Volvo WIA Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 23 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Volvo WIA (1995–1997) that have at least 5 complaints. 1997 has the most, with 8. Across all years, the part named most often is suspension (16 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All WIA 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 | 8 | — | 6 | 26 | — | Not enough data |
| 1996 | 8 | 200,000 | 7 | 26 | — | Not enough data |
| 1995 | 7 | — | 4 | 25 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Suspension16 30%
- Electrical system8 15%
- Body and structure6 11%
- Steering6 11%
- Transmission and drivetrain5 9.4%
- Engine cooling5 9.4%
- Other or unknown4 7.5%
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)3 5.7%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1996: “The contact owns a 1996 Volvo WIA. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the steering failed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage 200,000 and the current mileage was 650,000. Updated 3/24/15 the consumer stated the vehicle experienced a collapsed spindle bearing. The driver suffered from a sore shoulder and muscle strains in 2005. Updated 6/22/2015”
NHTSA complaint #10595787, filed 2014-06, 200,000 miles1997: “Transmission jumps out of gear under a load ,this transmission was rebuilt nov 2000 for this problum. It started again in nov.2001. Other owners of this type transmission tell me they have the same problum. There is nothing as dangerous as a truck gearing down on a hill , and having the transmission jump out of gear. Thank you for your time.”
NHTSA complaint #759990, filed 2002-031995: “Vehicle is showing problems with the steer axle tires wearing prematurely requiring annual replacement, there is excessive vibration, the u-joints are wearing out, there are noises coming from the front end (repaired, source unknown),also front axle is too heavy, consumer must regulate by moving the 5th wheel and lowering the fuel.”
NHTSA complaint #565303, filed 2002-04Other Volvo models
1,531 complaintsVolvo S60
1,263 complaintsVolvo S80
953 complaintsVolvo V70
922 complaintsVolvo XC60
654 complaintsVolvo S70
584 complaintsVolvo 850
566 complaintsVolvo S40
491 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