VOLVO 740 · model year

1987 VOLVO 740

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

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1987VOLVO740 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, 2 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 1987 740 is electrical system:wiring:front underhood with 3 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and electrical system (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 1987 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.

16
Complaints
4
Crashes
2
Fires
1
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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1
AIR BAGS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH1

Recent Complaints

20020812ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAS TOTALLY DEGRADED, CAUSING MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE ENGINE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, THE WORST BEING OVERPOWER TO THE FUEL INJECTORS CAUSING TOTAL GASOLINE FLOODING OF THE CYLINDERS AND DUMPING GASOLINE ALL OVER THE ROAD. THIS IS A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. IN RESEARCHING THIS, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT ALL VOLVO'S FROM 1983-1987 HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. VOLVO IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT NEVER FIXED IT. GASOLINE DUMPING IS A MAJOR FIRE HAZZARD, IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN SMOKING IN THE CAR, OR SOMEONE PULLED UP BESIDE ME SMOKING, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR FIRE AND EXPLOSION. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TOTALLY REPLACED, AND VOLVO SAYS THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, A PROBLEM THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE EXSISTED. IT SEEMS THAT VOLVO EXPERIMENTED WITH INSULATION IN THE EARLY 80S TO MAKE WIRING HARNESSES BIODEGRADEABLE. THAT IS ADMIRABLE, BUT IT WAS ALSO A FAILURE, CREATING MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLE

20010305FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. WISPS OF FOUL-SMELLING SMOKE ISSUED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. I PARKED THE CAR AND EVACUATED THE OCCUPANTS. THE CAR RESTARTED BY ITSELF, RAN FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN STALLED. DURING THIS TIME, FIRE SPREAD FROM THE DASHBOARD AND ENGULFED THE ENTIRE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CARGO AREA. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BEFORE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURNED.

20000630POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

ON 6/18/00 I BOUGHT A VOLVO FROM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A DEALER. TWO DAYS LATER, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO REVERSE. FOUR DAYS AFTER THAT , I TOOK IT BACK TO FIND OUT THAT HE WAS NOT REAL DEALER, AND THAT HE LIED TO MY CREDIT CARD HOLDER SAYING THAT I BOUGHT AUTO PARTS WHEN I BOUGHT A CAR. HE SAYS THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND OTHER LITTLE THINGS (FUSES, REAR LEFT LIGHT,)

20000309FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHEN CONSUMER USED KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR SOON AFTER SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, WITHIN MINUTES VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES, DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. NLM

19991222ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

WIRING HARNESS INSULATION IS NOT ADEQUATELY RATED FOR THE TEMPERTURE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CUT COMPLETELY OFF WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19991015ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THERE IS SHORT WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL AND CUTT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

19990812ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

I PARKED MY CAR AND LEFT FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTE. WHEN I RETURNED WAS IN FLAME. THE FIRE CONSUMED THE ENTIRE CAR. TRUNK AND TIRES WERE THE ONLY THINGS NOT BURNED.

19990315CrashAIR BAGS

FRONT END COLLISON OF VOLVO 740 SW IN WHICH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SON HIT HEAD AND HAD TO BE SEEN IN EMERGENCY ROOM DUE TO POSSIBLE CONCUSSION. MAJOR DAMAGE TO FRONT OF VEHICLE, WHY DIDN'T THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY? PLAN ON TAKING VEHICLE FOR SERVICE REPAIR ESTIMATE, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF AIR BAGS DEPLOYING AFTER A FRONT END ACCIDENT, WHEN THEY DID NOT DEPLOY ON IMPACT?

19981207SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES IN THE PAST 7 YEARS. THIS ALSO REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF FRONT BRAKE PADS. WORN ROTORS CAUSE SEVERE SHAKING IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION.

19970925ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

LEFT EMISSION STATION & RADIO DIED; PULLED OVER & LOOKED UNDER HOOD & NOTICED SMOKE & AIR CONDITIONER LINES WERE HOT; TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED PROBLEM W/ELECTRIC WIRE HARNESS HAD SHORTED OUT; VEHICLE BURNED 2ND TIME WHILE AT DEALER. (RECALL #87V064000). *AK

19970218CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

OWNER STATES THAT AFTER EXITING HIS VEHICLE AND REMOVING THE KEY THE ENGINE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN, OWNER STATES THAT VEHICLE ROLLED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

19961217ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THERE IS VIBRATION IN THE CAR, TOOK TO DEALR AND HE SAID THAT IT TIS THE ENGINE MOUNTS. *AK *SLC

19951116FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

SHORTENING OF AIR FILTER PRE-HEATER DUCT, CAUSING METAL DUCT HOSE TO RUB AGINST THE TURB0-CHARGER HOUSING, RESULTING IN A HOLE IN THE HOUSING. *AK

19951116ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

FRONT UNDERHOOD HARNESS RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO MODEL YEAR OF VEHICLE (87V-064). *AK

19950215CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CAR PLACED IN REVERSE AND THEN TOOK OFF. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

19950106CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE BACKING OUT DRIVEWAY, CHANGE GEARS FROM PARK TO REVERSE VEHICLE WENT INTO OPEN THROTTLE POSITION LOST CONTROL HITTING A CURB UNDER THE BOTTOM DAMAGE. TT

Compare 1987VOLVO740 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1987 VOLVO 740 have?
The 1987 VOLVO 740 has 16 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 VOLVO 740?
The most-complained component for the 1987 VOLVO 740 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1987 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.