VOLVO 940 · model year

1995 VOLVO 940

30 NHTSA complaints, 12 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1995VOLVO940 carries 30 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 12 crashes, 0 fires, 11 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 1995 940 is air bags:frontal with 10 filings, followed by tires:tread/belt (3) and tires (3). 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 1995 940. 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.

30
Complaints
12
Crashes
0
Fires
11
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

30 filings

Crashes Reported

12 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL10
TIRES:TREAD/BELT3
TIRES3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT1
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
WHEELS:RIM1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20090127FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

NOTICED GAS SMELL EVERY TIME I FILLED GAS LOOKED UNDER CAR AND NOTICED GAS PUDDLING UNDER CAR. ALSO GAS PUDDLING AFTER PARKING OF CAR. HAVE NOT TAKEN TANK DOWN AS OF YET TO TROUBLE SHOOT PROBLEM BUT BELIEVE IT TO BE A CRACKED GAS TANK AS THE AMOUNT OF GAS PUT INTO TANK BEFORE LEAKING HAS STEADILY DECREASED. *TR

Mileage: 180,000

20081111ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1995 VOLVO 940 TURBO ODOMETER SUDDENLY BECAME INOPERATIVE. PROCEEDING THROUGH SCHOOL ZONES IS PRIMARY SAFETY ISSUE. INTERNET INVESTIGATION SHOWS PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE. COULD NOT MAKE CONTACT AT THEIR WEB SITE TO ALERT THEM. MAYBE YOU HAVE GREATER ACCESS. ODOMETER APPEARS TO BE MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL DEVICE. COULD NOT DETERMINE REPAIR OR ITS COST. IS THIS A TRUE SAFETY ISSUE? AL *TR

Mileage: 80,789

20070418FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

GASOLINE FUMES IN MY GARAGE, NO APPARENT EVIDENCE OF GAS LEAK IN CAR. THIS IS A 1995 VOLVO SEDAN 940 WITH 80000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED IT SINCE IT WAS NEW. NEXT DAY FUMES GREW STRONGER, WE THOUGHT IT WAS FROM LAWN MOWER GAS. ON THE 3RD DAY THE GAS WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. I HAD TO HAVE A NEW GAS TANK INSTALLED AT A COST OF $600+. THE GAS TANK ON THE CAR HAD CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, JUST FAILED. *AK

Mileage: 80,000

20051012WHEELS:RIM

DT: 18 INCH RIM AND TIRES. TIRE CITY RECOMMENDED 18 INCH SACCHI RIMS AND TIRES FOR VEHICLE. CONSUMER ORDERED THE RIMS AND TIRES AND DID NOT GET TO SEE THEM. CALLED THE MECHANIC, AND HE ADVISED THE CONSUMER NOT TO GET THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SAFE FOR THIS VEHICLE , THEY WERE TOO LARGE. CALLED TO CANCEL THE ORDER, AND THEY WOULD NOT CANCEL THE ORDER BECAUSE THEY SAID THEY WERE SPECIALLY ORDERED. CONSUMER PAID FOR THE RIMS AND TIRES. TIRE CITY TOLD THE CONSUMER HE HAD TO TAKE THE RIMS AND TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY ORDERED. AFTER TIRE CITY RECEIVED THE RIMS AND TIRES THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO PUT THEM ON VEHICLE, BUT THEY DID NOT TOUCH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. THEY GAVE HIM A FREE ALARM FOR INCONVENIENCE. THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER HAD TO ORDER FOUR SPACERS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE THEM TO HIM AT HALF PRICE. THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES WOULD BE BALANCED, AND THE SPACERS WOULD BE ON, AND VEHICLE WOULD BE SAFE. THEY SAID NOT TELL THE MANAGER. EVERY TIME CONSUMER WA

20051012TIRES

DT: 18 INCH RIM AND TIRES. TIRE CITY RECOMMENDED 18 INCH SACCHI RIMS AND TIRES FOR VEHICLE. CONSUMER ORDERED THE RIMS AND TIRES AND DID NOT GET TO SEE THEM. CALLED THE MECHANIC, AND HE ADVISED THE CONSUMER NOT TO GET THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SAFE FOR THIS VEHICLE , THEY WERE TOO LARGE. CALLED TO CANCEL THE ORDER, AND THEY WOULD NOT CANCEL THE ORDER BECAUSE THEY SAID THEY WERE SPECIALLY ORDERED. CONSUMER PAID FOR THE RIMS AND TIRES. TIRE CITY TOLD THE CONSUMER HE HAD TO TAKE THE RIMS AND TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY ORDERED. AFTER TIRE CITY RECEIVED THE RIMS AND TIRES THEY WERE SUPPOSE TO PUT THEM ON VEHICLE, BUT THEY DID NOT TOUCH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. THEY GAVE HIM A FREE ALARM FOR INCONVENIENCE. THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER HAD TO ORDER FOUR SPACERS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE THEM TO HIM AT HALF PRICE. THEY STATED THAT THE TIRES WOULD BE BALANCED, AND THE SPACERS WOULD BE ON, AND VEHICLE WOULD BE SAFE. THEY SAID NOT TELL THE MANAGER. EVERY TIME CONSUMER WA

20050812FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

I OWN A 1995 VOLVO 940 TURBO WAGON. IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS, WE HAVE HAD RANDOM INCIDENTS OF THE CAR LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT RANGES - ANYTHING FROM 35 TO 70. THERE IS NO INDICATION, SOUND OR VIBRATION TO INDICATE IT IS ABOUT TO CUT OFF. IF THE CAR SITS FOR 10-15 MINUTES FOLLOWING THE "CUT OFF", IT WILL CRANK WITH NO PROBLEM. IF YOU ATTEMPT TO CRANK THE CAR AS SOON AS IT DIES, IT'S AS IF YOU'VE FLOODED THE MOTOR. WHEN THIS STARTED, IT WAS VERY RANDOM AND VERY RARE. WE WERE TOLD TO CLEAN OR REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER, WHICH WE DID, AND WE WERE FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT. HOWEVER, THIS HAPPENED AT A TIME THAT I WAS NO LONGER DRIVING THE CAR AS MUCH AS I WAS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR THE SUMMER. IN THE PAST WEEK, THE CAR HAS "QUIT" ON 3 OCCASIONS, ONCE WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT, ONCE WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO A HIGHWAY, AND ONCE WHILE TRAVELING 50+ MPH ON A HIGHWAY. WE SAW ON THE NEWS A REPORT THAT NHTSA WAS INVESTIGATING REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING IN OTHER

Mileage: 100,000

20050513CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

1995 VOLVO 940 WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *MR ALSO WITH THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR AND DESTROYED THE FRONT OF HIS VEHICLE. (TOTALED) THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WITHOUT ANY IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *SC *JB

20050408AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING OVER A POT HOLE AT APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH FRONTAL AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

20040917TIRES:TREAD/BELT

PIRRELY, P400 TOURING, SIZE P185/65R15, DOT CHFPH1410. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TWO REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. *AK BOTH REAR TIRES SPLIT OPEN. *SC

20030903SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

MY 1995 VOLVO 940, VIN # [XXX], VEERS TO THE LEFT WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. REPLACED ROTORS, PADS, CALIPERS AND HOSES, AND TIRES AND ALIGNMENT ARE FINE. I SUSPECT A DEFECT IN ABS SYSTEM. THIS IS DANGEROUS.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 92,000

20021217ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, SMOKE/STEAM WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS PULLED INTO A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE HOOD WAS OPENED. THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN WAS SMOKING AND HAD STOPPED RUNNING. WHILE EXAMINING THE FAN, THE RADIATOR RUPTURED SPRAYING COOLANT, CAUSING SECOND DEGREE BURNS. AS THE COOLING SYSTEM HAS NO PRESSURE RELEASE MECHANISM, THE WEAKEST POINT IN THE SYSTEM WAS CAUSED TO FAIL. AN ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER FOR VOLVO MENTIONED THAT IT IS COMMON FOR THE RADIATOR NECK TO RUPTURE WITH AGE AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS TORQUE APPLIED AT THIS POINT BY THE RADIATOR HOSE. TS

Mileage: 98,000

20021023CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT A ROCK AND THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER RECEIVED FACIAL INJURIES, A BROKEN NOSE AND LOST 24% OF HEARING. MR JG *JB

Mileage: 11,601

20010924TIRES

THIS IS THE 2ND MICHELIN TIRE THAT HAS SEPARATED ON THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. THE CAR HANDLED EXTREMELY WELL. I HAVE WHAT IS LEFT OF THE TIRE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 98005L TIRESIZE: 185 65R15)

20010511TIRES:TREAD/BELT

RAINFORG RADIAL X, P185/65R15 DOT 4MNX, REPLACEMENT TIRE ON A 1995, VOLVO, 940S WITH APPROXIMATELY 10-15000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH LEFT REAR TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION .*AK

20010117TIRES

JUST HAD TIRES REPLACED FOR THE 3RD TIME AND OUR VEHICLE ONLY HAS 53,000 ORIGINAL MILES. WE HAVE OUR TIRES ROTATED EVERY 5,000 MILES. OUR FIRST SET OF TIRES WERE GOODYEARS 60,000 MILE WARRANTY AND OUR SECOND SET WERE FIRESTONE 80,000 MILE WARRANTY. NO ONE SEEMS TO NO WHY THEY ARE WEARING SO RAPIDLY . OUR VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BEFORE AND WE PURCHASED IT NEW IN 1995. WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY OUR GAS PEDAL COLLAPSED AND WE COULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE THROTTLE LINKAGE HAD COME APART. *AK

20000828TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WIFE HEARD A THUMPING SOUND WHEN CAR WAS IN MOTION. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM CARCASS. WE ARE NOT POSITIVE OF MODEL OF FIRESTONE TIRE, BUT KNOW IT WAS FIRESTONE. ALL TIRES WERE REPLACED AND LEFT WITH DEALER SO FURTHER INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: 185/65R15 )

19990706CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND A SHARP TURN WAS MADE, A HISSING SOUND WAS HEARD. ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE, RESULTING IN A MINOR COLLISION. A SECOND SIMILAR OCCURRENCE OCCURRED AFTERWARDS , BUT THERE WAS NO COLLISION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

19990512CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

IE97063, INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, AND THE AIR BAGS ON DRIVERS' SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DRIVER RECEIVED CUTS/ABRASIONS AND BRUISES FROM AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. ONLY DAMAGE TO THE VEHCLE WAS THE SHATTERED WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED MORE ON THE PASSENGERS' SIDE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK

19990301CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED IN WHICH THE OCCUPANT PRESSED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HAPPENED TWICE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML

19990217CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED LESS THAN 5 MPH DURING FRONTAL IMPACT WITH GARAGE, CAUSING AIRBAGS TO CRACK WINDSHIELD. ALSO CAUSED INJURIES TO OCCUPANTS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

Compare 1995VOLVO940 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1995 VOLVO 940 have?
The 1995 VOLVO 940 has 30 NHTSA complaints, 12 crashes, 0 fires, 11 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 VOLVO 940?
The most-complained component for the 1995 VOLVO 940 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 10 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:TREAD/BELT and TIRES.
Is the 1995 VOLVO 940 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.