Total Complaints
5 filings
VOLVO 780 · model year
1988 VOLVO 780
5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988VOLVO780 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 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 1988 780 is vehicle speed control with 1 filings, followed by tires:sidewall (1) and visibility:glass, side/rear (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 1988 780. 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.
5
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| TIRES:SIDEWALL | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060117VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE SHE BEGAN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MODULE AND THE TAIL LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE BULB HOUSING ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED. NOW THE CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. *JB
Mileage: 138,890
20060117ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE SHE BEGAN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MODULE AND THE TAIL LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE BULB HOUSING ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED. NOW THE CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. *JB
Mileage: 138,890
20060117SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE SHE BEGAN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MODULE AND THE TAIL LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE SIGNAL LIGHT DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE BULB HOUSING ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED. NOW THE CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. *JB
Mileage: 138,890
20060105TIRES:SIDEWALL
UPON ENTERING MY VEHICLE I NOTICED A LARGE BUBBLE IN THE SIDE WALL OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THE DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE HOME WAS MADE AND WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON A PAVED ROAD THE FULDA ASSURO TIRE BLEW OUT IN THE SIDEWALL. THERE HAS BEEN NO EXPLANATION FOR THE BUBBLE IN THE TIRE ALTHOUGH THE TIRES WERE OBSERVED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION TWO DAYS PRIOR. *NM
19951121CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, RESULTING IN CRASHING INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. TT *JB
Compare 1988VOLVO780 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 VOLVO 780 have?▼
The 1988 VOLVO 780 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 VOLVO 780?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 VOLVO 780 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:SIDEWALL and VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR.
Is the 1988 VOLVO 780 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.