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Volvo 850Years to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 569 NHTSA owner complaints across 7 model years, no Volvo 850 year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1997. The 850 has 5 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 1996Best years'93 '94 '95 '97Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints569Top: Service brakes, hydraulicSafety recalls51993–2000 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Volvo 850 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 850 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'93'94'95'96'97'99'00
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2000Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls1999Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls1997Solid50/100107 complaints · 3 recalls1996Caution34/100192 complaints · 2 recalls1995Solid45/100111 complaints · 2 recalls1994Solid54/10083 complaints · 2 recalls1993Solid60/10073 complaints · 0 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Volvo 850 problems

All model years combined: 569 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic917
Power train706
Electrical system6516
Fuel system, gasoline530
Engine and engine cooling5311
Tires414
Air bags3722
Equipment351
Seats3418
19 other systems20714
5 recalls

Volvo 850 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Fuel system, gasoline: storage04V-368 · 1994–1997 · Jul 30, 2004 · 226,000 vehicles–Front assembly: seat heater/cooler02V-314 · 1996–1997 · Nov 19, 2002 · 65,000 vehicles–Headlights: switch99V-235 · 1997 · Aug 30, 1999 · 139,588 vehicles–Mechanical: accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift95V-050 · 1995 · Mar 10, 1995 · 31,315 vehicles–Vehicle speed control94V-173 · 1994 · Sep 13, 1994 · 14,000 vehicles
7 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the 850

  1. THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONEA05021 · 1999 · closed Dec 12, 2006
    Led to recall 06V-441
  2. FUEL TANK LEAKSEA03008 · 1993–1996 · closed Jul 28, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-368
  3. FUEL TANK LEAKSPE03003 · 1993–1996 · closed Jun 11, 2003
    No recall
  4. SEAT FIRESEA02019 · 1996–1997 · closed Dec 18, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-314
  5. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRESPE02029 · 1996–1997 · closed Aug 22, 2002
    No recall
  6. INADVERTENT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTPE99040 · 1995–1998 · closed Oct 27, 1999
    No recall
  7. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIREPE97045 · 1996 · closed Feb 13, 1998
    No recall