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1997 Volvo 850: ABS light or ABS activating

26 of the 107 complaints about the 1997 Volvo 850 describe ABS light or ABS activating.

owner complaints
26
of this car's complaints
24%
typical repair cost reported
$600
typical mileage
64,000
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 2 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

ABS light or ABS activating by model year

  • 1997
    26
  • 1996
    34
  • 1995
    3
  • 1994
    4

What owners say

Filed Jan 3, 2009 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 50,000 miles · IL

Abs module failed. Looks like major dealer repair. This is a major component of the vehicle and should be treated as such and no longer treated as an accessory item. For these devices to be considered an "accessory" they should then be made as user replaceable which is not the case. Then again, is it a good idea to have every sunday-mechanic replacing such a critical item? I have had an ABS warning light for over two years now. Diagnostics say its the ABS electronics. I do not have the budget or experience to replace it. Several websites point to failing or defective capacitors on the electronic module itself.

Filed Jun 13, 2005 · Brakes · 51,000 miles · VA

Abs control module failure on 1987 volvo 850

Filed Oct 11, 2004 · Brakes · 57,183 miles · IL

Abs traction controller failure on my 1997 volov 850 requiring replacement costing approx. $750. The repair shop I use works exclusively on volvos and has indicated to me that they have on average one such failure and customer repair each week. The repair shop is hubbard woods motors, 985 greenbay road, winnetka, il 60093, phone 847‑446‑0711, owner, robert l. Berger.

Filed Oct 11, 2004 · Brakes · 57,183 miles · IL

Abs light coming on and staying on repeatedly. After numerous resets by my volvo repair shop, they determined that the ABS traction control computer module had failed. The unit had to be replaced at a cost to me of $642.93. The repair shop informed me that they were doing an average of one or two such replacements on this model per week and that they believed this to be a defect from the manufacture for this model in general. The repair shop works exclusively on volvos, hubbard woods motors, 985 greenbay road, winnetka, il, 60093; phone 8470446-0711; owner, robert l. Berger.

Filed Sep 15, 2004 · Brakes · 58,000 miles · MA

I have a 1997 volvo 850r that is currently experiencing problems with the ABS/tracs system - the lights came on for the ABS and the tracs system. In researching my problem it has become apparent that the 850 volvo is known for failures to its ABS module and the entire braking system in general. The amount of information that I have been able to find on this common problem leads me to believe that this should be a recalled item. Apparently volvo now offers a new and improved ABS control module (that they charge dearly for) because of the numerous problems and replacements of the old units. Volvo should bear the expense of replacing these units. This is clearly a safety issue. When the ABS light is on, the ABS is not functional. The failure also causes intermittent pulsation in the brakes. The shear number of these instances leads me to believe that it is an obvious design flaw. This should be corrected before someone gets killed.

Filed Jul 25, 2004 · Brakes · 50,000 miles · TX

Abs control unit failure.

Filed Feb 13, 2004 · Brakes · 64,000 miles · TX

1997 volvo 850 model ABS control module fails making the anti lock brakes malfunction.

Filed Dec 17, 2003 · Brakes · 80,000 miles · TX

1997 volvo 850r. Gradual increase in frequency of intermittent problem where ABS and tracs lights illuminate and then go off. There seem to be so many of these complaints that this isn't an unusual problem for this vehicle. Having unpredictable brakes is a serious safety issue. Also I've gone through 4 sets of front brake discs and 5 sets of front brake pads in 90,000 miles. Even when the discs are not worn out the brake pedal is spongy even though the system has been repeatedly bled of air. The discs also warp very easily easily. How can volvo tolerate this? I've owned this vehicle since new and would never buy another. We picked up a lexus yesterday and the volvo is up for sale. I can understand a manufacturer having problems but I cannot forgive it's turning a blind eye to this very serious safety issue.

Filed Oct 26, 2003 · Brakes · 112,000 miles · RI

Intermittent failure of the ABS control module.

Filed Sep 7, 2003 · Brakes · 74,000 miles · PA

Abs/traction control module faulty...cost us $700 to repair...according to our volvo dealer, volvo is aware that this problem has occurred in a lot of volvo's but they have chosen to not conduct a recall...this is wrong and volvo needs to be punished for not taking care of their customers...it's an absoulute disgrace...we'll never buy another volvo...too many problems, very poor reliability!

Filed Aug 13, 2003 · Brakes · 101,800 miles · NC

My car is a 1997 volvo 850. The ABS warning light comes on intermittently. I am told by the dealer that there have been problems with the ABS computers. An independent volvo owners website noted other 850 owners experiencing the same problem. The question is volvo going to do a recall?

Filed Jul 23, 2003 · Brakes · 106,364 miles · IN · crash · 1 injury

1997 volvo 850. The ABS and tracs lights are on approx. 90% of the time while driving vehicle. When lights are on, brake pedal is very soft and stopping distance is significantly increased. When lights are off, brake pedal gets firmer after pumping and braking distance is reduced. This problem has gotten progressively worse over the past 24 months. Dealer and independent mechanic were able to determine cause or correct the problem during repeated visits. Ineffective brakes and loss of steering control while braking contributed to a serious accident involving the vehicle and a semi-trailer.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the 1997 Volvo 850 abs

Is ABS light or ABS activating a common problem on the 1997 Volvo 850?

26 of 107 owner complaints about the 1997 Volvo 850 (24%) mention ABS light or ABS activating. The model year with the most reports is 1996.

How much does it cost to fix ABS light or ABS activating on the 1997 Volvo 850?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $600 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1997 Volvo 850?

There are 0 recalls and 2 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

All model years of the Volvo 850

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