Total Complaints
8 filings
VOLVO S90 · model year
1997 VOLVO S90
8 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997VOLVOS90 carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 1997 S90 is air bags:frontal with 2 filings, followed by suspension (1) and seat belts (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 1997 S90. 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.
8
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080813CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
1997 VOLVO S90 INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON JUNE 5, 2006. MY VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A RATE OF SPEED OF 60 MILES PER HOUR. VEHICLE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I NOTIFIED THE VOLVO MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAGS WAS PLACED INT HE VEHICLE FOR BASICALLY DECORATIONS AND NOT TO HELP SAVE LIVES. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME FROM HAVING A SERIOUS INJURY. HOWEVER, MY BACK WAS INJURED IN THE CRASH. *TR
Mileage: 125,000
20060608AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THREE CAR AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON JUNE 5, 2006. MY CAR WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AND PUSHED ME INTO A SUV. MY CAR SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGES AND HAD TO BE TOTALED OUT. MY AUTOMOBILE WAS A 1997 VOLVO S90 4 DOOR SEDAN I PURCHASED NEW IN 1997. ON IMPACT FROM THE BACK AND FRONT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I TOOK PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WAS TOWED BECAUSE I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE A CAMERA ON HAND TO PROVE IT AND IT WAS ALSO NOTED BY THE INVESTIGATING OFFICER ON THE SCENE. I AM NOW SEEKING LEGAL REPRESENTATION BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF IT WERE NOT FOR MY SEAT BELTS. *NM
Mileage: 146,825
20040430VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
I HAVE ENCOUNTERED REPEATED FAILURES WITH ONE PARTICULAR OPERATIONAL COMPONENT OF MY VEHICLE'S SUNROOF. IN TOTAL THE PART HAS FAILED 4 TIMES WHICH TO ME WOULD INDICATE TO ME AN INHERENT DEFECT IN THIS PART. VOLVO REFUSES TO ENTERTAIN ANY CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION FOR THE REPAIRS PAST THE VEHICLE WARRANTY PERIOD. *LA
20010611CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER PLACED VEHICLE IN REVERSE. VEHICLE SHOT BACKWARDS AND HIT A STEEL STATION. CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF DAMAGE WAS DONE, AND IT SHOT FORWARD, HITINGT A STORE PLATE GLASS WINDOW. INSURANCE TOTALED VEHICLE. *AK
19991129SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
PASSENGER HEAD REST BLOCKS THE REAR VIEW. YH
19991129SUSPENSION:REAR
STEERING CONTROL ARM BROKE DURING LOW IMPACT (BUMPED) 1-2 MPH. YH
19990909SEAT BELTS
THE PLASTIC PIECE ON THE SEATBELTS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, USED FOR ADJUSTING THE BELTS FOR CSS OR ADULTS, BROKEN WHILE INSTALLING THE CSS. DEALER SAID THAT THE CSS MAY NOT BE THE PROPER ONE FOR THAT MODEL CAR. *AK
19981020SUSPENSION
VEHICLE VIBRATES, PULLS AND MAKES NOISE, CONTINUALLY.
Compare 1997VOLVOS90 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 VOLVO S90 have?▼
The 1997 VOLVO S90 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 VOLVO S90?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 VOLVO S90 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 1997 VOLVO S90 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.