Total Complaints
5 filings
VOLVO 854 · model year
1996 VOLVO 854
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996VOLVO854 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 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 1996 854 is fuel/propulsion system with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1) and tires (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 1996 854. 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
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20190306FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLVO 854. WHEN THE CONTACT FILLED UP THE TANK WITH FUEL, HE SMELLED FUEL FUMES WITHOUT GETTING CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED DYER & DYER VOLVO CARS (5260 PEACHTREE BLVD, CHAMBLEE, GA 30341, (800) 552-7023) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 225,000.
Mileage: 225,000
20180504FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLVO 854. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL PROGRESSING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
20030723SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
YET ANOTHER 1996 VOLVO 850 SUFFERING FROM ABS CONTROL UNIT FAILURE.*AK
19980402TIRES
TIRE AND RIM COMBINATION CAUSES BLOW OUTS IN THE FRONT TIRES WHEN GOING OVER ROAD HAZARDS.
19971106SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS MICROSWITCH FAILED.
Compare 1996VOLVO854 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 VOLVO 854 have?▼
The 1996 VOLVO 854 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 VOLVO 854?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 VOLVO 854 is FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and TIRES.
Is the 1996 VOLVO 854 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.