Volvo 850 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 566 consumer complaints across the 5 model years of the Volvo 850 (1993–1997) that have at least 5 complaints. 1996 has the most, with 192. Across all years, the part named most often is brakes (110 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All 850 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 107 | 85,000 | 3 | 102 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 192 | 97,000 | 2 | 99 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 111 | 114,378 | 2 | 100 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 83 | 125,444 | 2 | 100 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 73 | 85,500 | 0 | 62 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Brakes110 23%
- Transmission and drivetrain69 15%
- Electrical system65 14%
- Fuel system64 14%
- Engine cooling52 11%
- Tires41 8.6%
- Air bags37 7.8%
- Equipment36 7.6%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1997: “General altimax rt43. I had 4 tires in less than 6 months and 6,000 miles develop side wall bubbles caused by tire play separation and bands breaking. I tire hade been replaced and it developed a bubble in less than a month. No hard driving on the car and no potholes or railroad track impacts. This is a common thread and it is time for the NHTSA to investigate. I have now bought six tires in six months to replace the damaged tires. …”
NHTSA complaint #10892591, filed 2016-08, 225,000 miles1996: “I have a 1996 Volvo 850 turbo station wagon. It has only 41,000 miles but the ABS light would come on and off. I am told this is a common problem for the car. Volvo claims it is one of the safest car on the road and quite reliable. I disagree. Pls. Ask Volvo to issue a recall as this is annoying and could prove to be dangerous.”
NHTSA complaint #10269136, filed 2009-05, 41,000 miles1994: “On june 1, 2004, my 1994 Volvo 850 was leaking gas on my driveway. The car was towed to Volvo village in clearwater for repair and they replaced the gas tank. I paid $790. I learned on 2/1/05 that there was a recall for Volvo 850 for the gas tank, recall r139, involving 226,000 Volvo 850s including my 1994 year. Recall number: 04v368000. Make : Volvo model : 850 year : 1994 manufacturer : Volvo cars of n.a. Llc. …”
NHTSA complaint #10108431, filed 2005-03, 80,354 milesOther Volvo models
1,531 complaintsVolvo S60
1,263 complaintsVolvo S80
953 complaintsVolvo V70
922 complaintsVolvo XC60
654 complaintsVolvo S70
584 complaintsVolvo S40
491 complaintsVolvo XC70
415 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology