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Volvo 854Model year report

1997 Volvo 854 Problems

Complaints
7filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
88,000miles, 3 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1997 Volvo 854 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 1997 Volvo 854. The part named most often is electrical system, with 4 complaints (57% of the total), followed by brakes (3) and steering (1). 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 33% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 88,000 miles. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 8 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 3 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Electrical system: “The vehicle would not start at 3000 miles after purchase because the battery was dead. The problem continued every 5000 miles until the dealer discovered that the cause was electrical problem.”

NHTSA complaint #561656, filed 2001-06

Brakes: “My vehicle is a 1997 Volvo 850r, I'm the second owner of the vehicle. The Volvo is a soild car but the 850 series have a defect with the ABS/tracs module, this sets a code on your obdii and it clears when you restart the car. The issue at hand is that it's a safety issue because the control module sees a fault and deactivates the ABS/tracs control module and you no longer have an ABS on the vehicle and it's very dangerous if it's raining, snowing or a sudden stop on the freeway. The wheels will lock giving you a greater chance to cause an accident. …”

NHTSA complaint #10000102, filed 2002-12, 33,210 miles

Steering: “The belt that drives the power steering and alternator periodically slips when wet. This occurs repeatedly at low speeds when going through even small puddles. A kit was added to repair the problem at about 10k miles. The dealer claims the persistent loss of power with the kit is normal. When this occurs it becomes very difficult to steer the car for a few seconds until the belt stops slipping. It also is unexpected to find the car difficult to steer in the middle of a turn and could cause loss of control.”

NHTSA complaint #712599, filed 1999-09

Mileage when problems were reported

33% of the 3 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 33,210 and 95,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–2533%25–500%50–7567%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (3 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 88,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

1999200122002200322010
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1997 Volvo 854 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 8 on record; the latest 8 are shown.

Other model years of the Volvo 854

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
1997788,0002———Not enough data
19965225,0002———Not enough data
19959137,4792———Not enough data

All Volvo 854 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1997 Volvo 854 have?

NHTSA recorded 7 consumer complaints for the 1997 Volvo 854 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1997 Volvo 854 is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 4 complaints (57% of the total), followed by brakes with 3.

Has the 1997 Volvo 854 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 1997 Volvo 854 reported?

Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 88,000 miles and the middle half falls between 33,210 and 95,000 miles; 33% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.