Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Volvo 940, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Engines
The most common engines in 1997 Volvo 940 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.3 petrol (99 kW, 133 hp) and 2.3 petrol (121 kW, 162 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.3 petrol | 99 kW 133 hp | 874 |
| 2.3 petrol | 121 kW 162 hp | 138 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
1,138 first registered in 1997 are on Dutch roads; 10% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €25,752.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen721
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde493
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse456
- Band onvoldoende profiel299
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm260
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)223
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt219
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld201
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
537 cars built in 1997 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 496 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
477 of these cars first registered in 1997 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 359,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
3 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1997 Volvo 940.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volvo told its dealers about the 1997 Volvo 940: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 51062 | DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) 1-4-4 IN IGNITION CONTROL MODULE (ICM), REX-I. *TW |
| 51060 | MAINTAINING ELECTROLYTE LEVEL. *TW |
| 10241661 | COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADE C00009 DESCRIPTION. |
| 10241651 | Rubber cushion |
| 10213885 | The Deutronic DBL-1200 is an advanced battery maintainer/charger with the flexibility to be updated as products and repair methods evolve. |
| 10213883 | ICUP/Google Built-In Diagnostic Operations |
| 10213882 | Battery Charger/maintainer requirement |
| 10212892 | Shipping and Handling of Volvo Lithium-ion 48V Mild Hybrid Battery to Global Battery Solutions (GBS) |
| 10212891 | VIDA QR Scanner Mobile App |
| 10087107 | THIS IS A SERVICE PRODUCT JOURNAL : THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED ISSUE WITH VIDA 2015 AND BATTERY TESTING HAS BEEN RESOLVED. VIDA 2015 BATTERY TESTING IS THE ONLY APPROVED METHOD FOR PRODUCING BATTERY TEST CODES. THE USE OF VIDA CLASSIC OR OTHER MEASURING TOOLS IS NOT CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE WHEN SUBMITTING WARRANTY CLAIMS. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)