Your vehicle report
1994 Volvo 850
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 83
- Received Jan 1995 to Nov 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine suddenly shuts off while driving8 complaints · 9.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline7 complaints · 8.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Airbags fail to deploy in crashes5 complaints · 6.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #04V368000On certain passenger vehicles, after prolonged exposure to heat, the fuel tank may seep or leak fuel at the points where the heat shield is attached.
- Recall #94V173000Under very cold weather conditions, ice crystals can form at the throttle in the engine intake system, and prevent the throttle from returning to idle.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 3 fires, 10 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 9 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 12 |
| 1996 | 7 |
| 1997 | 9 |
| 1998 | 3 |
| 1999 | 7 |
| 2000 | 4 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 83 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 8 | 9.6% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 7 | 8.4% | – | NHTSA recall #04V368000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 6.0% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 4 | 4.8% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 4.8% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 4 | 4.8% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 3 | 3.6% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 3.6% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 3 | 3.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #04V368000July 30, 2004226,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage
On certain passenger vehicles, after prolonged exposure to heat, the fuel tank may seep or leak fuel at the points where the heat shield is attached.
Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy
Volvo will inspect the fuel tank and replace it if any evidence of fuel seepage or leakage is found. All vehicles will receive new reinforcement bushings at the heat shield attachment points to prevent future leaks. This recall will be conducted as a safety recall in the hot weather states of alabama, arkansas, arizona, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new mexico, north carolina, oklahoma, south carolina, tennessee, texas, and utah, and as a service recall in the other 33 states and the district of columbia. The recall began on september 24, 2004. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
NHTSA recall #94V173000September 13, 199414,000 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control
Under very cold weather conditions, ice crystals Can form at the throttle in the engine intake system, and prevent the throttle from returning to idle.
This condition Can cause loss of speed control and Can result in unwanted acceleration and a possible accident.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the throttle body, throttle cable, charge air cooler piping and crankcase ventilation hoses.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1994 Volvo 850.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN