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Volvo 960Model year report

1997 Volvo 960 Problems

Complaints
20filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
100,765miles, 3 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 2.9L 6-cyl RWD · 16 city / 24 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1997 Volvo 960 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 1997 Volvo 960. The part named most often is air bags, with 4 complaints (20% of the total), followed by engine cooling (4) and brakes (3). 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 33% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 100,765 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 97 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin 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.

Also reported: Tires (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Consumer was involved in a collision, and airbags did not deploy. Vehicle hit a tree, and had frontal impact. Consumer sustained injuries. Contacted dealer, and dealer stated vehicle had preformed up to standard.”

NHTSA complaint #898235, filed 2001-10

Engine cooling: “Check engine light came on then low coolant light. Suddenly lost power due to engine failure. It seized up due to overheating. Temperature gauge never registered hot. Radiator neck broke off at neck causing lost of coolant. Engine ruined. Dealer will not replace claiming thermostat stuck even though they couldn't prove this.”

NHTSA complaint #10064444, filed 2004-04, 100,765 miles

Brakes: “Volvo dealer, under warranty replaced all 4 disc brake rotors & pads due to warping of rotors & resulting vibration when slowing down from 65 MPH to 50 MPH on highway. This work was done on 11/14/00 at 39,024 miles on the car. It is now 6/29/01 and the car only has 43,500 miles on it, ie. Only 4,500 additional miles on it. This has not been a problem on our other cars, so it should not be attributed to driver error or other driver-related characteristics. In fact, we get very good brake wear and durability on our others cars with the same drivers. …”

NHTSA complaint #747584, filed 2001-06

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 38,000 and 154,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–2533%25–500%50–750%75–10033%100–15033%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: 100,765 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

199719992001420042012
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.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1997 Volvo 960. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
960 · sedan not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1997 Volvo 960 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
960 Wagon/V90 RWD2.9L 6-cyl4-speed automatic162419$4,350
960/S90 RWD2.9L 6-cyl4-speed automatic162419$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1997 Volvo 960 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by 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. 97 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 97 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volvo 960

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
199720100,7650—19—Stable
199660114,0000—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19955799,4911—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199419—0—18—Stable
19937146,5000—18—Not enough data
19922124,0000—19—Stable

All Volvo 960 model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1997 Volvo 960 have?

NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 1997 Volvo 960 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1997 Volvo 960 is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 4 complaints (20% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 4.

Has the 1997 Volvo 960 been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1997 Volvo 960 get?

The EPA rates the 1997 Volvo 960 (960 Wagon/V90, 2.9L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 24 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1997 Volvo 960 reported?

Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 100,765 miles and the middle half falls between 38,000 and 154,000 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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.