1994 Volvo 960 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1994 Volvo 960, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes419.0%
- Airbags419.0%
- Engine314.3%
- Fuel system29.5%
- Electrical29.5%
- Transmission29.5%
- Heating & air conditioning14.8%
- Steering14.8%
- Tires & wheels14.8%
- Body & structure14.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUGUST 1995 CAR WAS RETURNED TO DEALER AS BRAKES WERE NOISY AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS MUSHY. FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. VEHICLE MILEAGE - 14349. SEPTEMBER, 1996 THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS AGAIN TRAVELING TOO FAR DOWN ACCOMPANIED BY VIBRATION. REAR BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED. MILEAGE - 34875. DECEMBER 1996 WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT STOPLIGHT IN 45 MPH ZONE ON DRY PAVEMENT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR ACCOMPANIED BY LOUD GRINDING AND VIBRATION. CAR TRAVELED THROUGH LIGHT. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE, NO REPAIRS PERFORMED. MILEAGE - 39021. MARCH 1997 BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR ACCOMPANIED BY LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND VIBRATION. CAR WENT THROUGH STOPLIGHT. DEALER REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER, BRAKE CALIPER, BRAKE FLUID, BLED THE BRAKE LINES. MILEAGE - 40283. MARCH 1998 BRAKES LOUD, MUSHY WITH VIBRATION AND SHUDDER. DEALER REPLACED REAR DISCS AND PADS. MILEAGE - 47557. JULY 1998 BRAKES VIBRATING. DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. MILEAGE - 49297. MAY 1999 BRAKES GRINDING AND VIBRATING. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEMS, RECOMMENDED REPLACING REAR BRAKE ROTORS. MILEAGE - 57711. JULY 6, 1999 DEALER REPLACED REAR ROTORS AND PADS AS RECOMMENDED. JULY 20, 1999 BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO FLOOR ACCOMPANIED BY LOUD GRINDING AND VIBRATION. CAR TRAVELED THROUGH STOP SIGN IN 25 MPH ZONE. DEALER CLEANED FRONT WHEEL SENSORS. COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. MILEAGE - 59675. *AK
THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WARNING LIGHT IS ON AND STAYS ON UNLESS THE BRAKE RELEASE BUTTON IS HELD DOWN. DEALER HAS REPLACED IT TWICE, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING MINOR LOW SPEED COLLISION WHICH CAUSED NO DAMAGE TO EXTERIOR OF VEHICLE, HOWEVER INTERIOR OF VEHICLE DAMAGED BADLY BY VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG.
VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CAR ROLLED INTO ANOTHER CAR. DEALER CONTACTED, AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF INVESTIGATING PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE RADIATOR. *JB
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. *NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO SUMMARY. DT
WHILE DRIVING FUEL TANK CRACKED AT THE SEAM AND CAR BEGAN LEAKING FUEL.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN TRYING TO USE THE HORN, IT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. ALSO, TRANSMISSION HAD DEVELOPED A CRACK, AND THE OIL LINE TO TRANSMISSION HAD A HOLE IN IT. THIS CAUSED THE OIL TO LEAK. FINALLY, BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT. TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE TRANSMISSION & HORN REPAIRED. *AK
ELECTRIC SHORT CAUSED UNDER HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, WHILE DRIVING SAW SMOKE, VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES GEARS BECAME STUCK AFTER SHIFTING. *NLM
WHEN TRYING TO USE THE HORN, IT FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. ALSO, TRANSMISSION HAD DEVELOPED A CRACK, AND THE OIL LINE TO TRANSMISSION HAD A HOLE IN IT. THIS CAUSED THE OIL TO LEAK. FINALLY, BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT. TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE TRANSMISSION & HORN REPAIRED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 1994 VOLVO 960 ON AUGUST 12,2006 ON A CONGESTED 4 LANE ROAD. SHE MOVED THE DRIVERS SEAT FORWARD WITH THE ELECTRIC POWERED SWITCH AND NOTICED SMOKE EMERGING FROM THE SEAT. SHE LOOKED MORE CLOSELY AND SAW FLAMES. SHE WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE ONTO A SIDE STREET AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND WHO IS A CERTIFIED BMW/ VOLVO TECHNICIAN, TRACED THE WIRES AND FOUND A SHORT IN THE SEAT HEATER ELEMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTENSIVE, REQUIRING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES WITH FIRE RETARDANT AND WATER. THE SEAT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITHIN 5 MINUTES AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS BURNED. SHE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGES WITHOUT ASSISTANCE, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE YOKOHAMA TIRE ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING, RESULTING IN MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF THE TIRE AND THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. TIRE SIZE P195/65R15. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO WARNING DEVICE TO ALERT DRIVER THAT DOOR IS AJAR. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .