Total Complaints
3 filings
VOLVO 745 · model year
1989 VOLVO 745
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989VOLVO745 carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 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 745 is electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (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 1989 745. 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.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080910ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 VOLVO 745. WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY DRAINED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL WAL-MART AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED WITH A LARGER SIZED BATTERY WITH HIGHER WATTAGE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE REPLACEMENT. THE ALTERNATOR WAS TESTED AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT SERVICE STATIONS, BUT APPEARED TO BE FINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE RECHARGED EVERY TWO TO THREE WEEKS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 277,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 277,250.
Mileage: 277,000
20030203ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
CONDITION EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN RECALL 96V085000 BUT VOLVO CLAIMS MY VIN NO IS NOT COVERED. MY VEHICLE FALLS WITHIN THE MODEL AND MANUFACTURING DATES COVERED BY THE RECALL. MY CLAIM FOR CORRECTION OF THE PROBLEM WAS REJECTED BY [XXX] SERVICE MANAGER HASSEL VOLVO 79 CEDAR SWAMP ROAD GLEN COVE, N.Y. 11542 THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE HAS SEVERAL INCHES OF INSULATION CHAFED AWAY WHILE THE NEGATIVE CABLE HAS COMPLETELY FAILED THRU CHAFING. BOTH PROBLEMS ARE AT THE POINT WHERE THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE ATTACHES TO THE ENGINE. MY VEHICLE - 1989 VOLVO MODEL 745 STATION WAGON. MANUFACTURE DATE - MARCH 1989. VIN NO. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
20001117FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
WHILE PARKING NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE. OPENED HOOD AND NOTICED FIRE ON BATTERY CABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Compare 1989VOLVO745 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 VOLVO 745 have?▼
The 1989 VOLVO 745 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 VOLVO 745?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 VOLVO 745 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1989 VOLVO 745 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.