AI Damage1993 Volvo 850: common problems
Owners of the 1993 Volvo 850 filed 73 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 73
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 38% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 14% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 10% of all complaints
- 5 Equipment 10% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 7% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 28 complaints (38% of all).
- Air bags: 10 complaints (14% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 9 complaints (12% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 7 complaints (10% of all).
- Equipment: 7 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.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 5 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 73 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Child seat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 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.
During normal brake application pedal went to the floor. No response from the anti lock braking system. Tt
Had a rearend collision that pushed vehicle into another car, drivers air bag did not deploy. Tt
Frontal collision, impact 12:00 position, speed 20 mph, drivers air bag deployed causing injuries and burns to head and arms. Tt
Two minutes later, the hood burst into flames. There were no warning indicators prior to the failure. The fire department was called to the scene and a police report was filed. The contact was informed that the cause of the fire was electrical. There were no injuries.
1993 volvo 850glt engine stalls without warning. Newspaper ad said 1999 through 2001, c70,s60,s80,v70 & v70xc. The 850 was never mentioned. Have had the car since 1998 & it has happened four times. Real scary, can it be fixed?
Sedan ,auto/a/c,4 cyl,loaded. I went to test drive the car and the engine check lights stayed on while I drove the car. When I returned to the lot the car stalled,but restarted right away. The used car dealer said the car was low on fuel that's why the lights stayed on?
It has been stalling while driving at high speeds, low speeds, for over 10 years. No one has ever fixed the problem. Since you are investigating current volvo models for this same problem, you should consider investigating the older models.
Srs light is on. Brought to lovering volvo and they advised the whole system needs to be replaced at a cost of $1200. In reading past complaints listed on this sight, I see quite a few aribag problems, one being that the wires are crossed from production and that caused the failure.
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 4,331 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 850 has 81 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 73, about average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- 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.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1993 Volvo 850?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 73. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: transmission slipping (18%), A/C or heater (5%), smoke, burning smell, fire (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1993 Volvo 850?
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 1993 Volvo 850 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 1993 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.