Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports3 fire reports9 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

6 reports

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Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 2005

Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineService Brakes, Hydraulic

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DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL BUT HE WAS UNSURE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED CHANGING THE MASTER CYLINDER AND IT WAS CHANGED AT A LOCAL SERVICE STATION, HOWEVER THE LEAK CONTINUED. THE CONTACT CLAIMED THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE ABS. THE MODULE WAS CHANGED, THE LEAK STOPPED AND THE BRAKES WORKED PROPERLY. HE THEN RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 04V368000 CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM. RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED BUT THERE WAS STILL A SMELL OF FUEL. THIS HAPPENED WITH THE WINDOWS UP OR DOWN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS CAME ON. UPON INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP THE COMPUTER FOUND THE AIR MASS FLOW METER WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO IDLE ROUGHER AND NOT RUN SMOOTHLY. THE AIR MASS FLOW METER HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10141944

95,000 miles · Feb 5, 2004

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

VOLVO 850 (1994) FAILURE OF ABS BRAKING. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10056609

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2002

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ABS CONTROLLER FAILURE DISABLES ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. VERY COMMON FAILURE ON VOLVO 850 AND S/V-70. NLM

NHTSA ODI #767112

Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 1999

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING, ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT DEVELOPED AN EXTERNAL LEAK RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT IMMEDIATE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND BRAKE FUNCTION. VISUAL INSPECTION OF PART SUGGESTS MANUFACTURER DEFECT. VOLVO OF NORTH AMERCIA CONTACTED PER INSTRUCTIONS IN OWNERS MANUAL, BUT VOLVO REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO LOG-IN (RECORD) THE INCI…

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NHTSA ODI #710432

Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 1998

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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HYDRAULIC UNIT LEAKED BRAKE FLUID - PROBABLE CAUSE WAS FAILED INTERNAL GASKETS OR SEALS. RESULT: LOSS OF FLUID AND POTENTIAL BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. LOW FLUID LEVEL WARNING ALLOWED DETECTION OF CONDITION. WE (DEALER & I) DETERMINED CONDITION WAS SAFETY CONCERN. DEALER REPLACED UNIT BUT CHARGED ME 1/3 OF COST, (@ $440) SPLITTING BALANCE WITH VOLVO. I WAS INTERESTED IN YOUR COMMENT MANUF. MUST REPAIR SAFETY ITEMS @ NO COST TO ME. APPLICABLE TO THIS SITUATION? FEEL FREE TO CALL OR WRITE FOR MORE INFO. THANKS FOR THIS WEB PAGE.

NHTSA ODI #701468

Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 1995

Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

KNOCK SENSORS REPLACED DUE TO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON.

NHTSA ODI #484719

Official recalls

04V368000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage

Jul 30, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, AFTER PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO HEAT, THE FUEL TANK MAY SEEP OR LEAK FUEL AT THE POINTS WHERE THE HEAT SHIELD IS ATTACHED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: VOLVO WILL INSPECT THE FUEL TANK AND REPLACE IT IF ANY EVIDENCE OF FUEL SEEPAGE OR LEAKAGE IS FOUND. ALL VEHICLES WILL RECEIVE NEW REINFORCEMENT BUSHINGS AT THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO PREVENT FUTURE LEAKS. THIS RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED AS A SAFETY RECALL IN THE HOT WEATHER STATES OF ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, NORTH CAROLINA, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, AND UTAH, AND AS A SERVICE RECALL IN THE OTHER 33 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2004. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

94V173000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Sep 13, 1994

UNDER VERY COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, ICE CRYSTALS CAN FORM AT THE THROTTLE IN THE ENGINE INTAKE SYSTEM, AND PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE LOSS OF SPEED CONTROL AND CAN RESULT IN UNWANTED ACCELERATION AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY, THROTTLE CABLE, CHARGE AIR COOLER PIPING AND CRANKCASE VENTILATION HOSES.

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

EA03008 · Fuel Tank Leaks

Opened Jun 11, 2003 · Closed Jul 28, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage

THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS WAS OPENED ON JUNE 11, 2003, BASED ON 54 REPORTS OF FUEL TANK LEAKS.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE 1993 THROUGH 1996 MODEL YEAR (MY) 850 VEHICLES. MODEL 850 WAS ALSO PRODUCED IN MY 1997 AND WAS INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA REVEALS TWO DISTINCT ISSUES. FIRST, THE 1994 THROUGH 1997 MY VEHICLES STAND OUT BY ACCOUNTING FOR 95 PERCENT OF THE REPORTED LEAKS.THESE VEHICLES SHARE THE SAME FUEL TANK DESIGN (PN 9142618). THE 1993 MY VEHICLE USES A DIFFERENT FUEL TANK DESIGN (PN 9141101).SECONDLY, THE FAILURES OCCURRED PREDOMINANTLY IN HOT CLIMATES, E.G., CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, TEXAS, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, LOUISIANA, ETC.TESTING OF FUEL TANKS FROM CONSUMER VEHICLES AT THE VEHICLE RESEARCH AND TEST CENTER CONFIRMED LEAKS THROUGH CRACKS IN THE FUEL TANK WALL AT A HEAT SHIELD MOUNTING ATTACHMENT IN THE 1994 THROUGH 1997 MY FUEL TANKS (PN9142618). DETAILS OF THE TESTS ARE AVAILABLE IN TEST REPORT VRTC-DCD3060.VOLVO WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON ALL MY 1994 THROUGH 1997 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING 17 HOT STATES: CA, AZ, NM, TX, LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, FL, NC, TN, AR, OK, UT, NV, AND HI.ALL 1994 THROUGH 1997 MY VEHICLES IN ALL OTHER STATES WILL BE REMEDIED UNDER A SERVICE CAMPAIGN.THE REMEDY FOR BOTH THE RECALL AND SERVICE CAMPAIGN IS TO INSTALL A NEW BUSHING AT EACH HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT POINT (3 PER TANK).ALSO, ALL TANKS (VEHICLES IN ALL STATES) WILL BE INSPECTED FOR FUEL SEEPAGE AT THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT POINTS AND VOLVO WILL REPLACE ANY TANK SHOWING SIGNS OF FUEL SEEPAGE.THE NEW BUSHINGS WILL PREVENT HEAT SHIELD STRESSES FROM BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE THREE HEAT SHIELD MOUNTING ATTACHMENTS ON THE FUEL TANK.THE SAFETY RECALL IS FILED UNDER NHTSA SAFETY RECALL NUMBER 04V368.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

PE03003 · Fuel Tank Leaks

Opened Jan 16, 2003 · Closed Jun 11, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION OPENED THISINVESTIGATION ON JANUARY 16, 2003.THE BASIS FOR OPENING THE INVESTIGATION WAS 15 CONSUMER REPORTS ALLEGING GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE FUEL STORAGE TANK.VOLVO PROVIDED 43 ADDITIONAL REPORTS IN ITS RESPONSE TO THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, 4 OF WHICH WERE DUPLICATES OF THE 15 ODI REPORTS. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED FOR FURTHER STUDY.