Total Complaints
19 filings
VOLVO 240 · model year
1991 VOLVO 240
19 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991VOLVO240 carries 19 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 1 fire, 5 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1991 240 is air bags:frontal with 5 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition:module (2) and air bags (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 28 investigation files overlapping the 1991 240. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
19
Complaints
9
Crashes
1
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
9 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 2 |
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20180322CrashAIR BAGS
"TAKATA RECALL" UNKNOWN
Mileage: 200,000
20180322CrashFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
"TAKATA RECALL" UNKNOWN
Mileage: 200,000
20180322CrashEXTERIOR LIGHTING
"TAKATA RECALL" UNKNOWN
Mileage: 200,000
20151028CrashSEATS
I JUST SAW ON THE NEWS ABOUT SEATS FALLING BACK DURING ACCIDENT WHEN I WAS HIT BY A TRACTOR-TRAILER IN 2002 TWO VOLVO 240 MY SEAT WENT ALL THE WAY BACK LIKE THE NEWS SHOWED LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN THE REAR SEAT
20060204FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
CAR WAS IN DRIVEWAY WARMING UP PRIOR TO DRIVING FOR SCHOOL. AFTER ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES DASH CAUGHT FIRE AND FLAMES WERE COMING FOR HEATER VENTS. USED A GARDEN HOSE TO EXTINGUISH FIRE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. DASH AND INTERIOR WAS DAMAGED BUY SMOKE, WATER AND FIRE. *NM
Mileage: 151,000
20041004AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AUTOMATICALLY AT 10 MPH IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. THERE WAS ALSO A CHEMICAL BURNING SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE SRS LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
19990810CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE, AT 5 MPH, APPLIED BRAKES AND THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR, HIT A CONCRETE WALL, AIRBAG DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. DEALER NOT AWARE OF PROBLEM. REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACE SEVERAL TIMES DURING LIFE OF VEHICLE. *AK
19990708AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON; NO BUMPS/CURBS,OR POTHOLES WERE HIT, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSED BURNS TO THE CONSUMERS ARMS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19990324CrashAIR BAGS
AIRBAG IS DESIGNED/LOCATED IN SAME LOCATION WITH THE HORN CAUSING SERIOUS HAND INJURY WHEN AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AS DRIVERS HAND WAS ON THE HORN DURING VEHICLE COLLISION.
19980518VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
THROTTLE CABLE FREEZES UP CAUSING CONSUMER TO USE EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL EFFORT TO ENGAGE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
19971002CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG UPON IMPACT, RESULTED IN A SEVERLY FRACTURED WRIST AND FOREARM ABRASIONS AND BRUISES. *AK
19970724ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL.
19970102CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ANOTHER CAR WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER CAR, VEHICLE HIT A POLE AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY . *AK
19960507POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
POWER TRAIN TRANSMISSION, PARKING PAWL INTER LOCKING, CAN TAKE KEY OUT IGNITION SWITCH IN DRIVE. *AK
19951205ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
MAIN COMPUTER (BRAIN) ON VEHICLE FAILED, VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY. TT
19951107SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN APPLIED COMPLETE LOSS OF EFFECTIVENESS, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, REPLACEMENT OF DISC PADS. TT
19951106ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK
THE REAR LIGHT WIRES ARE BEING BROKEN DUE TO METAL FATIQUE AND CAUSING THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT NOT TO WORK. PLESE DESCRIBE. TT
19950525VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS UPON FIRST STARTING VEHICLE, CAUSING EXCESSIVE PHYISICAL EFFORT TO LOOSEN. *SKD
19950109CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DURING HEAD ON COLLISION AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. TT
Compare 1991VOLVO240 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 VOLVO 240 have?▼
The 1991 VOLVO 240 has 19 NHTSA complaints, 9 crashes, 1 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 VOLVO 240?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 VOLVO 240 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE and AIR BAGS.
Is the 1991 VOLVO 240 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.