1996 Volvo 960 Recalls & Complaints

Incident: June 17, 2015 · Filed: July 16, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLVO 960. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE LEAK WAS FROM THE FUEL RAIL AND THE FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE AS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ UPDATED 11/27/2017*CN

Incident: November 15, 2012 · Filed: November 19, 2012

RAW GASOLINE LEAKING FROM MANUFACTURE DEFECTIVE FUEL RAIL. MANUFACTURE MACHINED SEALED TAPET/FLANGED ALUMINUM SEAL ON FUEL RAIL LEAKING RAW GASOLINE UNDER HIGH PRESSURE IN ENGINE BAY. PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS DURING ENGINE OPERATION. RAW GASOLINE IS FLAMMABLE. FUEL RAIL DELIVER SYSTEM PART OF EMISSIONS SYSTEM. OCCUPANTS MAY OR NOT NOTICE GASOLINE SMELL (NOXIOUS FUMES) DURING OPERATION INSIDE CABIN. MANUFACTURER RECALL ADVISED. *TR

Incident: October 8, 2012 · Filed: October 8, 2012

RAW GASOLINE LEAKING FROM MANUFACTURE DEFECTIVE FUEL RAIL. MANUFACTURE MACHINED SEALED TAPET/FLANGED ALUMINUM SEAL ON FUEL RAIL LEAKING RAW GASOLINE UNDER HIGH PRESSURE IN ENGINE BAY. PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS DURING ENGINE OPERATION. RAW GASOLINE IS FLAMMABLE. FUEL RAIL DELIVER SYSTEM PART OF EMISSIONS SYSTEM. OCCUPANTS MAY OR NOT NOTICE GASOLINE SMELL (NOXIOUS FUMES) DURING OPERATION INSIDE CABIN. MANUFACTURER RECALL ADVISED. *TR

Incident: June 3, 2010 · Filed: January 23, 2011

LEAKING FUEL RAIL - OUR 1996 VOLVO 960, WHICH WAS BOUGHT NEW AND SERVICED REGULARLY BY VOLVO MECHANICS, DEVELOPED A BAD FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN, AND, WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD, IT WAS APPARENT THAT IT HAD A SERIOUS GASOLINE LEAK, WHICH WAS MODE WORSE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS HOT. I TRIED TO FIND THE LEAK, BUT COULDN'T FIND ANY FUEL LINES LEAKING. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL VOLVO MECHANIC, AND HE SAID IT WAS THE FUEL RAIL, AND SAID THAT IT WAS QUITE COMMON ON THAT MODEL. I ASKED HIM IF IT WAS DANGEROUS, AND HE LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS A COMPLETE DUMMY! WE HAD THE FUEL RAIL REPLACED, AT GREAT EXPENSE, OF COURSE, BUT I COULDN'T HAVE MY FAMILY AT RISK DAILY IN THE CAR. THERE APPEARS NOT TO BE A RECALL, BUT I AM HAVING ONE OF THE LOCAL PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS LOOK INTO THE SITUATION. SURELY THERE IS A BULLETIN OUT ON THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION! *LN

Incident: August 21, 2009 · Filed: August 24, 2009

I LIVE IN GA AND LAST FRIDAY I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK IN THE RAIN, I HIT A BIG PUDDLE AND MY CAR STALLED OUT THEN CAME BACK ON AFTER I CLEARED THE PUDDLE, I CHECKED UNDERNEATH WHEN I GOT HOME AND THERE WAS NOTHING LOOSE THAT I COULD SEE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME. MY CAR IS A 1996 VOLVO 960 WITH 177,000 MILES ON IT, IT RUNS GOOD BUT DOES HAVE OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES TOO. *TR

Incident: January 4, 2006 · Filed: February 9, 2007

AT 110K I NOTICED COOLANT LEVEL DROPPING FASTER THAN USUAL, AND COOLANT ON GARAGE FLOOR. DEALER REMOVED SIDE ENGINE COVER AND SHOWED ME A LINE OF PINHOLE LEAKS IN THE ALUMINUM BLOCK. TECHNICIAN SAID THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT HE HAD SEEN BEFORE, AND THAT THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. VOLVO OFFERED NO HELP, "OUT OF WARRANTY." I PURCHASED A USED 1998 960 ENGINE FOR $1900 AND DEALER INSTALLED FOR $1800, INCLUDING INCIDENTAL PARTS. SOON THEREAFTER, RADIATOR BLEW AND RUINED CYLINDER HEAD. THE 1 YEAR USED ENGINE WARRANTY COVERED CYLINDER HEAD AND I PAID ABOUT $800 FOR NEW RADIATOR. TOTAL OUTLAY $4500! I FOLDED MY CARDS AND GOT $3500 FOR VOLVO TOWARD A NEW TOYOTA COROLLA. NO MORE VOLVOS FOR ME! *NM

Incident: October 16, 2006 · Filed: November 21, 2006

FOR THE PAST YEAR MY CAR HAS BEEN REEKING OF GASOLINE FUMES, NORMALLY IN THE MORNING WHEN COLD STARTING, BUT WOULD OCCUR PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE SMELL WAS SO OVERWHELMING THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE HEATER ON IN THE CAR, AND WOULD HAVE TO PUT THE WINDOWS DOWN IN THE CAR WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD TO TRY TO RID THE CAR OF FUMES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE VOLVO DEALER AND LEFT IT WITH THEM FOR DAYS. THEY ASSURED ME IT WAS A ACCUMULATION OF SOMETHING IN THE VENT SYSTEM, AND THEY CLEANED THAT OUT. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE FUEL RAIL. THE END PIECE WOULD ALLOW FUEL TO VIRTUALLY SPILL OUT. PLEASE REFER TO THIS WEB SITE WHICH DESCRIBES THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN DETAIL: HTTP://WWW.VOLVOCLUB.ORG.UK/FAQ/960_90INFO.HTML#960B6300FUELRAILLEAKAGEPROBLEMS MY CAR WAS A POTENTIAL TIME BOMB. NOT ONLY DID VOLVO NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT WHEN MY NEW MECHANIC FOUND THE PROBLEM IT TOOK MY MECHANIC THREE TRIPS TO VOLVO IN ORDER TO HAVE THEM ORDER THE CORRECT PARTS AS VOLVO NO LONGER MANUFACTURERS THAT PARTICULAR PART - HMMMM....I WONDER WHY. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A HORRIBLE SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. WE EXPERIENCED SORE THROATS, AND FROZE TO DEATH ON COLD MORNINGS NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN THE HEATER ON DUE TO BEING FUMIGATED WITH GASOLINE FUMES. *NM *NM

Incident: November 21, 2005 · Filed: December 3, 2005

THE FUEL RAIL BEGAN LEAKING FROM PLUG IN FRONT END OF RAIL. I WAS ABLE TO SMELL THE LEAK IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND WAS ABLE TO AVOID A FIRE OR OTHER DAMAGE. LOCAL INDEPENDENT PARTS STORE INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 960. BOUGHT A NEW, REDESIGNED FUEL RAIL FROM LOCAL VOLVO DEALER. IT WAS IN STOCK AND THEY INDICATED THAT THEY SELL A FAIR NUMBER OF THESE. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THIS PART. THE NEW PART HAS A DIFFERENT DESIGN OF THE END PLUG WHICH LEAKED ON MY CAR. I NO LONGER HAVE THE OLD PART AVAILABLE. *JB

Incident: July 25, 2005 · Filed: August 22, 2005

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 1996 VOLVO 960 VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, FRONTAL AND SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HIT A CAR THAT DID NOT STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THERE WERE 2 INJURIES. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED VOLVO DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. A POLICE AND INSURANCE REPORT WERE TAKEN. ALSO, THERE ARE PICTURES OF THE COLLISION. *AK

Incident: July 30, 2005 · Filed: August 3, 2005

AS OF JULY 29, 2005, MY 1996 VOLVO 960 STARTED LOSING SPEED AND THE ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING! THUS FAR, NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. ON AUGUST 1, 2005, WBAL-TV REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH 1999-2001 VOLVOS. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED AND UP TO NOW HAS BEEN IN EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION. PLEASE ADVISE. *NM