IllustrationTHE POWER STEERING PIPE MADE NOISE. *NM THERE WAS A NOISE DURING PARKING MANEUVERS OR TRAVELING AT EXTREMELY LOW SPEEDS COMING FORM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE A/C WOULD NOT COOL AND THE BRAKES PULSATED. (IN RE TO ODI# 10038186) *SC *JB
1996 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: 19 of 60 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. 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 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
12 reportsWHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR VEHICLE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES; DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE POWER STEERING PIPE FAILED AND CAUSED A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND IN THE FRONT END. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 1998. THE CONSUM…
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WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR VEHICLE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES; DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE POWER STEERING PIPE FAILED AND CAUSED A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND IN THE FRONT END. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 1998. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING THAT THE REPAIRS BE MADE FREE OF CHARGE SINCE MANY UNNECESSARY REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE TO ALLEVIATE THE NOISE PRIOR TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRING. THE A/C WAS NOT COOLING. THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS WORE BELOW SPECS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS AND THE PADS. *TS *NLM
THERMOSTAT WAS STICKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, WHEN CONSUMER GOT VEHICLE BACK, HE HAD TO TAKE IT BACK BECAUSE THE COOLANT CAP AND RESERVOIR WERE NOT HOLDING PRESSURE. RADIATOR NECK WAS BROKEN. IGNITION COILS HAD HAIR LINE FRACTURES. INSIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS LOOSE AND NEEDED REPLACED. BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED.…
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THERMOSTAT WAS STICKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, WHEN CONSUMER GOT VEHICLE BACK, HE HAD TO TAKE IT BACK BECAUSE THE COOLANT CAP AND RESERVOIR WERE NOT HOLDING PRESSURE. RADIATOR NECK WAS BROKEN. IGNITION COILS HAD HAIR LINE FRACTURES. INSIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS LOOSE AND NEEDED REPLACED. BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. BATTERY FAILED. *SLC
THROTTLE PLATE WAS STICKING CAUSING ROUGH IDLE. NLM
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT BRAKES PADS AND ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. MJS
WHILE BRAKING THE PEDAL ON OCCASIONS WILL HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DUE TO DESIGN.
OUR 960 HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE WARPING OF THE BRAKE ROTORS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY. TODAY (12/30/98) IS THE FOURTH TIME. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH VOLVO 960'S AND THAT IT COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS AND/OR INJURIES IF NOT…
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OUR 960 HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE WARPING OF THE BRAKE ROTORS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM THREE TIMES PREVIOUSLY. TODAY (12/30/98) IS THE FOURTH TIME. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH VOLVO 960'S AND THAT IT COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS AND/OR INJURIES IF NOT REPAIRED ON ALL VEHICLES LIKE OUR 960. THE WARPED ROTORS CAUSE EXCESSIVE SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND VIBRATION IN THE CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION WHICH MIGHT MITIGATE THE BRAKES EFFECTIVENESS IN SOME CONDITIONS.
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.
WHEN DRIVING AT 50 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL AND THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. ALSO, THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES DIDN'T STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO RUN INTO AN ENBANKMENT. *AK
INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT TO PERFORM ACCURATELY. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1PE99040 · 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.