOWED BECAUSE THE ODOMETER WILL NOT ADVANCE AS THE MILEAGE INCREASED. THE OWNER GOT THE TITLE ON AUGUST 9 2005, AND THE TITLE STATED AS OF MARCH 2003 THERE WERE 122,042 MILES. ON VEHICLE. THE MILEAGE ADVANCED ABOUT 10,000 MILES SINCE 2003. THE OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 5 2005 ABOUT THE ODOMETER PROBLEM, AS WELL AS A ENGINE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE MILEAGE PROBLEM, AND WAS UNCONCERNED ABOUT IT. THE OWNER TOOK THE CAR TO A VOLVO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, BUT VOVLO HAS NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER WORKING BUT NOT THE ODOMETER. *AK
1994 850 GLT VOLVO WAS TOTAL DESTROYED BY FIRE. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE SEAT FELT HOT, THEN IT BEGUN TO SMOKE AND SMELLED BURNING. THE DEALER DISCONNECTED THE SEAT HEATER CIRCUITS. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON AND BEGUN TO SMOKE AGAIN. FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT. *SC
RECENTLY READ AN ARTICLE IN USA TODAY ABOUT VOLVO'S STALLING, LOSING SPEED AND ETC. THAT PERFECTLY DESCRIBES MY PROBLEM WITH MY 1994 VOLVO 850 SEDAN. OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS WE HAVE HAD VERY SIMILAR OCCURRENCES WITH OUR CAR LOSING SPEED AND DYING IN TRAFFIC. AFTER EACH INCIDENT IT HAS RESTARTED AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND WILL NOT REPEAT THE FAILURE WITH ANY FREQUENCY. I HAVE HAD THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND TO A VOLVO DEALERSHIP. BOTH PLACES HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND SINCE WE CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM IT MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE. I REALIZE THE INVESTIGATION IS FOR THE YEAR 1999 - 2001 BUT I HOPE THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE LIKE ME AND YOU MIGHT CONSIDER EXTENDING THE NUMBER OF YEARS YOUR ARE INVESTIGATING. *JB
DT: WHILE HE WAS IN A PARKING LOT THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL FELL OFF. THE BOLTS THAT HELD THE FRONT ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF, AND THE AXLE BROKE. DEALER SAID HE SAW THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. ANOTHER DEALER SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM, AND GAVE HIM THEIR PHONE NUMBER. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK
LTR FM OWNER OF A VOLVO WHO REPAIRED LINK IN THE GAS TANK SEAL. CONSUMER SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT REPAIR COVERED BY RECALL.*MR *NM
1. SEATS FELT VERY HOT TO THE POINT OF BURNING. HAD TO TURN HEATER OFF. . BURNED HOLES IN BOTH SEATS AND IN COAT OF PASSENGER. 3. SEAT HEATERS REPLACED. ONE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO BY VOLVO DEALER. PART WAS NOT RETURNED. OTHER HEATER REPLACED LAST MONTH BY LOCAL GARAGE. I HAVE OLD HEATER, WHICH HAS A BARE WIRE STICKING OUT FROM BURNED HOLE IN HEATER PAD.*AK
ON JUNE 1, 2004, MY 1994 VOLVO 850 WAS LEAKING GAS ON MY DRIVEWAY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO VOLVO VILLAGE IN CLEARWATER FOR REPAIR AND THEY REPLACED THE GAS TANK. I PAID $790. I LEARNED ON 2/1/05 THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR VOLVO 850 FOR THE GAS TANK, RECALL R139, INVOLVING 226,000 VOLVO 850S INCLUDING MY 1994 YEAR. RECALL NUMBER: 04V368000. MAKE : VOLVO MODEL : 850 YEAR : 1994 MANUFACTURER : VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 04V368000 RECALL DATE : JUL 23, 2004 COMPONENT: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED : 226000 I CALLED VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE 1-800-458-1552 AND THEY SAID THE RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VIN # AND REFUSE TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THIS REPAIR. I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS REPAIR AS PER THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. PLEASE HELP ME GET MY REIMBURSEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS PROVIDED REIMBURSEMENT. *AK *NM
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
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