1971 Volvo VOLVO: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1971 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
1995: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 489401 · 1995-06-06 (June 6, 1995)
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT). *SKD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 489401 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
72V235000 · Vehicle Speed Control:Cables
Reported: 1972-09-21 (September 21, 1972)
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1989 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 327.3%ODI 10110062ON FEBRUARY 7, 2005, I TOOK MY CAR FOR SERVICE CHECK AND OIL CHANGE. HOWEVER, I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALLS AND OTHER DEFECTS WHICH I LOCATE ON THE WWW.FOX5DC.COM WEB PAGE LINK FOR NHTS.DOT.GOV ON VARIOUS SERVICE BULLETINS WHICH HAVE BEEN ISSUE ON THE 1999 VOLVO S80. I WAS VERY UPSET AT THE BILL RECEIVED OVER $3,000.00 FOR REPAIRS. I FOUND THIS TO BE AN OUTRAGE. PLEASE FORWARD ALL THE SERVICE BULLETIN REPORTS FOR THE 1999 VOLVO S80 TO ME AND BILL ME ANY CHARGES AS REQUIRED. ALSO NOTE THAT I WAS NOT SURE WHAT "OEM" MEANT AND I DID NOT… | 520.8%ODI 10130925 · 35,000 miBOUGHT USED VOLVO 2000 S80 FROM VOLVO OF HOUSTON, HAD SHIPPED TO CALIFORNIA WITH 30K MILES. WE HAVE PUT ANOTHER 45K ON THE VEHICLE. VOLVO OF PLEASANTON, HAS GIVEN US EXCELLENT SERVICE, THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 11 TIMES. I AM WRITING YOU THIS LETTER DUE TO THE INVESTIGATION FOR STALLING. THIS WAS THE FIRST PROBLEM THAT WE ENCOUNTERED, THE CAUSE WAS THE MASS AIR INTAKE SENSOR. THE CAR WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ON FREEWAY OR PULLING AWAY FROM STOP LIGHT. THE RADIATOR FAN ALSO FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO OVER HEAT AND STALL. OTHER PARTS HAVE BEEN… | 426.7%ODI 10131157 · 40,000 miON HIGHWAY, CAR DECREASE SPEED RAPIDLY, POOR PERFORMANCE WARNING ON DASHBOARD , CHECK ENGINE, STALLS WHEN YOU STOP (LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, ETC), BARELY MADE IT HOME. NO WARNING!!!!!! THIS HAPPENED JULY 2004 AND CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. AIR MASS METER FLOW REPLACED BY DEALER AS IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED JULY 22 2005. SAME PART REPLACED FOR FREE ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS LESS THAN ONE YEAR SINCE THEY HAD REPLACED THE PART. THEY RECOMMEND A NEW THROTTLE BODY FOR $910 NOW THAT CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. WHY WASN'T THAT PART REPLACED… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 19.1%ODI 10132506 · 68,544 miVEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING/NO INJURIES/THROTTLE MODULE REPLACED/BATTERY REPLACED/RECENT NEWS ARTICLE STATED SEVERAL VOLVO SEDANS ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR ENGINE STALLING WITH NO WARNING/THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE. *NM | 416.7%ODI 10134392I DRIVE MY VEHICLE AND AT RANDOM IT LOOSES SPEED, ALMOST LIKE IT STUTTERS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *JB | 426.7%ODI 10135229 · 57,889 miWHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, A MESSAGE CAME UP ON THE INDICATOR (PERFORMANCE REDUCED." THE ENGINE STARTED "MISSING" BADLY AND WITHIN 30 SECONDS STOPPED, LOSING POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, AND THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE, CREATING A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME AS WELL AS OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. I MANAGED TO ROLL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OUT OF TRAFFIC. AFTER ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. I DROVE HOME AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE VOLVO DEALER (VOLVO OF LANGHORNE, LANGHORNE, PA [phone removed]) FOR THE NEXT DAY. I BROUGH… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Tires | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 565411THE METAL BELTS SEPARATED FROM TIRE, A SECOND TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, DUNLOP D65 A/S. *YH | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 19.1% | 19.1% | 14.2% | 16.7%ODI 10071312 · 1 miPROBLEMS WITH VOLVO HEAVY DUTY TRUCK: SINCE THE VERY FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH OUR BRAND NEW $130,000 RIG. IN A NUT SHELL HERE IS A LIST OF THE MAJORITY OF PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE HAD SINCE MARCH 2001: -5 ALTERNATORS...THE FIRST TWO ACTUALLY FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY!!?? -3 CAM SHAFTS (DETROIT DIESEL)... THE FIRST ONE WENT @ APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES -MAJOR VIBRATION/LOUD RATTLE COMING THROUGH THE GEAR SHIFTER **HAS BEEN CONSTANT SINCE I DROVE IT OFF OF THE LOT...THEY SAY THAT IT IS NORMAL?? -… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 524066COULD NOT BLOW THE HORN DUE TO THE LOCATION, DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG FROM THE SAME PLACE THAT OPERATED THE HORN. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 218.2%ODI 528023VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION, CAUSING INJURY AND BURNS. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 19.1%ODI 753871ABS INTERMITTENTLY FAILS. BRAKES WORK IF SYSTEM ON, BRAKES WORK WHEN SYSTEM OFF. TRANSITIN FROM ON TO OFF RESULTS IN MOMENTARY LOSS OF BRAKES. MANY REPEATED INCIDENTS, VOLVO CLAIMS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.2%ODI 765384WE WERE LUCKY, IT HAPPENS WITH THE CAR PARKED. IF WE WERE IN THE FREEWAY IT COULD HAVE COST OUR LIVES. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE VOLVO DEALER RUSNAK PASADENA (CA) AND THEY CLAIM TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND THEY CAN NOT GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN (DESIGN PROBLEM?).*AK | 16.7%ODI 10049824 · 15,000 miCONSUMER STATED THAT 6 MONTHS AGO HE REPLACED REAR BRAKES AND CALIPERS AT 15,000 MILES. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND WAS TOLD THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.2%ODI 10130925 · 35,000 miBOUGHT USED VOLVO 2000 S80 FROM VOLVO OF HOUSTON, HAD SHIPPED TO CALIFORNIA WITH 30K MILES. WE HAVE PUT ANOTHER 45K ON THE VEHICLE. VOLVO OF PLEASANTON, HAS GIVEN US EXCELLENT SERVICE, THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 11 TIMES. I AM WRITING YOU THIS LETTER DUE TO THE INVESTIGATION FOR STALLING. THIS WAS THE FIRST PROBLEM THAT WE ENCOUNTERED, THE CAUSE WAS THE MASS AIR INTAKE SENSOR. THE CAR WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ON FREEWAY OR PULLING AWAY FROM STOP LIGHT. THE RADIATOR FAN ALSO FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO OVER HEAT AND STALL. OTHER PARTS HAVE BEEN… | 213.3%ODI 10071312 · 1 miPROBLEMS WITH VOLVO HEAVY DUTY TRUCK: SINCE THE VERY FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH OUR BRAND NEW $130,000 RIG. IN A NUT SHELL HERE IS A LIST OF THE MAJORITY OF PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE HAD SINCE MARCH 2001: -5 ALTERNATORS...THE FIRST TWO ACTUALLY FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY!!?? -3 CAM SHAFTS (DETROIT DIESEL)... THE FIRST ONE WENT @ APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES -MAJOR VIBRATION/LOUD RATTLE COMING THROUGH THE GEAR SHIFTER **HAS BEEN CONSTANT SINCE I DROVE IT OFF OF THE LOT...THEY SAY THAT IT IS NORMAL?? -… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 19.1%ODI 10134713 · 80,000 miJUST GOT GAS AND STARTED CAR AND THE TACHOMETER STARTED TO REV UP AND DOWN. I NEEDED TO LEAVE AS I WAS IN A GAS STATION AND IT WAS VERY CROWDED. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, I LEFT THE SPOT AND ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET. THE CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR EXCEPT FIRST AND I WAS ALMOST RUN OFF THE ROAD BY SEVERAL VERY ANGRY DRIVERS SINCE I COULDN'T GO ANY FASTER. I PULLED OVER AGAIN AND WAITED 15 MINUTES. IN ARIZONA WHEN IT'S 115 OUT, THAT IS NOT TOO MUCH FUN. AFTER WAITING, THE CA… | 14.2%ODI 101319162000 VOLVO S80 T6 ENGINE STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS. CAR STOPS BUT CAN BE RESTARTED. VOLVO SHOP DID COMPUTER TESTS BUT FOUND NO FAULTS. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS. *NM | 16.7%ODI 10071312 · 1 miPROBLEMS WITH VOLVO HEAVY DUTY TRUCK: SINCE THE VERY FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP WE HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH OUR BRAND NEW $130,000 RIG. IN A NUT SHELL HERE IS A LIST OF THE MAJORITY OF PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE HAD SINCE MARCH 2001: -5 ALTERNATORS...THE FIRST TWO ACTUALLY FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY!!?? -3 CAM SHAFTS (DETROIT DIESEL)... THE FIRST ONE WENT @ APPROXIMATELY 40,000 MILES -MAJOR VIBRATION/LOUD RATTLE COMING THROUGH THE GEAR SHIFTER **HAS BEEN CONSTANT SINCE I DROVE IT OFF OF THE LOT...THEY SAY THAT IT IS NORMAL?? -… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Suspension:Front | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 218.2%ODI 543876VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE PULLING PROBLEM. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 14.2% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2002: 1 complaints · 2003: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Vehicle Speed Control |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.