RoadVitals

1996 Volvo 850 Transmission Problems

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

Data refreshed

Transmission 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.
12
Latest Oct 18, 2002
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.
6%
of 192 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.
6
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. 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. 12 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 transmission

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

Transmission
Filed Oct 18, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK ( THE KEY WILL NOT GOT OUT THE IGNITION. MR

NHTSA ID
8021099
Incident
Oct 16, 2002
BrakesTransmission
Filed Sep 10, 2002

THE ABS/TRACS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING THAT THIS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY HAS BEEN ON FOR MANY MONTHS. THE DEALER HAS INDICATED THAT THE ABS/TRACS SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A REPAIR BILL OF $750.00. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE VOLVOS AND I BELIEVE THAT THE VOLVO CORP. SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW.

NHTSA ID
766977
Incident
May 15, 2002
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Feb 14, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported1 death reported

VOLVO'S MANUAL TRANSMISSION DOES NOT IN ANYWAY PROVIDE FOR SAFETY, THERE IS NO WAY OF PREVENTING THE CAR FROM COMING OUT OF GEAR WHEN NOT PLACED ON A STEEP INCLINE AS VOLVO HAS POINTED OUT. THE REAR SIDE MIRRORS PROJECT OUT FAR ENOUGH TO TRAP AN INDIVIDUAL PROHIBITING THEM FROM FREEING THEMSELVES, RESULTING IN DEATH. SIDE MIRRORS ARE DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WILL LOSE THEIR LIFE BEFORE THE MIRROR BREAKS FREE. I KNOW, MY DAUGHTER WAS KILLED BY THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR IN THIS WAY. *AK

NHTSA ID
718761
Incident
Jul 17, 1999
Transmission
Filed Jan 15, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported1 death reported

NEUTRAL AND GEARS WAS MINIMAL, CAR ROLLED- MIRROR TRAPPED MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER - SHE WAS KILLED. *AK

NHTSA ID
717365
Transmission
Filed Sep 8, 1999
Crash reported

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION VEHICLE CAME OUT OFF PARK, ROLLED DOWN A HILL AND HIT A TREE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
847204
Transmission
Filed Aug 31, 1999
Crash reported

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK POSITION, ROLLED DOWN INCLINE, & HIT A TREE. VOLVO ADMITS SHIFT INTERLOCK IS DAMAGED, BUT CLAIMS DAMAGE DUE TO MISUSE. MY INSURANCE AGENT INDICTED VOLVO CLAIMS PART WAS REPLACED BY PRIOR OWNER DUE TO A RECALL. REPLACEMENT PART IS LIKELY TO ALSO BE DEFECTIVE. IF MY CHILDREN HAD BEEN PLAYING IN YARD, THE CAR WOULD HAVE RUN OVER THEM. HOWEVER, VOLVO FEELS THE PROBLEM IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. A MOVIE WAS TAKEN WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE TREE SHOWING THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER COULD BE MOVED WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, OR GEAR SHIFTER RELEASE BUTTON DEPRESSED. NHTSA INTERNET SITE SHOWS A COMPLAINT WITH SAME PROBLEM. ANOTHER ALSO INCIDENT OCCURED IN REI PARKING LOT( A RETAILER IN ATLANTA)ON AUGUST 24, 1999. UNFORTUNATELY, REI DID NOT GET CUSTOMER'S NAME, BUT IS ATTEMPTING TO GET NAME. PLEASE CONTACT ME TO LET ME KNOW IF THIS COMPLAINT WILL BE INVESTIGATED. THANK YOU, SUSAN BERRA

NHTSA ID
710738
Incident
Aug 4, 1999
Transmission
Filed Aug 25, 1999
Crash reported

WHILE PARKED, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK, ROLLED DOWN A HILL & HIT A TREE. VOLVO ADMITS SHIFT INTERLOCK DAMAGED, BUT DOES NOT CONSIDER THE PART DEFECTIVE. MOVIE TAKEN THAT SHOWS GEAR SHIFTER MOVES WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, OR GEAR SHIFT BUTTON DEPRESSED. TWO OTHER VOLVO OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR CAR. LIKELY TO BE MANY MORE.

NHTSA ID
710515
Incident
Aug 4, 1999
Transmission
Filed Aug 23, 1999

I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT OVER THE PHONE ON AUGUST 4. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A WRITTEN REPORT. PLEASE CALL ME AT WORK TO LET ME KNOW THE STATUS OF MY REPORT. I ALSO HAVE SOME NEW INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID
710392
Transmission
Filed Feb 16, 1999

VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT FROM PARK WITHOUT SHIFT LOCK. TSB ISSUED ON PART, AND PART WAS REDESIGNED. HOWEVER PROBLEM KEEPS OCCURRING. *AK

NHTSA ID
703348
Incident
May 7, 1998
Transmission
Filed Oct 14, 1997

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GET OUT OF PARK DUE TO COMPUTER CHIP FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
604209
Incident
Jun 1, 1997
Transmission
Filed Mar 24, 1997

UPON OPERATING THE VEHICLE UNDER NORMAL CONDITION THE VEHICLE WILL DOWNSHIFT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DEACCELERATE, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

NHTSA ID
809421
Incident
Dec 1, 1996
Transmission
Filed Jul 19, 1996
Crash reported

AUTO-TRAN: WHILE PARKED, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF PARK, ROLLED DOWN INCLINE, HIT A HOUSE. NOTE: LEASED VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
987094
Incident
Jul 13, 1996

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 .