Total Complaints
11 filings
VOLVO 740 · model year
1986 VOLVO 740
11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986VOLVO740 carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 6 fires, 1 injury, 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 1986 740 is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring (2) and seat belts:front:retractor (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 1986 740. 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.
11
Complaints
1
Crashes
6
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20131212ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 VOLVO 740 GLE (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO PASS STATE EMISSIONS STANDARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A STATE CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
Mileage: 140,000
20010301POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
FORWARD RUBBER BUSHING TEARS MUCH TO OFTEN. IM AFRAID ONE DAY, THAT THE DRIVESHAFT WILL FALL AND HIT STREET , CAUSE A SPARK AND START A FIRE. *AK
20001017FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
CONSUMER BELIEVES WIRING PROBLEM EXISTED WHICH CAUSED PLASTIC ODOR AND FIRE TO START WHEN CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM NEAR THE GEAR SHIFTER, FLAMES APPEARED AND THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY INCINERATED, ENGINE RELATIVELY UNDAMAGED. *ET
19980925ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
PLASTIC MOULDING COVERING WIRES COMING OFF, ELECTRICAL WIRES ARE EXPOSED. MECHANIC DID NOT REPAIR DUE TO NOT BEING UNDER WARRANTY. *AK CONSUMER STATED DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEMS THIS CAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND PARKING LIGHTS TO BE INOPERATIVE AS WELL AS OTHER COMPONETS THAT ARE AFFECTED.*JB
19980805FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE.
19980423FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER PUT OUT FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
19971218FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FIRE. *AK
19970918FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
THIS PARTICULAR MODEL HAS DEFECTIVE BATTERY CABLE WHICH CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE, HOWEVER VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO MODEL YEAR. (REPRESENTATIVE OF AUTO SHOP)
19970131FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, FAILURE OF FUEL INJECTORS, VEHICLE WAS IN A IDLE POSITION WHEN SAW UNDER THE HOOD SMOKE. *AK
19961104STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
HYDRAULIC SUPPORT SCREWS FRACTURED, CAUSING HOOD TO RELEASE. *AK
19960611CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT FAILED, BROKE CONSUMER NECK, PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
Compare 1986VOLVO740 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 VOLVO 740 have?▼
The 1986 VOLVO 740 has 11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 6 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 VOLVO 740?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 VOLVO 740 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1986 VOLVO 740 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.