AI Damage1985 Volvo 740: common problems
Owners of the 1985 Volvo 740 filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 10
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 30% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 10% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 10% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (30% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (20% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (10% 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
- 2.3 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.9 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 2.4 L · diesel · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 10 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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.
Vehicle was in idle position, changed from park to drive, vehicle went into open throttle position rpms unknown, impact 12:00 position.
When pressing on the accelerator pedal vehicle did not accelerate. Consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealership for inspection, mechanic determined that the wiring harness failed.
The wire plastic insulation around engine is continuously disintegrating and falling off.
Within 3 minutes, the engine compartment was on fire. No warning lights came on and the motor never gave any indication of a problem. The people in the parking lot told me to get out of the car ,it was on fire, I cut off the car , popped the hood and then started to open the hood but the smoke was so thick, dark tan…
There is a short within electrical system which is draining the battery, and vehicle won't start unless the consumer gives vehicle a boost. Dealer is aware of problem.
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 10,921 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 740 has 14 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 10, below average.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1985 Volvo 740?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: won't start (10%), smoke, burning smell, fire (10%), transmission slipping (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1985 Volvo 740?
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 1985 Volvo 740 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 1985 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.