AI Damage1987 Volvo 740: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Volvo 740 filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 15
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 53% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (53% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (13% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (7% 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
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 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 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 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.
Front end collison of volvo 740 sw in which air bags did not deploy. Son hit head and had to be seen in emergency room due to possible concussion. Major damage to front of vehicle, why didn't the air bags deploy?
Car placed in reverse and then took off. Please describe details. Tt
While backing out driveway, change gears from park to reverse vehicle went into open throttle position lost control hitting a curb under the bottom damage. Tt
This is a major fire hazard. In researching this, I have found out that all volvo's from 1983-1987 have the same problem. Volvo is well aware of the problem but never fixed it.
The engine stalled while the car was in motion. Wisps of foul-smelling smoke issued from the steering column. I parked the car and evacuated the occupants. The car restarted by itself, ran for a few minutes, then stalled.
On 6/18/00 I bought a volvo from what I thought was a dealer. Two days later, the car would not go reverse. Four days after that , I took it back to find out that he was not real dealer, and that he lied to my credit card holder saying that I bought auto parts when I bought a car.
When consumer used key to unlock the door soon after smoke started coming from under the hood, within minutes vehicle was in flames, due to possible electrical failure. Nlm
When I returned was in flame. The fire consumed the entire car. Trunk and tires were the only things not burned.
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 9,286 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 740 has 14 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 15, about average.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Volvo 740?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (33%), A/C or heater (13%), stalls while driving (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 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 1987 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 1987 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.