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1997 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 →
20Owner complaints

Model-year median: 19.5

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
19
199457
199560
199620
1997
Compare all 960 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
4Engine And Engine Cooling
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
3Vehicle Speed Control
3Fuel System, Gasoline
2
All reported categories
Equipment
1Seat Belts
1Seats
1Steering
1Tires
1Unknown Or Other
1

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: 3 of 20 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

WITH NO INDICATION OF OVERHEATING THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND WAS DESTROYED. THE ONLY IDIOT LIGHT TO COME ON WAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THAT WAS AFTER BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER REGISTERED OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL RANGE AND NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE …

Read full complaint

WITH NO INDICATION OF OVERHEATING THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND WAS DESTROYED. THE ONLY IDIOT LIGHT TO COME ON WAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THAT WAS AFTER BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER REGISTERED OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL RANGE AND NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED ACCORDING TO VOLVO BUT THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY STATE IT DOES NOT MATTER THAT THE GAUGES MALFUNCTIONED AND THEY CAN NOT BE TESTED ANYWAY BECAUSE THE CAR CAN NOT BE STARTED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #747100

Official recalls

0

No 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

1

PE99040 · 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.