Your vehicle report
1996 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
- 192
- Received Jul 1996 to Jul 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up33 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline23 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring12 complaints · 6.3% 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 #02V314000On some sedans and station wagons equipped with seat heaters, it is possible that excessive compression of the seat cushion could cause damage to the electrical wiring of the seat heater.
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: 12 crashes, 20 fires, 9 people injured, 2 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 15 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
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 |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 7 |
| 1997 | 24 |
| 1998 | 4 |
| 1999 | 17 |
| 2000 | 23 |
| 2001 | 13 |
| 2002 | 29 |
| 2003 | 34 |
| 2004 | 14 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 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 | 192 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 33 | 17% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 23 | 12% | – | NHTSA recall #04V368000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 12 | 6.3% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 10 | 5.2% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 3.6% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 7 | 3.6% | – | |
| Heated seat overheats and burns occupants | 6 | 3.1% | – | NHTSA recall #02V314000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 2.6% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 2.1% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 2.1% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 4 | 2.1% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 3 | 1.6% | – |
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 #02V314000November 19, 200265,000 vehicles affected
seats: front assembly: seat heater/cooler
On some sedans and station wagons equipped with seat heaters, it is possible that excessive compression of the seat cushion could cause damage to the electrical wiring of the seat heater.
If this occurs, the damage could result in a short circuit that could cause a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will disconnect the existing wires and install a new electronic thermostat and cable harness. Owner notification began on february 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
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 1996 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