Total Complaints
50 filings
VOLVO 740 · model year
50 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989VOLVO740 carries 50 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 20 fires, 4 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 1989 740 is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 8 filings, followed by electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables (7) and electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (4). 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 1989 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.
Total Complaints
50 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 8 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES | 7 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
WHILE BRAKING AT THIS SPEED OR HIGHER THE CAR STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHACK AND PULL TO THE LEFT. TOOK IT TO VOLVO AND THEY SAID THE CALIBER WAS NOT RELEASING PROPERLY. HAD CALIBERS REPLACED SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR DUE TO A SIMILAR MALFUNCTION. *JS
Mileage: 205,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 VOLVO 740. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXCESSIVELY OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED AN OIL LEAK UNDER THE HOOD. WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PC VALVE FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH VOLVOVILLE USA FOR RECALL CAMPAIGN 96V08500 FOR DATE BELOW. SHOWED UP ON TIME AND PROVIDED VIN # FOR VEHICLE THAT WAS PURCHASED FROM VOLVOVILLE (AS A NEW CAR BY MY WIFE PENNIE WILFONG ) AND ALL OTHER DATA REQUESTED BY SERVICE WRITER. I STATED I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN ANY OTHER SERVICE AND ONLY WANTED THE RECALL ITEM TAKEN CARE OF. THE SERVICE WRITER WENT INTO HER DATABASE AND INFORMED ME THERE WAS NOTHING THERE AND DID NOT PROVIDE ANY EXPLANATION EVEN WHEN ONE WAS REQUESTED. THE CAR WAS NEVER IN THE SERVICE BAY FOR INSPECTION BY A FACTORY TRAINED TECHNICIAN I FEEL THAT SINCE I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN SPENDING ANY MONEY THAT DAY, THAT VOLVOVILLE USA WAS NOT WILLING TO HAVE A SERVICE TECHNICIAN CHECK OUT MY VEHICLE. PLEASE HAVE AN EXPLANATION PROVIDED OR HAVE THE CAR EXAMINED AS PER THE SAFTEY RECALL ISSUED BY NHSTA. THANKS. *AK
WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH AN CAUSED ACCIDENT.(OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT 10-89-312) *YH
I ENTERED MY CAR AND PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE ENGINE, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MY LEFT HAND WAS RESTING ON THE STEERING WHELL AS I TURNED THE KEY. THE AIR BAG RIPPED MY WATCH FROM MY WRIST AND LACERATED THE WRIST IN NUMEROUS PLACES. MY NECK, CHEST AND BOTH ARMS WERE ABRAISED. VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA WAS NOTIFIED. THEY SENT A "TECHNICAL SPECIALIST TO INSPECT THE CAR. VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA SENT ME A REPORT OF HIS FINDINGS WHICH STATED, "OUR TECNHICAL SPECIALIST DID OBSERVE THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FLOORING HAD SIGNS OF EXTENSIVE WATER DAMAGE AND THAT THE SRS SENSOR WAS HEAVILY CORRODED DUE TO THE EXPOSURE TO WATER. IT IS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE SENSOR THAT CAUSED THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY." I LIVE IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. WE RECEIVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF SNOW IN THE WINTER. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO HAVE WATER ACCUMULATE ON THE FRONT FLOORING. THE SENSOR IS LOCATED ON THE FLOOR UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT. ONE WOULD EXPECT THAT IT WOULD B
4 TIRES DELAMINATE---DEALER JUST GAVE ME A PRO RATING WOULD NOT REPLACE FREE EVEN THOUGH ITS OBVIOUS THE TIRES ARE CRAP. *AK (TIRESIZE: 205/60/15)
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE REAR WHILE DRIVING, PRIOR TO THIS FIRE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PLAGUED WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS AND SHORT CIRCUITS, NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
ABS BRAKE SYSTEM MAKES SOME STRANGE SOUNDS AND VIBRATION AT LOW SPEEDS OR STOPPING. YH
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT 40 MPH AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. VOLVO MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
VEICLE STOPPED, FAILED TO FUNCTION DUE TO FAULTY TIMING BELT. HAD TO BE TOWED TO MECHANIC. *AK
VEICLE STOPPED, FAILED TO FUNCTION DUE TO FAULTY TIMING BELT. HAD TO BE TOWED TO MECHANIC. *AK
THE TIMING BELT HAD BROKEN WHILE WAITING AT STOP LIGHT. HAD STARTED FORWARD WHEN VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC & WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM WAS THE TIMING GEAR. THE TIMING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
FIRE--SHORT CIRCUIT CAUSED BY BATTERY CABLES.
BATTERY CABLES FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL FIRE.
ENGINE FAILED RESULTING IN FIRE.
ABS BRAKE SYSTEM MAKES SOME STRANGE SOUNDS AND VIBRATION AT LOW SPEEDS OR STOPPING. YH
AIR CONDITIONER DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE. IT WAS DESIGNED TO BRING INTO VEHICLE COOL AIR. THE ENGINE DESIGN IS CURVED, PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE COILS. MANUFACTURER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE PUTTING CAR INTO GEAR WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE.
DASHBOARD CRACKED.
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.