VOLVO 240 · model year

1993 VOLVO 240

16 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1993VOLVO240 carries 16 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 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 1993 240 is air bags:frontal with 2 filings, followed by air bags (2) and steering: steering wheel/handle bar (1). 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 1993 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.

16
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

16 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
AIR BAGS2
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH1
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR1
TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1

Recent Complaints

20170613AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 VOLVO 240 STATION WAGON. WHILE WAITING FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC TO PASS TO PULL INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH FORCE AND EMITTED A GRAY SUBSTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED INTO THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WEEKS LATER. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISING, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA94015 (AIR BAGS) AND NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE93095 (AIR BAGS). IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 94V185000 (AIR BAGS), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

20050728VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

DT: CONSUMER STATED THAT A VEHICLE SHE WAS ABOUT TO PURCHASE HAD ODOMETER FRAUD INVOLVED. THE VEHICLE WAS 1993 VOLVO WAGON 240. THE CONSUMER WAS CONSIDERING PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE RAN A CAR FAX ON THE VOLVO. THE CAR FAX SHOWED THAT THE MILEAGE WAS INCREASING. THE ACTUAL MILEAGE WAS INCREASING AND CONSISTENT, COULD TELL THROUGH THE DMV RECORDS. THE LAST MILEAGE SHOWN WAS ON JULY 30, 2004 WITH THE GEORGIA INSPECTION STATION FOR AN EMISSION TEST, THE MILEAGE WAS 298,106 MILES. THE CONSUMER IS POINTING OUT THAT THIS WAS NOT A CLERICAL ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CAR AND THE MILEAGE, THE MILEAGE WAS SHOWING AS 156,820 MILES. THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS ADVERTISING THIS CAR FOR SALE IN THE LOCAL PAPER CLASSIFIEDS ON THE INTERNET. THE EXACT WEB ADDRESS IS AJCCARS.COM THE CONSUMER HAS THE NAME AND CELL PHONE NUMBER OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS TRYING TO SALE THE CAR. THE CONSUMER ALSO HAS A KEY TO THE CAR IN HER POSSESSION. THE POLICE HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED BY THE C

20040704TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE

I OWN A 1993 VOLVO 240 SEDAN. I AM SELLING IT AND UPON REMOVING THE "TEMPORARY USE SPARE" TO CLEAN OUT THE TRUNK, I SAW THAT THE TREAD HAS SEPARATED IN A SECTION ABOUT ONE FOOT OF THE CIRCUMPHRENCE. THIS TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN USED, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE TRUNK. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES: FIRESTONE TEMPORARY USE ONLY 155R 15 90 Q MADE IN SPAIN DOT F7P7 B2ET 472. *AK

Mileage: 5

20040704TIRES:TREAD/BELT

I OWN A 1993 VOLVO 240 SEDAN. I AM SELLING IT AND UPON REMOVING THE "TEMPORARY USE SPARE" TO CLEAN OUT THE TRUNK, I SAW THAT THE TREAD HAS SEPARATED IN A SECTION ABOUT ONE FOOT OF THE CIRCUMPHRENCE. THIS TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN USED, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE TRUNK. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES: FIRESTONE TEMPORARY USE ONLY 155R 15 90 Q MADE IN SPAIN DOT F7P7 B2ET 472. *AK

Mileage: 5

20040301CrashAIR BAGS

WHILE VEHICLE WAS JUST PASSING THROUGH A TOLL BOOTH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE. THEN, STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO SHAKE, AND SUDDENLY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO REAR END VEHICLE IN FRONT. BECAUSE OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CONSUMER SUSTAINED FACE AND CHEST INJURIES, AND WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR ONE WEEK. *AK

20010125ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

THE ORIGINAL PART (VOLVO PART #3536202) HAS 3 HEAT SHIELDS MADE OF ALUMINUM WITH ASBESTOS INSIDE FOR INSULATION. THE HEAT SHIELDS ALLOW WATER TO REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH THE DOWNPIPE AND FACILITATE CORROSION. THIS CORROSION ALLOWS PREMATURE CRACKING OF THE WELDS. THE WELD FAILURES ALLOW EXHAUST TO LEAK OUT BEFORE IT LEAVES THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I PURCHASED A NEW DOWN PIPE FROM VOLVO, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY HEAT SHIELDS! VOLVO REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAT SHIELDS CAUSING CORROSION, AND CHANGED THE WAY THEY MANUFACTURE THE DOWNPIPE. VOLVO OFFERS NO RECOURSE TO ME.*AK

20001207LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, HOOD LATCH RELEASED, CAUSING HOOD TO FLY UP INTO WINDSHIELD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK *SLC

19990205CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK

THE COLLISION ON 1/5/99 DAMAGED THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL AND TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. . ALSO, THE HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP NO LONGER WORKED. WHEN THE REPAIR SHOP LOOKED AT THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE TAILGATE, THEY DETERMINED THAT, THOUGH THE IMPACT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE WIRES FOR THE TAIL LIGHT TO SEPARATE, THE PROBLEM WAS PRE-EXISTING IN THAT THE DESIGN OF THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE WIRES TO FLEX EACH TIME THE TAILGATE OPENED AND CLOSED. WITH TIME, AS THE WIRES GET BRITTLE WITH AGE (DUE TO METAL FATIGUE), THEY ARE BOUND TO BREAK. THE WIRES FOR THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME, THOUGH I WAS UNAWARE OF THAT, AS THERE IS NOT MUCH NEED TO USE THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER WHEN THE CAR IS KEPT IN A GARAGE IN TEXAS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AS IT WAS A "PRE-EXISTING" CONDITION. (THE BROKEN WIRES DID NOT CAUSE THE ACCIDENT, BUT NOW THE CAR WILL NOT PASS A SAFETY INSPECTION). THE BODY REPAIR SHOP WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE VOLVO DEAL

19980806AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DRIVIER SIDE AIRBAG HAS CRACKED, PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE. DEALERS HAS CORRECTED PROBLEM, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

19970724EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

HIGH MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT FAILED.

19970724VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER FAILED DUE TO A BROKEN WIRE.

19951208CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

19950427SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT ALLOW FOR PROPER INSTALLATION OF CHILD SAFETY SEATS. TT

19950426CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

THE FRONT TWO BRAKES DID NOT WORK IN A LOW MILEAGE ACCIDENT. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT

19950424SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

FRONT WHEELS LOCKED, EQUIPPED WITH ABS BRAKES. TT

19950315STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

MAKING A TURN STEERING WHEEL WOULD SLIP AND CONSTANT NOISE IN STEERING. TT

Compare 1993VOLVO240 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1993 VOLVO 240 have?
The 1993 VOLVO 240 has 16 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 VOLVO 240?
The most-complained component for the 1993 VOLVO 240 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR.
Is the 1993 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.