RoadVitals

1995 Volvo 850 Visibility Problems

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

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
10
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.
9%
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.
0
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 windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 10 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 visibility

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
Visibility
Filed Oct 3, 2005

DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES NO LONGER CONTACTS GLASS BECAUSE MOTOR SPINDLE AXIS HAS BECOME MISALIGNED FORCING WIPER ARM UP. SUSPECT THAT MOUNTING PLATE OR BRACKET FOR MOTOR HAS BECOME DISTORTED/BENT. I BENT ARM FOR TEMPORARY FIX. OTHER OWNERS OF VOLVO 850 HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS (WWW.BRICKBOARD).*JB

NHTSA ID
10138398
Incident
Sep 30, 2005
Mileage
200,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Mar 15, 2000

DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER THE CONSUMER WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY, WHEN TAKEN TO THE GARAGE THE SERVICE MANAGER REMOVED AND REPLACED THE FUSE AND IT HAS WORK EVER SINCE. NLM

NHTSA ID
551371
Visibility
Filed Jan 20, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM WITH A BOLT ATTACHED TO THE ARM OF THE MOTOR WOULD NOT STAY TIGHTENED, AND CAUSES THE WIPERS TO BECOME INOPERATE AND LEAD TO A VEHICLE COLLISON DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND THE BOLT STILL LOOSENED. *AK

NHTSA ID
855243
Incident
Sep 1, 1996
Visibility
Filed Apr 26, 1999

THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 3 TIMES; THE PROBLEM IS TEMPORARILY FIXED AND REOCCURS. I HAVE BEEN GIVEN DIFFERENT STORIES, SUCH AS IT IS A RESULT OF USING DIFFERENT METALS AND VOLVO IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY LAST WEEK WHEN A DOWNPOUR STARTED AND HE FOUNDOUT THAT THE DRIVER'S WIPER FAILED AGAIN. TODAY THE DEALER TOLD ME THE ONLY THING TO DO IS TIGHTEN THE NUT WITH A 13/16 WRENCH. THE PROBLEM IS THAT UNLESS YOU CHECK IT EACH TIME YOU START THE CAR, YOU ONLY FIND OUT ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN RAIN ON THE ROAD. MY SISTER-IN-LAW HAS A 1994 VOLVO 850 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH HERS FAILS LESS OFTEN. OUR CAR IS STILL COVERED BY A VOLVO EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO PERMANENT FIX - JUST KEEP TIGHTENING THE WIPER NUT. THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A REASONABLE, ACCEPTABLE OR SAFE SOLUTION. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID
706013
Incident
Nov 12, 1996
Visibility
Filed May 14, 1998

POOR VISIBILITY DUE TO DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. WINDSHIELD HAS THOUSANDS OF SMALL SPECKLES IN IT THAT AFFECTS VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID
535606
Visibility
Filed Jul 11, 1996

POWER WINDOW SWITCH STICKS. *DH

NHTSA ID
601543
Incident
Aug 14, 1995
Visibility
Filed Mar 22, 1996

HAVING A BAD WEATHER DAY OR TEMPERATURE CHANGES THE WINDOWS WILL FOG UP ALL FOR NO REASON, YOU CAN PUT THE DEFORSTER ON AND WINDOWS WILL FOG UP AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
981078
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Dec 26, 1995

SHIFT LOCK BUTTON FAILED.

NHTSA ID
600502
Incident
Dec 26, 1995
Visibility
Filed Aug 29, 1995

THE QUARTER PANEL WINDOW SHATTERED FOR NO REASON. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
971246
Incident
Aug 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 .