Total Complaints
7 filings
VOLVO 855 · model year
1996 VOLVO 855
7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996VOLVO855 carries 7 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, 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 1996 855 is seat belts:front:retractor with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1) and air bags:frontal (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 855. 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.
7
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080812SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
THE ABS SENSOR HAS COME ON AND IT IS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE ABS CONTROL UNIT. THIS IS A VARY COMMON AND SERIOUS FAILURE FOR THE VOLVO 850 AND IS A WELL KNOW TO VOLVO. THEY OFFER REPAIR BUT IT IS AROUND $900. *TR
Mileage: 98,000
20031011SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
MY '96 VOLVO 855 HAS INTERMITTENT ABS FAILURE. THE ABS LIGHT GOES OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE CAR HAS 123,000 MILES. AFTER A BRIEF SEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THIS WAS TOO COMMON PROBLEM WITH ABS CONTROL MODULE. IT SEEMS THAT VOLVO DOES NOT ADMIT IT AS A SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO RECALL CAMPAIGN (THAT I KNOW OF). JUST VOLVO DEALERS MAKING A LOT OF MONEY TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND INSTALLING THE NEW ABS CONTROL MODULES. IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO LET MANY VOLVO CARS WITH EITHER FAILING ABS SYSTEM OR CHARGE HUNDREDS FOR THE REPAIR OF A BADLY DESIGNED SYSTEM. *LA
Mileage: 123,000
20030126TIRES
KUMHO TIRE HAD STEEL BELTS SHOWING THROUGH THE TREAD AFTER ONLY 29,500 MILES
Mileage: 73,300
20021016SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
TS
19991226CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
IN THE FIRST ACCIDENT THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND REAR ENDED AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND DRIVEN IN THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SUBJECT VEHICLE SUSTAINED 13000 DOLLARS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND TO THE REAR. THE AIRBAGS ( BOTH FRONT AND SIDE, DID NOT DEPLOY). ONE YEAR LATER THE SAME SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SECOND "NEAR HEAD ON" COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS (BOTH) FAILED TO DEPLOY AGAIN. IN BOTH CRASHES TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVES FROM VOLVO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO DEPLOY. *AK
19980807SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WOULD NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WILL NOT REPAIR UNLESS COST IS TO THE CONSUMER. *AK
19980807SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT BRAKING THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON/GO OUT AT RANDOM, AND ON TWO OCCASIONS THE BRAKE WOULD TURN TO MANUAL BRAKING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON SEVEN OCCASIONS, AND CONDITION HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK
Compare 1996VOLVO855 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 VOLVO 855 have?▼
The 1996 VOLVO 855 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 VOLVO 855?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 VOLVO 855 is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1996 VOLVO 855 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.