Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Volvo 850 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 55 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.
The 25 most recent of 55, in the owner's own words
I HAVE A 1996 VOLVO 850 TURBO STATION WAGON. IT HAS ONLY 41,000 MILES BUT THE ABS LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND OFF. I AM TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE CAR. VOLVO CLAIMS IT IS ONE OF THE SAFEST CAR ON THE ROAD AND QUITE RELIABLE. I DISAGREE. PLS. ASK VOLVO TO ISSUE A RECALL AS THIS IS ANNOYING AND COULD PROVE TO BE DANGEROUS. *TR
1996 VOLVO 850 - ABS LIGHT INTERMITTENT - NOT SURE IF ABS IS WORKING OR NOT - TOLD BY VOLVO REPAIR SPECIALISTS THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE 96 & 97 MODELS - ALSO TOLD THAT ABS COMPUTER HAS TENDENCY TO BURN OUT RELATIVELY QUICKLY ON THIS MODEL & YEAR - TOLD TO GO AHEAD AND REPLACE IT - AGAIN - HAD IT REPLACED LESS THAN 4 YEARS AGO - *TR
1996 VOLVO 850 ABS LIGHT INTERMITTENT NOT SURE IF ABS IS WORKING OR NOT COMES AND GOES. *TR
HEAT GENERATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSES ABS CONTROL MODULE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE TO FAIL IN MY '96 VOLVO 850R. AS OF TODAY, THERE'S 3 MODULES ALREADY REPLACED (EACH COSTING $800). THE DEALER SAID THAT THE CONTROL MODULE FAILS BECAUSE IT'S NOT DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER TO WITHSTAND TYPICAL ENGINE HEAT. THE CHATROOM OF VOLVO OWNERS (WWW.BRICKBOARD.COM) IS FILLED WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT FROM VARIOUS MODEL YEARS. THE FAILURE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS SINCE THE FAILURE CAUSES INTERMITTENT BRAKING CAPABILITY AND HAZARDOUS DURING WINTER/SNOWY ROAD CONDITIONS. THE FAILURE IS SUDDEN AND WITHOUT WARNING.
ABS CONTROL UNIT FAILURE ON 96 VOLVO 850 WITH JUST OVER 60,000 MILES ON IT. ABS LIGHT COMES ON DUE TO FAILURE IN UNIT. FAILURE IS A RESULT OF CRACKS THAT DEVELOP IN CIRCUIT BOARD. ABS FAILS & IS NO LONGER OPERABLE LEADING TO HAZARDOUS BRAKING CONDITION. THIS IS A COMMON & WELL KNOWN ISSUE ON 850 VOLVO'S. INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS AND VOLVO REPAIR SPECIALISTS AND MEMBERS OF VOLVO COMMUNITY ALL KNOW THAT ABS LIGHT COMING ON MEANS 90% CHANCE TOTAL FAILURE OF UNIT IS INVOLVED. REPAIR COST IS PROHIBITIVE. REPLACEMENT OF DEFECTIVE UNIT IS $650 TO $900.00.
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ABS PUMP MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, AND REMAINED ON. FOLLOWING THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THIS CAUSED A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT HOME. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ABS MODULAR UNIT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK
CAR VIBRATES AND A LOUD RESONANCE IS HEARD WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT 30 MPH OR BELOW. *NM
1996 VOLVO 850'S ARE PLAGUED WITH REAR MAIN SEAL FAILURES WHICH CAUSE OIL TO LEAK ONTO CLUTCHES AS WELL AS ON TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEMS, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRES. 1996 VOLVO 850'S ARE ALSO PLAGUED WITH ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURES IN THAT THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEMS FAIL TO OPERATE AT TIMES. THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE COMPUTER MODULE. VOLVO 850'S ARE ALSO PLAGUED WITH POOR DRIVERS SIDE WIPER DESIGNS THAT RESULT IN A LARGE PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD NOT BEING SWEPT BY THE WIPER, WASHER NOZZLES RETURN VALVES ALSO FAIL FREQUENTLY, PREVENTING WASHER FLUID FROM RECAHING THE WINDSHIELD.
HAIRLINE CRACK IN CIRCUIT BOARD ON VEHICLE COMPUTER MAKES ABS AND TRACS BRAKING SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND GOES OFF IF THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND RE-STARTED. I TALKED TO AN INDEPENDENT VOLVO REPAIR SHOP AND HE INDICATED THAT HE HAS REPLACED TEN COMPUTER THIS YEAR IN BOISE, IDAHO THIS YEAR ON VARIOUS VOLVO MODELS, YEARS 1993 TO 1998.*AK
BAD ABS MODULE. *LA
THE ABS AND TRACS OFF IDIOT LAMPS TURN ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY IN MY 850. I CAN BE DRIVING AROUND ON DRY PAVEMENT WITH VERY LITTLE THROTTLE INPUT, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WILL ENGAGE (AUDIBLE WHIRRING OF THE ABS MODULATOR PUMP AND STIFF PULSATING BRAKE PEDAL - QUICKLY APPLIED TO CONFIRM MY SUSPICION). THIS WILL LIGHT THE LAMPS. LIKEWISE, I CAN BE BRAKING ON A DRY SURFACE AT A LOW DECEL, AND THE ABS WILL ENGAGE. THIS WILL ALSO LIGHT THE LAMPS AND SHUT OFF ABS/TRACS. AFTER A WHILE, THE LIGHTS WILL TURN OFF, AND ABS AND TRACS FUNCTION NORMALLY. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE OR TWICE A DAY SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT ON 7/11/03. I'VE GIVEN AN ESTIMATE NUMBER IN THE FIELD BELOW. FURTHERMORE, THE SPEEDOMETER FUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY. I'VE TRACED THIS ISSUE BACK TO A FAULTY CONNECTION BETWEEN THE VEHICLE WIRING HARNESS AND THE ABS CONTROLLER. THE TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED, THE WIRING HARNESS HAS NOT BEEN FASTENED SECURELY IN THE PLUG ON THE ABS CONTROLLER. REMOVING AND REPLUGGING THE WIRING HARNESS INTO THE ABS CONTROLLER TEMPORARILY SOLVES THE PROBLEM. THE WIRING HARNESS IS COMING LOOSE IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE CAR IS WELL MAINTAINED AND IS NOT ABUSED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT ON 7/11/03.*JB
1996 850 VOLVO WAGON ABS BRAKE FAILURE. THE ABS BRAKE COMPUTER PERIODICALLY TURNS ITSELF OFF (THE ABS DASH LIGHT COMES ON). THIS WOULDN'T BE TOO BAD BECAUSE THE BRAKES WILL WORK FINE EVEN IF THE ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS. EXCEPT WHEN THE SYSTEM FIRST MALFUNCTIONS. THERE IS A ONE TO TWO SECOND INTERVAL WHEN YOU TRY TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL FIGHTS YOU, VIBRATES, THEN ALLOWS NORMAL BRAKING (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE ABS CHATTER THAT HAPPENS WHEN IT IS WORKING PROPERLY AND A WHEEL IS SLIPPING). MY ABS SYSTEM TURNS OFF EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR, YOU'RE JUST NEVER SURE WHEN. IF IT DOES WHEN I'M BRAKING, MY BRAKING IS IMPAIRED FOR A COUPLE SECONDS - THAT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC! MY VOLVO DEALER SAYS THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE "COMPUTERS", BUT IT DOESN'T AFFECT SAFETY. FURTHERMORE, IT COSTS $700 TO FIX! I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY FACTOR AND I'M APPALLED THAT VOLVO (OF ALL COMPANIES) DOESN'T ISSUE A RECALL.*AK
ABS COMPUTER FAILURE, ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON, ABS FAILS TO FUNCTION AT ALL. TSB ON WIRE CRIMP DONE ALLREADY. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF CASES OF FAILED ABS ECU MODULES, SOME ARE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AND DONT EVEN GET REPORTED.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN TRYING TO APPLY THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES. BRAKES WILL LOCK UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
INTERMITTENT AND ONGOING PROBLEM WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. THE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING PULSATION, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SIX OCCASION. DEALER REPLACED ABS MODULE, BUT EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD REOCCUR. *AK
I OWN A 1996 VOLVO 850 TURBO. ABS MODULE FAILED TO WORK. THERE ARE SIMILAR PROBLEMS REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS. THE FAILURE RATE APPEARS TO BE HIGH FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. *NLM
ABS AND "TRAC OFF" LIGHTS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ABS CONTROL UNIT.*AK *JB *TS
I NOTICED AN ODD NOISE WHICH SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING ROLLING AROUND IN THE BACK OF THE CAR, BUT NOTHING WAS. AT TIME OF STATE INSPECTION, I ALERTED THE INSPECTORS. THEY FELT SOMETHING BUMPING FROM WITHIN THE GAS TANK. I DISASSEMBLED THE FLOOR COVERINGS AND INSPECTION PORTS FOR FUEL PUMP AND GAUGE SENDER. I REMOVED THE GAUGE SENDER AND LOOKED INTO THE TANK AND OBSERVED A PLASTIC BOWL-LIKE OBJECT SURROUNDING THE FUEL PUMP. I ROCKED THE CAR AND THIS BOWL WOULD SLOSH AGAINST THE PUMP. THIS OBJECT APPEARS TO BE A BAFFLE TO REDUCE SLOSHING AROUND THE PUMP. IT WOULD SEEM THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO BE GLUED IN PLACE, BUT HAS BROKEN LOOSE. I SUPPOSE THAT THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY DAMAGE PUMP OR TANK. A NEW TANK WILL COST CLOSE TO $400 WHICH I WILL NOW ORDER. ADDITIONAL PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKE/TRACS SYSTEM MODULE.*JB
THE ABS FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB
ABS/TRACS MODULE DEFECTIVE
THE ABS CONTROL MODULE HAS FAILED CAUSING BOTH THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO BE INTERMITTENTLY INOPERABLE. BASED ON MY OWN RESEARCH, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT VOLVO NORTH AMERICA CLAIMS THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF. MULTIPLE WEBSITES HAVE POSTINGS FROM OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS THERE IS INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THIS SYSTEM AND VOLVO WILL NOT REPAIR IT AT THEIR COST. DT
I HAVE NOT YET REPLACED THE FAULTY ABS MODULE ON MY CAR BECAUSE NO ONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I HAVE RESEARCHED IT AND THE ABS MODULE HAS BEEN FAULTY ON MANY VOLVO 850. SOMETIMES MY ABS/TRACS (TRACTION CONTROL) LIGHT TURNS ON INDICATING THAT I NO LONGER HAVE ABS BRAKES, BUT DO STILL HAVE NORMAL ONES. THE SYSTEM SEEMS TO FAIL RANDOMLY, AND MORE FREQUENTLY IN WARMER WEATHER. DT
CAR CAN NOT BE REPAIRED. VOLVO OF WESPORT, CT HAS 10 MODULES ON BACK ORDER. VOLVO IS CLAIMING THIS PART IS NOT DEFECTIVE ENOUGH FOR A RECALL. DT
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.
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