VOLVO 960 · model year

1995 VOLVO 960

91 NHTSA complaints, 11 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1995VOLVO960 carries 91 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 11 crashes, 10 fires, 9 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 960 is engine and engine cooling:engine with 9 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (7) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (7). 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 960. 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.

91
Complaints
11
Crashes
10
Fires
9
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

91 filings

Crashes Reported

11 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE9
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE7
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP5
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL4
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE3
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM3
SUSPENSION:FRONT2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2

Recent Complaints

20110613FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 VOLVO 960. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD AN EXTREMELY STRONG GASOLINE FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,289. UPDATED 07/21/11 *BF UPDATED 07/28/11

Mileage: 17,289

20100311CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 VOLVO 960. WHILE PULLING INTO HER DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO HER GARAGE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE DESCRIBED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

20080626STRUCTURE

MY CAR IS A 1995 960 MODEL VOLVO, ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO THE LEATHER STARTED PULLING AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS ON ALL FOUR DOORS. IT LOOKS TERRIBLE AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET IT FIX , BUT CANNOT FIND ANYONE THAT IS WILLING TO FIX IT. HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS *TR

20071214FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

IN EARLY MORNING COLD STARTUPS, THERE ARE GAS FUMES THAT ARE PRESENT. THEY EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I KNOW THERE MUST BE A FUEL LEAK ON THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. *TR

20071025AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

SRS LIGHT IS ON AND DOESN'T TURN OFF. IT IS PART OF A RECALL. *TR UPDATED 01-14-08. *KB

20060602ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

FUEL RAIL LEAKING GASOLINE ON ENGINE. SMELL INSIDE CABIN MAKING ME SICK. GARAGE SMELLED AS WELL. AFTER DRIVING, THE SMELL WOULD GO AWAY. *JB

Mileage: 165,000

20060602FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

FUEL RAIL LEAKING GASOLINE ON ENGINE. SMELL INSIDE CABIN MAKING ME SICK. GARAGE SMELLED AS WELL. AFTER DRIVING, THE SMELL WOULD GO AWAY. *JB

Mileage: 165,000

20051103CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

DT: THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT ACCELERATED FROM ZERO TO 40 MPH WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE HIT A CONCRETE PARKING BARRIER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE'S BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE. THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM OCCURRED ONCE AGAIN. THIS TIME IT CAUSED THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO A WALL. IT WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO STATED THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM WITHIN THE ENGINE. *AK UPDATED 12/16/2005 - THE DEALER LATER FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CRIMPED END AT THE THROTTLE VALVE. AS A RESULT THE CABLE HOUSING HAD SLID OUT AND WAS HANGING UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE WHEN IN GEAR. *NM

Mileage: 87,525

20040921ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ENGINE FAILED . AS A RESULT, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES BECAME INOPERATIVE. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK

Mileage: 99,782

20040816ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, WHICH CAUSED LOST OF POWER AND CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

Mileage: 45,000

20040616CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

WHILE RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE ACCELERATED, AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND A VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

20040113TIRES:SIDEWALL

CONSUMER DISCOVERED A 4 INCH GASH ON INNER SIDEWALL OF PIRELLI TIRE. TIRE SIZE P205/55R/16. *AK THE TIRES SIDEWALL BLEWOUT. *NM

Mileage: 99,200

20030822CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 30 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED ON TWO OCCASIONS. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WITH BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN SUDDENLY, WITHOUT WARNING, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE RIGHT AND HE/SHE LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD GONE ONTO THE SIDEWALK(S), SIDE SWIPED OBJECTS, AND COLLIDED INTO A BUILDING. *SCC *JB

Mileage: 112,000

20030707ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

COPNSUMER STATES VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Mileage: 84,000

20030515AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS IN MY 1995 960 VOLVO STATION WAGON DEPLOYED SPONTANEOUSLY AS I WAS BACKING OUT A DRIVEWAY AT 2 - 3 MPH. *JB

Mileage: 115,000

20030319ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *JB

20030304ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM

20030129FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

THE FUEL RAIL ON MY 1995 VOLVO 960 LEAKS. IT LEAKS AT THE PLUG ON THE END OF THE RAIL. IT LEAKS A STEADY STREAM OF GAS THAT POURS OVER MY ENGINE. AFTER REVIEWING VOLVO USER FORUMS IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS TYPE OF VOLVO. IT IS A SEVERE FIRE HAZARD! WHY HAVEN'T YOU FORCED THE DEALER TO ISSUE A RECALL NOTICE?

Mileage: 69,000

20030114FireSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE'S HEATED SEATS HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND CAN CAUSE A VEHICLE FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS BOTH HEATERS UNDER THE FRONT SEATS HAVE SHORTED OUT AFTER BURNING. SCC

Mileage: 116,000

20021104CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

ON 8/31/2002 MY 1995 VOLVO 950 WAS HIT AT THE LEFT REAR END WHILE MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVEL EAST BOUND ON HIGHWAY 60 IN CALIFORNIA, STOPPING DUE TO TRAFFIC CONDITION AHEAD. DURING THE REAR END COLLISION IMPACT, THE SEATBACKS OF BOTH FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED REARWARD. WE SUFFERED ARM, NECK, SHOULDER, AND BACK INJURIES BECAUSE THERE WERE NO SEATBACK SUPPORTS. DURING THE COLLISION THE WINDSHIELD AND OTHER WINDOWS, EXCEPT THE LEFT REAR ONE, REMAINED INTACT. WE WERE LUCKY NOT HAVING MORE SERIOUS INJURIES. COLLAPSE OF SEATBACKS REARWARD WOULD HAVE CAUSED MORE SERIOUS INJURIES, OR EVEN DEATH. DT

Compare 1995VOLVO960 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1995 VOLVO 960 have?
The 1995 VOLVO 960 has 91 NHTSA complaints, 11 crashes, 10 fires, 9 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 VOLVO 960?
The most-complained component for the 1995 VOLVO 960 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1995 VOLVO 960 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.