IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THICK SMOKE CAME FROM AIR CONDITIONER'S VENTS, SHORTLY AFTER, CONSUMER SAW FLAMES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY BURNED BEFORE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT TO SCENE. DRIVER SUFFERED SMOKE INHALATION.*AK
1990 Volvo 740
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 740 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 6 of 47 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports5 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
47 reportsWHILE ROUNDING A CURVE AT 20MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY ACCELERATED TO 50-60MPH. BRAKES WERE INEFFECTIVE TO SLOW ACCELERATION. VEHICLE FLEW OVER CURB, INTO PARK CRASHING INTO TREE. THANKFULLY, AIRBAG DEPLOYED SAVING ELDERLY DRIVER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND WHEN ATTEMTPING TO TURN AROUND A CURVE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING UNWANTED AND UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED VOLVO. *AK THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE ACCELERATING VEHICLE. *YH
UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION. DRIVER SITTING IN A CARPOOL PICKUP LINE WITH CAR TURNED OFF. DRIVER STARTED CAR IN ORDER TO MOVE IT FORWARD ABOUT 25 FEET( THEN THE INTENTION WAS TO TURN IT OFF AND SIT AND WAIT ANOTHER 10 MINUTES UNTIL SCHOOL GOT OUT). DRIVER PUT CAR IN DRIVE AND WENT TO GIVE CAR SOME GAS AND THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD,…
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UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION. DRIVER SITTING IN A CARPOOL PICKUP LINE WITH CAR TURNED OFF. DRIVER STARTED CAR IN ORDER TO MOVE IT FORWARD ABOUT 25 FEET( THEN THE INTENTION WAS TO TURN IT OFF AND SIT AND WAIT ANOTHER 10 MINUTES UNTIL SCHOOL GOT OUT). DRIVER PUT CAR IN DRIVE AND WENT TO GIVE CAR SOME GAS AND THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD, ENGINE COMPLETLY REVED. TRIED TO JAM ON BRAKES BUT THE CAR ENGINE STILL TOTALLY REVED. SMASHED INTO FORD EXPEDITION IN FRONT OF ME. AIR BAG DEPLOYED HITTING STOMACH ONLY.
DESCRIBE THE INCIDENT OR HAZARD, INCLUDING DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES:HAZARD IS TO PERSONS GENERALLY. UNSAFE PRODUCT IS THE PART # 71901 GTSTYLING BUG-GARD. SEE EMAIL FROM: TJOHNSON@GTSTYLING.COM I WROTE THAT THEIR DESIGN WAS FLAWED BECAUSE IT DEPENDED ON ADHESIVES. THEY ASKED ABOUT MY CAR MAKE AND MODEL AND FITMENT: IT IS A 1990 7…
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DESCRIBE THE INCIDENT OR HAZARD, INCLUDING DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES:HAZARD IS TO PERSONS GENERALLY. UNSAFE PRODUCT IS THE PART # 71901 GTSTYLING BUG-GARD. SEE EMAIL FROM: TJOHNSON@GTSTYLING.COM I WROTE THAT THEIR DESIGN WAS FLAWED BECAUSE IT DEPENDED ON ADHESIVES. THEY ASKED ABOUT MY CAR MAKE AND MODEL AND FITMENT: IT IS A 1990 740 AND THE PART NUMBER I GAVE WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR IT. CONFORMING TO THE HOOD (WHICH IT DOES) IS NOT THE PROBLEM. IT IS THAT THE OUTSIDE FASTENING DEPENDS ON ADHESIVE DOTS 3M TO STAY IN PLACE AND IT DOES NOT.CORRESPONDENCE BELOW) YOU SENT A REPLACEMENT ONCE; THE ENTIRE SHIELD. THEN YOU SENT A BOX OF BUMPONS AND A BOX OF 3M VELCRO-LIKE DOTS. I PUT 4 ON EACH SIDE AND IT STILL BREKS LOOSE AND WHIPS IN THE WIND ! ! ! ! THE FAULT IS YOURS NOT THE SELLERS AND J.C. WHITNEY IS NOT GOING TO MAKE GOOD ON IT AT THIS LATE DATE ANYWAY. I ALLEGE THAT THE PLASTIC PART FITTING ACROSS THE AUTOMOBILE HOOD IS AT RISK OF BREAKING OFF BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF THE ADHESIVE DOTS USED TO HOLD THE ENDS IN PLACE. IF IT DOES, IT POSES A THREAT TO PEDESTRIANS AND THE PUBLIC. NOT AN AUTOMOBILE, SO I TOOK A CHANCE THAT YOU ARE THE PROPER SITE TO REPORT THIS TO. IF NOT, PLEASE ADVISE.
TIRE THREADS STARTED TO FALL OUT, TIRE WAS HARDLY USED, REPLACED WITH ANOTHER SPARE FROM SALVAGE YARD( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 155/R1587T )
VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM ABOUT 20 TO 65MPH DUE TO A PIECE OF A BROKEN GASKET FALLING INTO THE THROTTLE BODY. DRIVER HAD TO TURN IGNITION OFF IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER TOOK OUT THE PIECE OF GASKET AND REPLACED GASKET. *AK
BOOSTER ASSIST BECAME ERRATIC -UPON DISASSEMBLY BAKELITE TYPE DIAPHRAGM SUPPORT WAS FOUND TO BE BROKEN IN 3 PIECES-THER ARE NO SIGNS OF IMPACT ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE BOOSTER NOR HAS THE CAR BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN THE LAST YEAR.IT WAS PURCHASED USED SO NO FURTHER HISTORY IS AVAILABLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, COMING TO MAKE STOP, DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A NORMAL BRAKING STOP WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR ,EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. *AK
WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITH THE DRIVERS FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN THE TOTALED VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
291V075000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
May 6, 1991
SAFETY BELTS ARE DESIGNED TO BE ROUTED UNDER A DIAGONAL CROSS BRACE DURING FASTENING. THE INSTRUCTIONAL LABELS FOR THE BELT ROUTING ARE INADEQUATE, AND CAN RESULT IN INADVERTENT RELEASE OF THE BELT BUCKLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SAFETY BELT MISUSE COULD CAUSE THE SEAT OCCUPANT TO FACE GREATER RISK OF INJURY IN A SUDDEN STOP OR VEHICLE ACCIDENT IF AN INADVERTENT RELEASE OF THE SAFETY BELT OCCURRED.
Remedy: INSTALL LABELS TO INSTRUCT THE USER IN PROPER SAFETY BELT ROUTING; ALSO REPLACE SAFETY BELT BUCKLES.
90V165000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage
Sep 6, 1990
FUEL DAMPER LOCATED BEHIND THE FUEL LINE AND THE FUEL RAIL MAY BE IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED. OVER TIME, THE SOLDER JOINTS COULD ALLOW A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL TO LEAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE,COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE FUEL DAMPER.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA94015 · Inadvert. Air Bag Deploys
Opened Apr 20, 1994 · Closed Oct 12, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
There is no summary currently available