NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2000

Volvo 850 recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 413 owner complaints for the Volvo 850, covering model years 1995 to 2000. The 1996 model year drew the most complaints (192), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Volvo 850 VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

4 recall campaigns on file
413 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
5 model years with data (1995–2000)

most complaints: 1996 (192 for that model year)
top component: Service Brakes, Hydraulic (81 complaints)
latest recall 04V368000 (reported Jul 30, 2004)

30 complaints reporting a crash (7.3%)
36 complaints reporting a fire (8.7%)
19 complaints reporting an injury (4.6%)
2 complaints reporting a death (0.5%)

Volvo 850 complaints by model year

5 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 1996 model year has the most complaints: 192 of 413, or 46.5%. Next come 1995 (111) and 1997 (107). The fewest are for 2000, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Volvo 850 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Volvo 850 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
1995	111	11	9	8	0
1996	192	12	20	9	2
1997	107	7	7	2	0
1999	2	0	0	0	0
2000	1	0	0	0	0
All model years	413	30	36	19	2

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Volvo 850 components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often, in 81 complaints (19.6% of all 413), followed by Electrical System (44) and Fuel System, Gasoline (37).

Components named most often in Volvo 850 complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Volvo 850 complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	81	19.6%
Electrical System	44	10.7%
Fuel System, Gasoline	37	9.0%
Engine and Engine Cooling	36	8.7%
Power Train	35	8.5%
Tires	34	8.2%
Seats	27	6.5%
Seat Belts	26	6.3%
Visibility	22	5.3%
Equipment	21	5.1%
Air Bags	20	4.8%
Service Brakes, Air	17	4.1%
Structure	17	4.1%
Steering	16	3.9%
Vehicle Speed Control	15	3.6%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Volvo 850 recalls

4 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name 850, newest first. The 4 campaigns cover model years 1995 to 1997. The 1997 model year appears in the most campaigns (3).

4 recall campaigns

Volvo 850 recall campaigns covering each model year
1995: 2 campaigns	1996: 2 campaigns	1997: 3 campaigns

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 04V368000
Reported Jul 30, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage
Model years 1995–1997
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.
Consequence:
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.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 02V314000
Reported Nov 19, 2002
Seats › Front Assembly › Seat Heater/Cooler
Model years 1996–1997
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.
Consequence:
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.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V235000
Reported Aug 30, 1999
Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch
Model year 1997
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Operation of the headlight switch, over an extended period of time, can result in inconsistent operation of the switch.
Consequence:
Driver's could experience a loss of visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the headlight switch.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 95V050000
Reported Mar 10, 1995
Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift; Equipment › Mechanical › Integrated Jack/Leveler/Stabilizer
Model year 1995
Some of the jacks supplied with the vehicles do not have the necessary load capacity.
Consequence:
A raised vehicle can fall off the jack increasing the likelihood for personal injury or property damage.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect and replace suspect jacks with a jack meeting the load requirements for these cars.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Volvo 850 questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Volvo 850 have?

NHTSA lists 4 vehicle recall campaigns for the Volvo 850, covering model years 1995 to 2000. The most recent, 04V368000, was reported on July 30, 2004 and is filed under “Fuel system, gasoline”. The 1997 model year is covered by the most campaigns (3).

Which Volvo 850 model year has the most complaints?

The 1996 model year, with 192 of the 413 complaints in NHTSA’s file (46.5%). The next are 1995 (111) and 1997 (107). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Volvo 850 complaint?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often: 81 complaints, or 19.6% of all 413. Electrical System (44) and Fuel System, Gasoline (37) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Volvo 850?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Volvo dealer.

How many Volvo 850 complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 413 complaints, 30 report a crash, 36 a fire, 19 at least one injury and 2 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Volvo models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Volvo VIN decoder with every Volvo model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Volvo XC90 2003–2025 · 35 recalls · 1,521 complaints
Volvo S60 2000–2025 · 40 recalls · 1,264 complaints
Volvo S80 1999–2016 · 27 recalls · 954 complaints
Volvo V70 1996–2016 · 22 recalls · 933 complaints
Volvo XC60 2009–2025 · 36 recalls · 647 complaints
Volvo S70 1995–2002 · 6 recalls · 593 complaints
Volvo S40 2000–2011 · 12 recalls · 491 complaints
Volvo XC70 2001–2016 · 19 recalls · 417 complaints

All Volvo models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.