AI Damage1986 Volvo 240: common problems
Owners of the 1986 Volvo 240 filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 25% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 4 Seats 17% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 8% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (33% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 3 complaints (25% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Seats: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (17% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.3 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Sudden and unintended acceleration, resulting in an accident/injuries after recall (86v-129).
One night last month my wife was driving home and within a block of our house she noticed a fire on the back of the car. The driver's side tail light was on fire. I contacted volvo usa and about a month later they had an "expert" inspect our car. They will not give me a written report.
When applying brakes brake pedal proceeded to the floor after driving at least 12 miles. Dealer notified.
While driving, the right rear tire blew out, causing consumer to lose control of vehicle, consumer suffered minor injuries.(no tire info given.(ohio crash traffic report)
Wiring harness has deteriorated. Manufacturer has been notified.
Upon depressing driver's seat warmer button, driver smelled burning odor followed by flames below driver's seat, vehicle totally destroyed, injury to consumer.
Cruise control/speedometer and odometer/air intake sensor/glove box door hinge heater/air conditioner indoor fan/ radio antenna/inside rear view mirror/dome light, tail light lense/catalitic converter/water pump/timing belt/plastic cover under engine/wheel studs/throttle cable/brackets that hold sunvisor/rocker panel…
Seat on the driver side isn't fixed and the frame is rusted. Also brake pedal is corroded. The consumer is concerned about the brakes and the seat. The seat might brake away from the frame if the consumer was to get involved in an accident.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 240 has 9 complaints (15 years in the data). This year has 12, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1986 Volvo 240?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, powertrain. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (17%), smoke, burning smell, fire (17%), A/C or heater (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Volvo 240?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1986 Volvo 240 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1986 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.