Owner-reported complaints naming the heating or air-conditioning system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. 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. 16 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
1996 VOLVO 850 TURBO EVAPORATOR ON AIR CONDITIONER UNIT FAILED AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES. CAR WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2000 WITH ONLY 34,000 MILES ON IT. PART SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 60,000 MILES. *NM
SEAT HEATERS WERE REPLACED DUE TO RECALL, BUT HEATERS MALFUNCTIONED AFTER REPLACEMENT. DEALER WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *LA THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02V314000. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT HEATERS WERE FULLY FUNCTIONAL AND THE CONSUMER HAD NO PROBLEMS. ONCE THE DEALER DID THE RECALL REPAIRS THE SEAT HEATERS NO LONGER FUNCTIONED. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALER OF THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT ONLY THE WIRING WAS RE-ROUTED, THEREFORE THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE. *NM
AFTER RECALL REPAIRS ON THE SEAT HEATER IT NO LONGER WORK SPROPERLY. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE #02V314000 , ELECTRICAL SEAT HEATER, IN MARCH OF 2003. THE CONSUMER HAS MADE SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS TO HAVE TO RECALL REMEDIED. THE DEALER HAS CANCELLED ALL APPOINTMENTS MADE STATING THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. *NLM
I AM THE OWNER AND DRIVER OF A 1996 VOLVO 850. ON SUNDAY MARCH 16TH 2003, THE DRIVER AND MYSELF WERE STOPPED IN A DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANT WHEN MY DRIVERS SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAR STARTED SMOKING FROM THE SEATS, THEN WE TURNED AROUND TO LOOK WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM WE NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE SEAT INTO THE BACK SEAT AREA. WE YELLED FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER THAT THE DRIVER USED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, WHILE PUTTING IT OUT HE SUSTAINED INJURY. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THEY HAD ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE MY CAR. I WAS CONFUSED ON WHAT HAD HAPPENED SO I DECIDED TO RESEARCH "ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEMS IN VOLVO'S" WHEN I FOUND DIFFERENT ARTICLES RECALLING MY MAKE AND MODEL OF MY CAR THAT AS OF DECEMBER 2, 2002: 65,000 1996, 850 VOLVO'S WERE BEING RECALLED BECAUSE THE SEAT HEATERS COULD SHORT CIRCUIT AND CATCH FIRE. IN MANY OF THE ARTICLES IT HAS STATED THAT EITHER VOLVO HASN'T STARTED A CAMPAIGN YET TO NOTIFY THEIR CONSUMERS OR THAT VOLVO WOULD NOT RETURN CALLS TO COMMENT ON RECALLS. I CONTACTED THE NEAREST VOVLO DEALERSHIP TO ME AND THEY WERE VERY CONFUSED ON WHAT TO DO. THE MAN ON THE PHONE FIRST TOLD ME THAT HE HASN'T HEARD OF A RECALL FOR THAT BUT A FEW MINUTES LATER HE SAID THEY RECENTLY SERVICED HIS BOSS' 1996 850 VOLVO FOR THE SAME RECALL, HE SAID HE WOULD RESEARCH AND CALL ME BACK. EARLY AFTERNOON, I CONTACTED VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA TO COMPLAIN. I TOLD THE ABOVE STORY, WHERE THEY THOUGHT THEY WEREN'T LIABLE FOR THIS. ONE MAN SAID JUST BECAUSE IT'S RECALLED DOESN'T MEAN THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY CAR. I THEN SPOKE WITH HIS SUPERVISOR WHO TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO TOW MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES AWAY, I HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL AND THAT'S WHERE AN ADJUSTER FROM VOLVO WILL INSPECT THE CAR. IN THE MEANTIME I CAN NOT DRIVE MY VEHICLE AND THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR A RENTAL WHILE MY CAR IS OUT OF COMMISSION. LIVID AT THE FACT THAT MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS WAS COMPROMISED! *JB
MECHANIC INFORMED OWNER THAT AC EVAPORATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THAT R7R REQUIRES REMOVAL OF DASH. ESTIMATED COST IS $2,000. AC ONLY USED OCCASIONALLY. THIS IS A VERY HIGH COST FOR REPLACING A RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE PART DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. WOULD LIKE VOLVO NA TO ASSIST. *NLM
1996 VOLVO 850 - DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, HOLE BURNED IN SEAT DUE TO HEATED SEAT FAILURE.
CONSUMER STATES THAT AIR CONDITIONER EVAPORATOR WAS REPLACED AND THE ODOMETER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
VOLVO REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DESIGN FLAW IN THE A/C EVAPORATOR. THE EVAPORATORS CHRONICALLY FAIL, LEAKING R134A INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I HAVE CONTACTED MANY OWNERS ON THE NET, AS WELL AS DISCUSSING THE PROBLEM WITH MASTER VOLVO MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD IT'S A VERY COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS MODEL. OWNERS ARE FORCED TO PAY HIGH REPLACEMENT COST ($1200), OR ILLEGALLY CHARGE/DISCHARGE HARMFUL R134A TO RECHARGE THE SYSTEM. TYPICAL RECHARGE ONLY LASTS A FEW WEEKS DUE TO LEAKS IN THE EVAPORATOR. R134A CHEMICAL CONTAINS HARMFUL INGREDIENTS, EXPOSING THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE TO THE LEAKING FUMES AND POSSIBLE HEALTH HAZARD.*AK
AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, I SWITCHED THE SEAT HEATER ON AND DROVE AWAY. WITHIN 2 MINUTES OF DRIVING, A SHARP PAIN DEVELOPED IN MY RIGHT BUTTOCK. WITHIN SECONDS A TRAIL OF DARK SMOKE ROSE FROM THE SAME AREA. AFTER LIFTING MY BOTTOM OFF OF THE SEAT AND REALIZING THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE SEAT I SHUTOFF THE SEAT WARMER. THE RESULT OF THE INCIDENT LEFT A BURN MARK ON MY PANTS AND A CIGARETTE SIZED HOLE IN MY SEAT CUSHION. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND AFTER INVESTIGATION I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTEE. THE COST OF THE NEW SEAT WARMER AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT CUSHION WAS 770 US DOLLARS. I REFUSED TO PAY AND ASKED THE DEALER TO SIMPLY DISCONNECT THE SEAT WARMER.*AK
WHEN GOING TO GET AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM RECHARGED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HE NEEDED AN EVAPORATOR, ACCUMULTOR, TEMP SENSOR, EVAC AND RECHARGE, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT USED TO THAT EXTENT TO REQUIRE THIS LEVEL OF REPAIRS THIS SOON. *SLC
WHILE IN MOTION THE HEATERS IN THE SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND CAUSED THE CAR TO CATCH ON FIRE. CLAIM #13-7210-322 *JG
VEHICLE 1 NOTICED SMOKE AND THEN SAW A FLAME AS HE PULLED OUT OF A PARKING SLOT. THE DETERMINED CAUSE OF MALFUNCTION WAS THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER. INSURED REPLACED THE WIRING FOR THE HEATER ABOUT A YEAR AGO. CLAIM# 37-3190-422.*JG
WHIL DRIVING DRIVER'S SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO SEAT HEATER. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND SAID IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT.*AK ALTHOUGH THE MANUFACTURER'S INSPECTOR INDICATED THAT THERE WAS DEFECT, THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY. *YH
LEFT FRONT CALIPER BROKE IN JANUARY 1999, ROGHT FRONT CALIPER BROKE AT THIS TIME. PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER. CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WOULD TAKE 3 MONTHS TO GET VEHICLE REPAIRED. *AK CONSUMER HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE, INSTRUMENT LIGHTS WERE REPLACED, DASH BULB LIGHTS AND OTHER BULBS REPLACED. HEADLIGHT WIPER AND WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES REPLACED. CONSUMER SMELLED AN ODOR IN THE AIR CONDITIONER AND LATER THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT COOLING PROPERLY, DEALER REPLACED THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR, EVAPORATOR, RECEIVER, AND DRYER. BATTERY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED, CONSUMER HAD A RECALL ON THE CENTRAL ELECTRICAL RELAY AND WHEN RETURNING TO VEHICLE THAT WAS SHUT OFF THE PHONE AND RADIO WERE ON. COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED 4 TIMES, FINALLY DEALER REPLACED THE COOLANT FILLER CAP, ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS ILLUMINATED, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE PNP SWITCH, OXYGEN SENSOR, AIR PUMP, AND CHECK VALVE, THE AIR PUMP AND CHECK VALVE WERE REPLACED TWICE, THE TIMING BELT HAS ALSO BEEN REPLACED. ABS SENSOR CABLE HAS BEEN REPLACED, CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, FRONT BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, AND FRONT DISC BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *SLC
THE REPAIR COST HAS BEEN QUOTED AS $1,200. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS ONLY BEEN USED FOR THREE SUMMERS, IT IS A SEASONAL CONVENIENCE. *AK
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
Data on this page last refreshed .