Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
7 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
88,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data updated: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 7 complaints (28.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 42.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 28.6% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 14.3% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 14.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | 2 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 1 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
Electrical System: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module: 2; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 1; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 1; Steering: 1
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 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2010 | 1 |
1999: 1; 2001: 2; 2002: 1; 2003: 2; 2010: 1
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. 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 provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
MY VEHICLE IS A 1997 VOLVO 850R, I'M THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE VOLVO IS A SOILD CAR BUT THE 850 SERIES HAVE A DEFECT WITH THE ABS/TRACS MODULE, THIS SETS A CODE ON YOUR OBDII AND IT CLEARS WHEN YOU RESTART THE CAR. THE ISSUE AT HAND IS THAT IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CONTROL MODULE SEES A FAULT AND DEACTIVATES THE ABS/TRACS CONTROL MODULE AND YOU NO LONGER HAVE AN ABS ON THE VEHICLE AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS IF IT'S RAINING, SNOWING OR A SUDDEN STOP ON THE FREEWAY. THE WHEELS WILL LOCK GIVING YOU A GREATER CHANCE TO CAUSE AN ACCID…
Owner-reported narrative. 33,210 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000102 at NHTSA ↗
FAILURE OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM COMPUTER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REGULAR OCCURRENCE ON THE VOLVO 850. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RELATED ISSUE, AND A RECALL INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023007 at NHTSA ↗
THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AT 3000 MILES AFTER PURCHASE BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED EVERY 5000 MILES UNTIL THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE CAUSE WAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 561656 at NHTSA ↗
THE BATTERY HAS RECHARGED/REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, DUE TO THE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING.*YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 562096 at NHTSA ↗
THE BELT THAT DRIVES THE POWER STEERING AND ALTERNATOR PERIODICALLY SLIPS WHEN WET. THIS OCCURS REPEATEDLY AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN GOING THROUGH EVEN SMALL PUDDLES. A KIT WAS ADDED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AT ABOUT 10K MILES. THE DEALER CLAIMS THE PERSISTENT LOSS OF POWER WITH THE KIT IS NORMAL. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL THE BELT STOPS SLIPPING. IT ALSO IS UNEXPECTED TO FIND THE CAR DIFFICULT TO STEER IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN AND COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 712599 at NHTSA ↗
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
7 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.
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 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 120.0%ODI 10028969YET ANOTHER 1996 VOLVO 850 SUFFERING FROM ABS CONTROL UNIT FAILURE.*AK | 228.6%ODI 10000102 · 33,210 miMY VEHICLE IS A 1997 VOLVO 850R, I'M THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE VOLVO IS A SOILD CAR BUT THE 850 SERIES HAVE A DEFECT WITH THE ABS/TRACS MODULE, THIS SETS A CODE ON YOUR OBDII AND IT CLEARS WHEN YOU RESTART THE CAR. THE ISSUE AT HAND IS THAT IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CONTROL MODULE SEES A FAULT AND DEACTIVATES THE ABS/TRACS CONTROL MODULE AND YOU NO LONGER HAVE AN ABS ON THE VEHICLE AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS IF IT'S RAINING, SNOWING OR A SUDDEN STOP ON THE FREEWAY. THE WHEELS WILL LOCK GIVING YOU A GREATER CHANCE TO CAUSE AN ACCID… |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 222.2%ODI 800143DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER"S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A FRONT END ACCIDENT. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| 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. | 228.6% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 222.2% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 150.0%ODI 732085HISTORY OF FUEL ODOR IN AND AROUND VEHICLE AFTER FILLING TANK.USUALLY DISSIPATED UPON DRIVING AND WAS ATTRIBUTED TO SPILLAGE. IN JULY 2000 THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNITE FOLLOWING FUELING AND A LARGE AMOUNT OFF GASOLINE, POSSIBLY OVER 1 LITER FORMED A POOL UNDER THE CAR. AN ACTIVE LEAK WAS NOTED. AFTER DRIVING 50= MILES THE LEAK STOPPED. I ASSUMED THE AUTO SHUT OFF ON THE SERVICE STATION PUMP HAD FAILED AND TOOK CARE NOT TO FILL TANK COMPLETELYON SUBSEQUENT FUELING. AGAININ SEPT 2000 THE PROBLEM RECURRED IN MY GARAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCA… | 111.1%ODI 10100211 · 90,000 miTHIS WILL BE THE THIRD GAS TANK IN MY 1995 VOLVO 850 T5R. THEY KEEP CRACKING. VOLVOS REPLY IS THAT I AM "UNLUCKY."*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 240.0%ODI 11091747TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLVO 854. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL PROGRESSING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. | 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. | 120.0% | 114.3% |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1% | 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | Too few reports for a range | 95,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | Too few reports for a range | 33,210 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10000102 · 33,210 miMY VEHICLE IS A 1997 VOLVO 850R, I'M THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE VOLVO IS A SOILD CAR BUT THE 850 SERIES HAVE A DEFECT WITH THE ABS/TRACS MODULE, THIS SETS A CODE ON YOUR OBDII AND IT CLEARS WHEN YOU RESTART THE CAR. THE ISSUE AT HAND IS THAT IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CONTROL MODULE SEES A FAULT AND DEACTIVATES THE ABS/TRACS CONTROL MODULE AND YOU NO LONGER HAVE AN ABS ON THE VEHICLE AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS IF IT'S RAINING, SNOWING OR A SUDDEN STOP ON THE FREEWAY. THE WHEELS WILL LOCK GIVING YOU A GREATER CHANCE TO CAUSE AN ACCID… |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | Too few reports for a range | 88,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10365181 · 88,000 miODOMETER FAILURE AT UNDER 90,000 MILES. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT; NOT TAMPERED WITH; VEHICLE NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Too few reports for a range | 95,000 mi | 1 (sparse) |
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.
| 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. |
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.
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.
1996: 2 complaints · 1997: 3 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1997 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 6 | 1 | 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.
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Electrical System | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Steering |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
4 patterns with matching reports.
1 mentions · 14.3% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AT 3000 MILES AFTER PURCHASE BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED EVERY 5000 MILES UNTIL THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE CAUSE WAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *YH
\b(parasitic drain|battery drain\w*|dead battery|won.t start|would not start|no.start)\b1 mentions · 14.3% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
THE BELT THAT DRIVES THE POWER STEERING AND ALTERNATOR PERIODICALLY SLIPS WHEN WET. THIS OCCURS REPEATEDLY AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN GOING THROUGH EVEN SMALL PUDDLES. A KIT WAS ADDED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AT ABOUT 10K MILES. THE DEALER CLAIMS THE PERSISTENT LOSS OF POWER WITH THE KIT IS NORMAL. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL THE BELT STOPS SLIPPING. IT ALSO IS UNEXPECTED TO FIND THE CAR DIFFICULT TO STEER IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN AND COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL.
\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b1 mentions · 14.3% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
THE BELT THAT DRIVES THE POWER STEERING AND ALTERNATOR PERIODICALLY SLIPS WHEN WET. THIS OCCURS REPEATEDLY AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN GOING THROUGH EVEN SMALL PUDDLES. A KIT WAS ADDED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AT ABOUT 10K MILES. THE DEALER CLAIMS THE PERSISTENT LOSS OF POWER WITH THE KIT IS NORMAL. WHEN THIS OCCURS IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL THE BELT STOPS SLIPPING. IT ALSO IS UNEXPECTED TO FIND THE CAR DIFFICULT TO STEER IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN AND COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL.
\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\b1 mentions · 14.3% of complaints
Median mileage: 95,000 mi (1 usable records).
\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b