1997 VOLVO 850 Complaints

I HAVE A 1997 VOLVO MODEL 850 T-5 THAT I WAS DRIVING DURING A SNOW AND ICE STORM WHEN THE HEATER/BLOWER STOPPED WORKING FOR NO REASON, THUS CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DRAIN ON MY DRIVING REFLEXES AND BEING ABLE TO SEE SINCE THE WINDOWS ALL STARTED TO FOG UP ON THE INSIDE AND ICE ON THE OUTSIDE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DRIVER TO BECOME INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE HEATER/BLOWER. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS COMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF VOLVO THAT THE HEATER BLOWERS FAIL FOR NO REASON AND WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO TO REPLACE THIS HEATER/BLOWER WILL COST OVER 500.00 . THIS IS NOT RIGHT SINCE A HEATER/BLOWER IS ONE OF THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF A VEHICLE IN THE NORTH EAST PART OF THE USA, AND FOR THAT MATTER ANYWHERE.. ALSO I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN WITH A NEW MOTOR BLOWER, IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING. IT COULD EVEN HAPPEN A DAY AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW ONE SINCE THIS IS THE WAY VOLVO HAS MADE THEM. I THINK IT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS THIS IS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS.. *JB

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, 7:30 A.M., CLEAR SUNNY COLD DAY. TRAVELING 55 MPH ON I 190 EXTENSION NEAR O'HARE AIRPORT IN CHGO. THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON MY DASHBOARD (WHICH I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE) AND AN INSTANT LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG EXPLODED OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. IT RIPPED APART THE DASHBOARD, AND CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD COMPLETELY ACROSS. I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND QUICKLY GOT OUT. THE FUMES AND DUST FROM THE AIRBAG WERE TERRIBLE. ALTHOUGH DRIVE-ABLE, I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE VOLVO OF LISLE, IL DEALER SINCE IT SEEMED TO ME TO BE AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. NO CRASH, NO ACCIDENT, NO COLLISION, AND A SPLIT SECOND WARNING.*AK THE DEALER REPS HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 3 WEEKS. THE DEALER INITIALLY SAID THAT THEY COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE DEPLOYMENT, BUT WOULDN'T BEGIN ANY REPAIR UNLESS I/MY INSURER PAID THE BILL. I WAS IN TOUCH WITH VOLVO OF N.A. WITHIN 24 HOURS. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD SEND OUT AN ENGINEER TO INVESTIGATE. TO DATE, I'VE NOT GOTTEN A REPORT OR AN ANSWER ON THE STATUS OF THIS INVESTIGATION, MY CAR SITS UNREPAIRED AT THE DEALER, AND I'M ON WEEK 3 WITH A RENTAL CAR THAT I FEEL THEY NEED TO PAY FOR AS WELL. I COULD REALLY USE AN ADVOCATE HERE---I'M GETTING A RUN-AROUND.

ABS LIGHT COMING ON AND STAYING ON REPEATEDLY. AFTER NUMEROUS RESETS BY MY VOLVO REPAIR SHOP, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE ABS TRACTION CONTROL COMPUTER MODULE HAD FAILED. THE UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO ME OF $642.93. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE DOING AN AVERAGE OF ONE OR TWO SUCH REPLACEMENTS ON THIS MODEL PER WEEK AND THAT THEY BELIEVED THIS TO BE A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURE FOR THIS MODEL IN GENERAL. THE REPAIR SHOP WORKS EXCLUSIVELY ON VOLVOS, HUBBARD WOODS MOTORS, 985 GREENBAY ROAD, WINNETKA, IL, 60093; PHONE 8470446-0711; OWNER, ROBERT L. BERGER. *NM

ABS TRACTION CONTROLLER FAILURE ON MY 1997 VOLOV 850 REQUIRING REPLACEMENT COSTING APPROX. $750. THE REPAIR SHOP I USE WORKS EXCLUSIVELY ON VOLVOS AND HAS INDICATED TO ME THAT THEY HAVE ON AVERAGE ONE SUCH FAILURE AND CUSTOMER REPAIR EACH WEEK. THE REPAIR SHOP IS HUBBARD WOODS MOTORS, 985 GREENBAY ROAD, WINNETKA, IL 60093, PHONE 847-446-0711, OWNER, ROBERT L. BERGER. *NM

I HAVE A 1997 VOLVO 850R THAT IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS/TRACS SYSTEM - THE LIGHTS CAME ON FOR THE ABS AND THE TRACS SYSTEM. IN RESEARCHING MY PROBLEM IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT THE 850 VOLVO IS KNOWN FOR FAILURES TO ITS ABS MODULE AND THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM IN GENERAL. THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND ON THIS COMMON PROBLEM LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM. APPARENTLY VOLVO NOW OFFERS A NEW AND IMPROVED ABS CONTROL MODULE (THAT THEY CHARGE DEARLY FOR) BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS AND REPLACEMENTS OF THE OLD UNITS. VOLVO SHOULD BEAR THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING THESE UNITS. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN THE ABS LIGHT IS ON, THE ABS IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. THE FAILURE ALSO CAUSES INTERMITTENT PULSATION IN THE BRAKES. THE SHEAR NUMBER OF THESE INSTANCES LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THIS SHOULD BE CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 75 MPH. AS THE CONSUMER HAD TO ENGAGE THE VEHICLE INTO NETTLE IN ORDER TO STOP. *AK IT WAS LATER DETERMINED BY THE DEALER THAT IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE FUEL INJECTOR COVER CAME LOOSE AND JAMMED THE THROTTLE OPEN. *NM

VEHICLE DOES NOT SLOW TO IDLE WHEN ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPAIR VEHICLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON RECALL. *AK *MR

DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER DID NOT OPERATE. FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 02V314000, BUT CONSUMER MUST PAY TO GET THE DRIVER'S SEAT REPAIRED. *AK

1997 VOLVO 850 MODEL ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILS MAKING THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES MALFUNCTION. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING WHILE IN USE. THE ARM FELL OFF. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. ALSO, THE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING. *AK