IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 VOLVO 960. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD AN EXTREMELY STRONG GASOLINE FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,289. UPDATED 07/21/11 *BF UPDATED 07/28/11
1995 Volvo 960
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 960 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: 12 of 57 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports5 fire reports7 injury reports
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
8 reportsIN EARLY MORNING COLD STARTUPS, THERE ARE GAS FUMES THAT ARE PRESENT. THEY EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I KNOW THERE MUST BE A FUEL LEAK ON THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. *TR
FUEL RAIL LEAKING GASOLINE ON ENGINE. SMELL INSIDE CABIN MAKING ME SICK. GARAGE SMELLED AS WELL. AFTER DRIVING, THE SMELL WOULD GO AWAY. *JB
THE FUEL RAIL HAS A MANUFACTURING HOLE AT ITS FRONT END, WHICH IS PERMANENTLY PLUGGED BEFORE INSTALLATION. IN RECENT WEEKS, THIS PLUG BEGAN LEAKING RAW GASOLINE, WHICH IS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE WITHIN THE FUEL RAIL TO SUPPLY FUEL TO THE FUEL INJECTORS. THE SOURCE WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY EVIDENT, UNTIL JANUARY 25TH, WHEN THE FUMES BE…
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THE FUEL RAIL HAS A MANUFACTURING HOLE AT ITS FRONT END, WHICH IS PERMANENTLY PLUGGED BEFORE INSTALLATION. IN RECENT WEEKS, THIS PLUG BEGAN LEAKING RAW GASOLINE, WHICH IS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE WITHIN THE FUEL RAIL TO SUPPLY FUEL TO THE FUEL INJECTORS. THE SOURCE WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY EVIDENT, UNTIL JANUARY 25TH, WHEN THE FUMES BECAME SICKENING. AT THAT TIME, WE OBSERVED RAW FUEL DROPLETS LEAKING PAST THIS FUEL RAIL PLUG ON THE ENGINE. WE IMMEDIATELY KILLED THE ENGINE. IN TALKING WITH VOLVO DEALERSHIP PERSONNEL, THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY FAMILIAR WITH THE SITUATION, INDICATING THAT THEY HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE. MY IMPRESSION IS THAT IT IS HAPPENING MANY MORE TIMES THAN IT SHOULD, CONSIDERING THE FIRE HAZARD THAT FUEL CAN BE. OBVIOUSLY, NO ONE WAS GOING TO GIVE ME NUMBERS, BUT MY CONCERN IS OBVIOUS. THE REPLACEMENT FUEL RAIL (P/N 9179348) IS FOR THE S90, SUGGESTING TO ME THAT THE PROBLEM WITH 960 FUEL RAILS IS WIDESPREAD, SUCH THAT A DIFFERENT PART OR A REDESIGN IS NEEDED. THE TWO FUEL RAILS ARE DISSIMILAR, SO ADDITIONAL PARTS ARE REQUIRED TO MATCH THE NEW RAIL TO THE 960 MODEL. IN MY OPINION, THIS ISSUE IS WORTH INVESTIGATING FOR POSSIBLE RECALL. FYI I DO MOST OF MY OWN AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS, SO I HAVE FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF THIS SITUATION.
FUEL RAIL END CAP SEAL HAS FAILED AFTER ONLY 77,000 MILES. *AK
FUEL INJECTOR FAILED AND FUEL LEAKED INTO EXHAUST SYSTEM. YH
SHORT IN ELECTRICAL WIRING RESULTED IN A FIRE; ALSO ALARM/ EMISSION CONTROL/DEVICES/FUEL SYSTEM FAILURES. *AK
VANITY MIRROR SHORTS OUT.
Official recalls
194V215000 · Air Bags:frontal
Nov 1, 1994
THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG MODULE MAY NOT PROPERLY DEPLOY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD RESULT IN REDUCED ACCIDENT/INJURY PROTECTION FOR THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG MODULE.
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
2PE99040 · Inadvertent Side Air Bag Deployment
Opened Jun 7, 1999 · Closed Oct 27, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window
No summary supplied.
PE97047 · Inadvertent Air Bag Deployment
Opened Oct 29, 1997 · Closed Apr 21, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
There is no summary currently available