1997 Volvo 850 Electrical Problems

1. LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND SOMETIMES STALLING DURING FREEWAY TRANSITION FROM ON RAMP TO FREEWAY AND OR DURING LEFT TURNING AGAINST TRAFFIC. 2. THE CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THE ACTION OF PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO DOWN SHIFT CAUSING THE EXTREME SLOWING AND SOMETIMES STALLING. THE CONSEQUENCES WERE THAT TRAFFIC WAS GOING CONSIDERABLY FASTER AND HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID HITTING THE SLOWING CAR. 3. TODAY THE MEDIA REPORTED A POTENTIAL RECALL OF VOLVO'S DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO 1997 MODEL 850 GLT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10174142

Incident

Nov 17, 2006

Mileage

150,000 mi

THE TRAC OFF LIGHT COMES ON ON MY 1997 VOLVO 850 GLT TURBO WAGON. APPARENTLY, THE TRAC, NO LONGER WORKS AND I HAVE TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AND RELATES DIRECTLY TO A SAFETY CLAIM MADE BY VOLVO. FROM THE LIST SERV THAT I AM ON, APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONGST 1996-1998 VOLVOS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10166684

Incident

Aug 1, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi

CAR WOULD NOT START - APPEARED TO BE DEAD BATTERY - REPLACED BATTERY - CAR STARTED, NEXT DAY CAR BATTERY DEAD - JUMPED BATTERY, CAR STARTED-2 HOURS LATER CAR BATTERY DEAD - TESTED NEW BATTERY TESTED OK. JUMPED BATTERY TOOK CAR TO VOLVO DEALER - LAWRENCE MOTORS IN WALNUT CREEK - TOOK SERVICE DEPARTMENT 1 DAY? TO DIAGNOSE - "WIRING HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT $2,000 COST!! CAR TO BE READY IN 3 TO 4 WEEKS (SEPTEMBER 1ST), THEN DELAYED (UNKNOWN REASONS), DELAYED TO OCT 1ST, AS OF TODAYS CALL OCT 6, 2005 WAS ADVISED CAR NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL POSSIBLY NOV 1ST. WHY WOULD A CAR WITH 100,000 MILES AND 8 YEARS OLD (ALWAYS PROPERLY SERVICED) REQUIRE A NEW WIRING HARNESS? AND AT SUCH A COST? AND WHY DOES THE PART TAKE OVER 90 DAYS TO RECEIVE?*JB

NHTSA ID

10138908

Incident

Aug 8, 2005

Mileage

103,000 mi

HEATING AND COOLING FAN STARTED COMING ON, 7/7/2003, CAR OVER HEATED 10/04, DEALER REPLACED FAN AT MY COST. SHIFT OVER DRIVE LIGHT CAME ON 12/04 DEALER REPLACED SOLENOID SWITCH, 6/05 SHIFT OVER DRIVE SWITCH CAME BACK ON, NOW 2 SOLENOIDS ARE NOT WORKING AND MY CAR IS IN LIMP HOME MODE. NO 1ST OR 2 GEAR. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132151

Incident

Jun 7, 2005

Mileage

70,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE HORN WILL NOT BLOW. *AK

NHTSA ID

10024181

Incident

Jun 16, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THE BRAKES CONSTANTLY SCREECH, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THEY WERE JUST GLAZING, HOWEVER THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ABS STARTED ACTIVATING INAPPROPRIATELY WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT MOST LIKELY THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SENSOR.*JB

NHTSA ID

567248

THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FOR 3-5 MINUTES WITH THE SEAT HEATER ON WHEN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT BOTTOM HEATER CAUGHT FIRE, THE INVESIGATOR REPORTED THAT THIS FIRE WAS THE RESULT OF UNREGULATED OPERATION OF THE HEATER PAD WIRES. NLM

NHTSA ID

564487

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED DRIVER'S SEAT FIRE IN ODI #758194 - I SIMPLY WANT TO CROSS-REFERENCE ODI #'S 734813 AND 560677 WHICH HAVE THE SAME FACT PATTERN. WHY HASN'T ANYTHING BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS DEFECT? MY BABY COULD HAVE DIED FROM THE SMOKE INHALATION, LET ALONE THE FIRE IF WE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY REMOVE HER FROM THE VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT THIS DEFECT BE INVESTIGATED AND REMEDIED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SINCE THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE IS SEVERE - I.E., DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY.

NHTSA ID

758199

Incident

Feb 6, 2002

BATTERY HAD TO BE REPLACED IN MARCH OF 1999, BATTERY HAD A 5 YEAR WARRANTY. AT THIS TIME BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*AK

NHTSA ID

8002978

Incident

Mar 1, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

749346

Incident

Jul 13, 2001

POWER STEERING RACK FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

609960

THE BATTERY FAILED, ON TWO OCCASIONS. *YC

NHTSA ID

607517

BATTERY DIED. YH

NHTSA ID

606334

Incident

Jun 1, 1998