1996 VOLVO 850 Complaints

THIS IS A REPEATED PROBLEM. I AM INFORMED BY VOLVO SPECIALISTS THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND THE RESULT OF A FAULTY COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE INDEPENDENT SHOP(S) I HAVE TAKEN IT TO REPORT IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR THEM TO REPAIR AT LEAST 5 OF THESE PER WEEK AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS CONFINED TO THE 1996 AND 1998 850 MODELS. THEY ALSO SUGGEST VOLVO IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO RECALL THE DEFECTIVE PART (COMPUTER SYSTE). NOTE, THIS ALSO GOVENS THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM!*AK

VOLVO REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DESIGN FLAW IN THE A/C EVAPORATOR. THE EVAPORATORS CHRONICALLY FAIL, LEAKING R134A INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I HAVE CONTACTED MANY OWNERS ON THE NET, AS WELL AS DISCUSSING THE PROBLEM WITH MASTER VOLVO MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD IT'S A VERY COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS MODEL. OWNERS ARE FORCED TO PAY HIGH REPLACEMENT COST ($1200), OR ILLEGALLY CHARGE/DISCHARGE HARMFUL R134A TO RECHARGE THE SYSTEM. TYPICAL RECHARGE ONLY LASTS A FEW WEEKS DUE TO LEAKS IN THE EVAPORATOR. R134A CHEMICAL CONTAINS HARMFUL INGREDIENTS, EXPOSING THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE TO THE LEAKING FUMES AND POSSIBLE HEALTH HAZARD.*AK

THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS COMMON WITH THIS MODEL DUE TO A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW. THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING FULL REIMBURSEMENT. *YH

AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, I SWITCHED THE SEAT HEATER ON AND DROVE AWAY. WITHIN 2 MINUTES OF DRIVING, A SHARP PAIN DEVELOPED IN MY RIGHT BUTTOCK. WITHIN SECONDS A TRAIL OF DARK SMOKE ROSE FROM THE SAME AREA. AFTER LIFTING MY BOTTOM OFF OF THE SEAT AND REALIZING THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE SEAT I SHUTOFF THE SEAT WARMER. THE RESULT OF THE INCIDENT LEFT A BURN MARK ON MY PANTS AND A CIGARETTE SIZED HOLE IN MY SEAT CUSHION. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND AFTER INVESTIGATION I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTEE. THE COST OF THE NEW SEAT WARMER AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT CUSHION WAS 770 US DOLLARS. I REFUSED TO PAY AND ASKED THE DEALER TO SIMPLY DISCONNECT THE SEAT WARMER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING INVOLVED IN A SIDE COLLISION. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER, DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR BODY INJURIES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING INVOLVED IN A SIDE SWIPED COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS NOT TO DEPLOY CONSUMER SUSTAINED MAJOR BODY INJURIES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED HOWEVER UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHEN GOING TO GET AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM RECHARGED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT HE NEEDED AN EVAPORATOR, ACCUMULTOR, TEMP SENSOR, EVAC AND RECHARGE, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT USED TO THAT EXTENT TO REQUIRE THIS LEVEL OF REPAIRS THIS SOON. *SLC

THE FUEL TANK WAS OBSERVED TO BE LEAKING ON 7/8/02 AND THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY A TECHNICIAN ON 7/9/02. THE LEAKAGE OCCURS ON ONE OR MORE OF THE MOLDED BOSSES UPON WHICH THE HEAT SHIELD IS MOUNTED. MY SUSPICION IS BUILT-IN STRESSES FROM THE MOLDED BOSS, PERHAPS NOT RADIUSED PROPERLY WHERE THE BOSS JOINS THE TANK WALL. IT MAY ALSO BE A MATERIALS PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN ANALYZING THE PROBLEM SAID THAT THEY HAD SEEN THE SAME FAILURE ON ANOTHER 850 TANK WITHIN THE LAST 10 DAYS. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT OUR EXTREME AMBIENT HEAT MAY HAVE CAUSED A RELATIVELY INFLEXIBLE HEAT SHIELD TO STRESS THE ASSEMBLY. IT SEEMS TO BE A CRITICAL SAFETY PROBLEM, AND I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT VOLVO HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO JOIN IN REMEDYING THIS SITUATION WITH US, AFTER CALLING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION.*AK

FAILURE OF MODULE DISENABLED THE ABS. SPORATIC FAILURE FIRST OCCURRED AT 32000 MI, BUT COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURRED AT 52,000 MILES. CAR REPAIRMAN INDICATES THAT FAILURE OF THIS MODULE IS COMMON FOR 1996-1998 VOLVOS. HE REPLACES 3-4 PER WEEK. *AK

THE FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT, WHICH IN SEARCHING THE WEB IS VERY COMMON ON THE 1996 MODEL, RESULTS IN FALSE TRIGGERING OF THE ABS SYSTEM, WHICH INCREASES STOPPING DISTANCE SIGNIFICANTLY. A SEARCH OF WWW.BRICKBOARD.COM FOR 850 & ABS WILL TURN UP NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF THIS FAILURE, WHICH IS FREQUENTLY MISDIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERS. VOLVO KNOWS OF THE FAILURES, AND HAS NOT ADMITTED THAT IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM SINCE THE ABS SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY, AND THE FAILURE CAUSES INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES.*AK