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1997 Volvo 854 problems

The most common problem on the 1997 Volvo 854 is electrical system. Its complaint count is close to a typical 854 model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Owner complaints
7
Recalls
2
Service bulletins
8
Worst area
Electrical

The worst 1997 Volvo 854 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Electrical
    4
  • Brakes
    3
  • Steering
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Electrical
    4
  • Brakes
    3
  • Steering
    1

Recalls 2

Seats: front assembly: seat heater/coolerReported November 19, 2002 · 65,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
On some sedans and station wagons equipped with seat heaters, it is possible that excessive compression of the seat cushion could cause damage to the electrical wiring of the seat heater.
Risk
If this occurs, the damage could result in a short circuit that could cause a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will disconnect the existing wires and install a new electronic thermostat and cable harness. Owner notification began on february 19, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volvo at 1‑800‑458‑1552.

Recall number 02V314000 · Recall details

Vehicle speed controlReported October 11, 1996 · 12,530 vehicles affected
What is wrong
The screws which attach the throttle plate to its axle (shaft) can loosen allowing the throttle plate to come in contact with the throttle housing.
Risk
This condition could prevent the throttle from returning to idle position increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the throttle housing.

Recall number 96V199000 · Recall details

See all 2 recalls for the 1997 Volvo 854

Defect investigations

Seat firesOpened August 22, 2002, closed December 18, 2002

Volvo is conducting a safety recall based on its analysis of complaints and technical information developed during its investigation.volvo'ssurvey of vehicles routinely brought in for maintenance at east-coast dealerships produced evidence that bare metal wires (that provide support for the seat bottom) can contact the thermostat and electrical wiresin or beneath the seat cushion.this can result in an electrical short.volvo confirmed in testing that if such a condition is present, the short to the wire seat support could cause burning of the seat cushion without activating (opening) the seat heater fuse.volvo will replace the entire thermostat assembly with an electronic timer delay unit.

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Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Volvo 854 8

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

What 1997 Volvo 854 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Nov 9, 2010 · Electrical · 88,000 miles · NJ

Odometer failure at under 90,000 miles. Original equipment; not tampered with; vehicle never in an accident.

Filed Jun 19, 2003 · Brakes, Electrical · 95,000 miles · TX

Tracs and ABS warning lights.

Filed Jun 13, 2003 · Brakes · GA

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.

Filed Dec 13, 2002 · Brakes · 33,210 miles · CA

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 accident. So far I've been lucky, I spoke to the volvo dealer directly to see if they can change this unit under the volvo vip warranty and I was told that it was not covered and the new unit cost around $600.00 without labor. I feel that volvo should be held responsible in changing this ABS/tracs control module, lot's of volvo 850's and s70 owners have changed this part with vehicles in the 40,000 to 60,000 mile range. The cause it's a hair line fracture on the circuit board that sets the fault, too me that sounds like a manufacturers defect and bad qa control. I hope that this complanit will not just get pushed aside and hold volvo liable for this since it's a safety issue. The reason why I bought a volvo is beacuse safety is their #1 product.

Filed Jul 16, 2001 · Electrical · FL

The battery has recharged/replaced multiple times, due to the the electrical system malfunctioning.

Filed Jun 13, 2001 · Electrical · FL

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.

Filed Sep 30, 1999 · Steering · TX

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.

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Other model years

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Questions about the 1997 Volvo 854

Is the 1997 Volvo 854 reliable?

Owners have filed 7 complaints about the 1997 Volvo 854, close to a typical 854 model year.

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Volvo 854?

Electrical system, with 4 complaints. Next is brakes (3).

How many recalls does the 1997 Volvo 854 have?

2 recalls, covering seats and vehicle speed control.

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