Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

Volvo 242 recalls by model year

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

1 owner complaints analyzed

10 distinct recall campaigns

Not available median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1975 to 1983 model years. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1975
9
1976
5
1977
2
1978
1
1983
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
19759
19765
19772
19781
19830

1975: 9; 1976: 5; 1977: 2; 1978: 1; 1983: 0

Year-by-year records

Volvo 242 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
197509Not available
197605-4
197702-3
197801-1
198310Not available

Recall history

10 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

74V246000 · Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar

Reported: 1974-12-26 (December 26, 1974) · Model years: 1975

NHTSA campaign record ↗
75V073000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch

Reported: 1975-05-05 (May 5, 1975) · Model years: 1975

NHTSA campaign record ↗
76V069000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap

Reported: 1976-05-05 (May 5, 1976) · Model years: 1975, 1976

NHTSA campaign record ↗
76V106000 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint

Reported: 1976-07-15 (July 15, 1976) · Model years: 1975, 1976

NHTSA campaign record ↗
76V107000 · Steering:Rack And Pinion:Rack

Reported: 1976-07-15 (July 15, 1976) · Model years: 1975, 1976

NHTSA campaign record ↗
77V219000 · Vehicle Speed Control:Cables

Reported: 1977-12-14 (December 14, 1977) · Model years: 1975

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES ARE IN NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, "ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS". THE THROTTLE CABLE PLASTIC SLEEVE ON THESE VEHICLES, WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE FIREWALL, COULD BREAK AT THE GROOVE FOR THE RETAINING CIRCLIP ALLOWING THE BUFFER SPRING THERE TO EXPAND AND CAUSE AN INCREASE IN ENGINE SPEED. ALSO, THE THROTTLE CABLE COULD BECOME FRAYED BY CHAFING AGAINST INCORRECTLY EXPOSED REINFORCING MATERIAL FROM THE CABLE SHEATH, AT THE ENGINE END OF THE CABLE. THE CABLE COULD THEN BECOME STUCK AT ANY ENGINE SPEED.

Remedy: DEALER WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND RETAINING BRACKET AND INSTALL NEW RETURN SPRINGS, IF NECESSARY, AT NO COST TO OWNER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
79V028000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap

Reported: 1979-01-18 (January 18, 1979) · Model years: 1975, 1976

UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS OF HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, PRESSURES AND FUEL VOLATILITY, FUEL MAY SURGE WHEN THE FUEL FILLER CAP IS REMOVED IN A CERTAIN MANNER. UNDER THESE SAME CONDITIONS THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY DEVELOP VAPOR LOCK.

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL INSTALL A BAFFLE IN THE FUEL FILLER NECK TO PREVENT FUEL SURGE AND INSTALL A NEW PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE, WHICH WILL BRING ABOUT A LOWER VENT PRESSURE. THIS WILL BE DONE AT NO COST TO OWNER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
79V048000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

Reported: 1979-02-13 (February 13, 1979) · Model years: 1975, 1976, 1977

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES CONTAIN A POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE IN THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH, THROUGH EXCESS PRESSURE OVER EXTENDED PERIODS, COULD CAUSE METAL FATIGUE AND EVENTUALLY FUEL VAPORS TO BE EMITTED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH HAIRLINE CRACKS IN THE FUEL TANK.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TANK AND MAKE REPLACEMENTS, IF NECESSARY. THE VALVE WILL BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE EMISSION AND SAFETY-RELATED PROBLEMS. CERTAIN VEHICLES WILL REQUIRE INSTALLATION OF A FILLER INLET FUEL TRAP AND A FEEDER PUMP TO ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF FUEL SURGE AND VAPOR LOCK.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
79V132000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

Reported: 1979-05-30 (May 30, 1979) · Model years: 1975

ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT FUEL WETTING IN THE DRAIN PLUG AREA OF THE FUEL TANK COULD EXIST. THIS IS CAUSED BY A POSSIBLE SOLDERING INCONSISTENCY AT THE DRAIN PLUG FLANGE OF THE FUEL TANK OR AN INCONSISTENCY OF FITTING BETWEEN THE DRAIN PLUG THREADS. IF FUEL WETTING SHOULD OCCUR AT THE DRAIN PLUG AREA, A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE COULD RESULT.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, IF NECESSARY, AT NO COST TO OWNER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
78V062000 · Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft

Reported: 1978-03-24 (March 24, 1978) · Model years: 1977, 1978

THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, MAY HAVE RECEIVED AN INADEQUATE AMOUNT OF LUBRICATION. THIS CONDITION WOULD INITIALLY CAUSE THE ROLLER BEARINGS TO DEVELOP A RUMBLING NOISE.

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL EITHER LUBRICATE THE BEARINGS OR REPLACE THEM WITH NEW BEARINGS AND SEALS WITH LUBRICATION AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
Explore the data

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: 2026-09-30.

0.0%Usable mileage0 / 1 records
100.0%Valid incident date1 / 1 records
100.0%Valid filing date1 / 1 records
100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates1 / 1 records

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 complaint heatmap
Component19751976197719781983
Suspension:Front:Macpherson Strut
0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

1100.0%
ODI 544430

POSSIBLE STRUT BRACKET OR HOUSING SNAPPED CAUSING THE BODY TO FALL ON FRONT RIGHT TIRE CUTTING TIRE SEVERELY.

Look up ODI 544430 at NHTSA ↗

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 failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
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.

1 reports2024-102026-09

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
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-09 (partial)0None

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.

Age 0Age 1Age 21 reports

1978: 0 complaints · 1983: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
1978000
1983000
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
1978000
1983100

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 co-occurrence matrix
ComponentSuspension:Front:Macpherson Strut
Suspension:Front:Macpherson Strut—

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.