RoadVitals

1995 Volvo 850 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
13
Latest Oct 4, 2005
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.
12%
of 111 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.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Volvo 850 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 electrical

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

BrakesElectricalOther / unspecified+1 more
Filed Oct 4, 2005

. I HAVE SPENT $2200 IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS WHILE HERB GORDON TRIES TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, CLEANED AND RESEALED THE BRAKE CALIPERS AND NOW AS A LAST RESORT ARE REPLACING THE INTERNAL ABS SYSTEM, WHICH FINALLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BOLTS CAME LOOSE CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN, AIR SENSORS AND OXYGEN SENSORS SEEM TO NEED REPLACING AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR. *NM

NHTSA ID
10138511
Incident
Mar 20, 2005
Mileage
133,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 23, 2005
Fire reported

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, AND BACKING OUT THE DRIVE WAY, CONSUMER SAW SMOKE, SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT. CONSUMER THEN WENT INTO THE HOUSE TO GET WATER. UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE IT WAS ENGULFED IN SMOKE, AND FIRE.*AK *BF *NM

NHTSA ID
10115446
Incident
Feb 6, 2005
Electrical
Filed Jun 4, 2002

THE FIRST TWO COMPLAINTS ARE ACTUALLY THE SAME PROBLEM (DISREGARD THE 1ST, "STEERING"). THIS PROBLEM IS CLEARLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF ANY REPORTED; WE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE HORN PERMANENTLY. MECHANICS HAVE TOLD US THAT THE "HORN CONTACTS" WITHIN STEER. *AK

NHTSA ID
762647
Incident
Sep 1, 2001
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Aug 30, 2001

GEAR POSITION SENSOR,S1 & S2 SOLENOIDS: VOLVO HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT FOR SOME TIME AND SHOULD HAVE DECLARED A RECALL.( VOLVO EVEN LOST A SMALL CLAIMS SUIT IN CALIFORNIA OVER THIS FAILURE) WHILE VOLVO PAID $900 OF THE $1300 REPAIR BILL TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR THE WHOLE BILL. RE: HORN FAILURE, THE VOLVO MECHANICS SAID VOLVO HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ALSO, BUT REFUSES TO DO ANY THING ABOUT IT. MY CAR HAS NOT YET REACHED 50,000 MILES AND I HAVE HAD TO SPEND ABOUT $1,400 DOLLARS TO REPAIR A SUNROOF, REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL, AND FIX THE SOLENOIDS AND GEAR POSITION SENSORS. I BELIEVE VOLVO SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THESE EXPENDITURES. I HAVE BEEN A VOLVO OWNER SINCE 1972, AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOLVO AGAIN. FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT ON A VOLVO, I COULD HAVE HAD A RELIABLE CAR LIKE A SMALL LEXUS!*AK

NHTSA ID
751419
Incident
Aug 17, 2001
Electrical
Filed Jan 15, 2001
Fire reported

MY CAR BURNED COMPLETELY WITHIN 15-20 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING A CERTIFIED VOLVO DEALERSHIP DUE TO A FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
739415
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+3 more
Filed Sep 12, 2000

IGNITION COIL REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
554552
Incident
Jun 17, 1995
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 14, 2000
Fire reported

AT 70 MPH, ON CRUISE CONTROL, HAVING BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY CONTINUOUSLY FOR 60+ MILES, THE CRUISE CONTROL CUT OUT, THROTTLE DID NOT RESPOND, SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING FROM BEHIND VEHICLE, ENGINE QUIT AND WITHIN APPROX. 10 SECONDS OF COMING TO STOP AND DRIVER EXITING VEHICLE, CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. CONTACTED VOLVO AND THEY REFUSED COMMENT AFTER THEIR INVESTIGATION.

NHTSA ID
718734
Incident
Jan 20, 2000
ElectricalSteering
Filed Oct 19, 1999

DEALER INSPECTED THE STEERING WHEEL AND STATED THAT IT WILL COST $700 TO REPLACE IT. DEALER STATED THAT NONE OF THE OTHER 850 OWNERS HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HORNS. *AK

NHTSA ID
713567
Incident
Jun 1, 1999
Electrical
Filed Apr 26, 1999

STEERING WHEEL ELECTRICAL WIRING CONNECTORS SHORTED OUT CAUSING HORN TO BURN. MJS

NHTSA ID
545145
Electrical
Filed Mar 22, 1999

HORN STUCK IN ON-POSITION WHILE DRIVING ON FWY. HAD TO PULL ONTO SHOULDER AND DISCONNECT WIRES AT HORN. DEALER DETERMINED SHORT OCCURRED INSIDE STEERING COLUMN. COLUMN REPLACED AT A COST OVER $360. VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE NOTED THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL. REFUSED TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
704773
Incident
Mar 20, 1999
Electrical
Filed May 19, 1998

HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE DUE TO DESIGN.

NHTSA ID
535713
Electrical
Filed Sep 29, 1997
Fire reported

ENGINE FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
514480
Electrical
Filed Aug 12, 1995

IGNITION SYSTEM FAILURE, PREVENTING ENGINE FROM STARTING. *AW

NHTSA ID
600400
Incident
Feb 28, 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 .