1997 Volvo 850 Problems

What owners report

Owner complaints for this model year center on the ABS/traction-control module, whose failure lights up the dashboard and, according to many reports, leaves the car without anti-lock braking. A second, smaller group covers seat-related problems, fuel odor around the tank when filled, and occasional unintended acceleration or stalling. Many complaints come from cars well past 60,000 miles, so maintenance history matters more than mileage alone.

1. 1
   Brakes

   ABS/TRACS warning light and module failure

   • 26 complaints (24%)
   • median 63,500 mi at 6.9 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $600 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2000–2009

   Owners describe the ABS and TRACS warning lights coming on intermittently or staying on, often with a soft or spongy brake pedal and longer stopping distances. Several say the ABS control module or its electronics were diagnosed as faulty and replaced at a few hundred dollars, and some report the lights returning after repair. Complaints note that while the light is on, anti-lock function is lost, and some describe lock-up on wet roads. Dealers and independent shops diagnosed the module; some owners say they were told the failure is common on this model. Reported from roughly 40,000 to 130,000 miles, with many examples between 60,000 and 105,000 miles and complaints filed across all seasons.

   What to check: Start the car and confirm the ABS and TRACS lights go out and stay out, then test braking on a quiet wet surface. Ask for service records showing whether the ABS module was replaced and by whom.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Abs/traction control module faulty...cost us $700 to repair...according to our Volvo dealer, Volvo is aware that this problem has occurred in a lot of Volvo's but they have chosen to not conduct a recall...this is wrong and Volvo needs to be punished for not taking care of their customers...it's an absoulute disgrace...we'll never buy another Volvo...too many problems, very poor reliability!”

   NHTSA complaint #10037405, filed 2003-09, 74,000 miles

   “My car is a 1997 Volvo 850. The ABS warning light comes on intermittently. I am told by the dealer that there have been problems with the ABS computers. An independent Volvo owners website noted other 850 owners experiencing the same problem. The question is Volvo going to do a recall?”

   NHTSA complaint #10032756, filed 2003-08, 101,800 miles
2. 2
   Seats

   Seat heater failure and seat/booster seat breakage

   • 13 complaints (12%)
   • median 80,700 mi at 6.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2004

   Owners report heated seats that stop working, sometimes only on the driver's side, and some say repairs were not fully covered even after a seat-heater recall notice. Others describe the driver seatback frame breaking or the integrated child booster seat hinge cracking apart, leaving the booster unusable. Complaints mention dealer quotes for replacement parts and labor, and at least one describes a fire that appeared to start at the driver's seat. Reported from very low mileage (under 5,000) up to about 100,000 miles, with seat heater complaints tending to appear early in the car's life.

   Recall 02V314000

   What to check: Test both seat heaters through a full warm-up cycle, rock the front seatbacks by hand for play or clunking, and on wagon models fold and unfold the integrated child booster seat to check the hinge.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driver seatback frame broke when accelerating from stop sign. Seat did not entirely collapse, but seat does wobble now and makes clunking noises. Dealer advised $650 parts and labor to correct problem. Volvo advises they will not assist since the car is out of warranty. This repair is being paid for by my ryan extended warranty. I feel this is safety hazard because I believe the seatbeat could have collapsed without warning and caused an accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #734505, filed 2000-10

   “Previously reported driver's seat fire in odi #758194 - I simply want to cross-reference odi #'s 734813 and 560677 which have the same fact pattern. Why hasn't anything been done about this defect? My baby could have died from the smoke inhalation, let alone the fire if we had not been able to immediately remove her from the vehicle. I would like to strongly suggest that this defect be investigated and remedied as soon as possible since the potential damage is severe - I.e., death or serious injury.”

   NHTSA complaint #758199, filed 2002-02
3. 3
   Brakes

   Unintended acceleration or failure to return to idle

   • 6 complaints (6%)
   • median 150,000 mi at 10.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2004–2010

   Owners report the car accelerating on its own, sometimes during low-speed maneuvering or when accelerating onto a highway, and in one case the dealer traced it to a loose fuel injector cover jamming the throttle open. Others describe the engine racing in park or not dropping to idle when the accelerator is released, with the transmission downshifting and the car slowing abruptly. Several complaints link the behavior to throttle or cruise-control components. Reported from about 40,000 to 157,000 miles, with no clear weather or seasonal pattern in the complaints.

   What to check: With the engine idling, check that the throttle linkage and cruise-control cable return freely and that the injector cover and intake parts are properly secured. Ask whether the throttle body or cruise control has been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In a parking garage I turned my wheels towards the left to drive into a parking spot; I gave the car a little gas while driving over a speedbump and suddenly the car accelerated and shot forward at a high rate of speed. Thankfully the car went into that parking spot and hit the cement wall and stopped. I thought it was a one-time occurrence but with all the reports of toyota acceleration problems, now I wonder if this can occur in any car at any time. I have a 1997 Volvo station wagon. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10320035, filed 2010-03, 150,000 miles

   “1. Loss of acceleration and sometimes stalling during freeway transition from on ramp to freeway and or during left turning against traffic. 2. The car failed to accelerate and the action of pushing the accelerator caused the transmission to down shift causing the extreme slowing and sometimes stalling. The consequences were that traffic was going considerably faster and had to take evasive action to avoid hitting the slowing car. 3. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10174142, filed 2006-11, 150,000 miles

Buying note. Ask for records of ABS module service, seat heater recall work, and any fuel tank work, since these are the areas owners most often mention. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a brake and ABS scan plus a full-tank fuel check is worthwhile on a car of this age.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.