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1996 Volvo 850 Recalls & Complaints

3

open safety recalls on record

Critical

235 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.81 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical04V368000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage

FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Critical02V314000

Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler

IF THIS OCCURS, THE DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Moderate96E025000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

ENGINE COMPARTMENT DAMAGE COULD OCCUR raises the risk of A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BLOCK HEATER AND SECURE THE BOLTS USED TO INSTALL THE HEATER. IN SOME CASES, THE SURFACE TOLERANCES MAY BE SO INAPPROPRIATE THAT THE HEATER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH A HEATER OF A MODIFIED DESIGN.

ENGINE BLOCK HEATERS INSTALLED AS ACCESSORIES. THE BLOCK HEATER CONTACT SURFACE DOES NOT MATCH CORRECTLY WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK AS INTENDED. THE BLOCK HEATER COULD COME LOOSE FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK, AND IF BEING USED, COULD POSSIBLY OVERHEAT CAUSING DAMAGE IF IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH OTHER ENGINE COMPARTMENT COMPONENTS.

Complaint volume

235 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

14Crashes
27Fires
13Injuries
3Deaths

Across 235 complaints. Severity Index 0.81.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic…32 · 14%Fuel System, Gasoline · S…20 · 9%Seats · Front Assembly · …11 · 5%Power Train · Automatic T…9 · 4%Tires9 · 4%Equipment · Appliance · A…7 · 3%Engine And Engine Cooling…6 · 3%Electrical System · Wirin…6 · 3%
  1. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 32 reports
  2. Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly — 20 reports
  3. Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler — 11 reports
  4. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 9 reports
  5. Tires — 9 reports
  6. Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner — 7 reports
  7. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 6 reports
  8. Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood — 6 reports
  9. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module — 6 reports
  10. Engine And Engine Cooling — 5 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (3) · 1996 · 1997 (3)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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