1988 Volvo 240: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
7 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
102,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1988 model year. Data snapshot: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 28.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 1 |
| Tires | 1 |
| Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | 1 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Seat Belts: 1; Tires: 1; Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems: 1; Tires:Tread/Belt: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
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 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
1995: 1; 2000: 1; 2002: 1; 2005: 1; 2007: 1; 2008: 1; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 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 from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10139898 · 2005-10-06 (October 6, 2005)
THE OUTER FACING ON THE GLOVE BOX FELL OFF WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROADWAY. *TS THE FACING WAS ONLY SECURED TO THE METAL BACKING WITH AN ADHESIVE. THE CONSUMER FELLS THAT IF A PASSENGER HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE SEAT THEY WOULD HAVE SUSTAIN KNEE/LEG INJURIES BECAUSE THE FACING WEIGHS 1 LB 9 OZ. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10139898 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10178287 · 2007-01-10 (January 10, 2007)
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A1988 VOLVO 240 DL. THE REAR CAMSHAFT SEAL FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH UNDER DRY CONDITIONS WHEN HE SMELLED SMOKE. THE CONTACT THEN PULLED OVER AN LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SAW OIL LEAKING ON THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS HOME WHERE HE FOUND THAT THE REAR CAMSHAFT SEAL HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT ORDERED THE PART FROM THE DEALER AND REPAIRED IT. *AK UPDATED 02/13/07. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10178287 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10214783 · 2008-01-14 (January 14, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 VOLVO 240. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR INTEGRITY, SIZE 175/70R13 TIRES. SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING NEW TIRES, THEY DEFLATED. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO WHERE SHE PURCHASED THE TIRES TO HAVE THEM INFLATED. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND INFLATED AGAIN FIVE DAYS LATER. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE TIRES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 228,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 222,350. UPDATED 02-14-08. *KB UPDATED 02/14/08 *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 222,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10214783 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10649266 · 2014-10-22 (October 22, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT WAS DARK AND FOGGY. I WAS GOING SLOWLY AROUND A CURVE, AT THE SPEED LIMIT ABOUT 20MPH, AND A TEENAGE DRIVER, DRIVING ALONE WITHOUT A PERMIT DROVE THROUGH A YIELD SIGN FROM THE RIGHT DIRECTLY INTO MY PATH. I HAD ABOUT 8 FEET TO STOP AND COULD NOT, AND T-BONED INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON BUT I WAS THROWN FORWARD AND MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND MY HEAD LEFT A SWELL IN THE WINDSHIELD, LIKE A LUMP OR DENT, AND THE GLASS WAS SHATTERED SOMEWHAT BUT ALL STILL INTACT. NONE THE LESS I REMAINED CONSCIIOUS B…
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10649266 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 560812 · 2002-01-17 (January 17, 2002)
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED AND THE OUTER RUNNING SURFACE CAME OFF THE TIRE, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. (THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS MARSHALL RADIAL TUBELESS SIZE P185/70R 14). *YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 560812 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 727703 · 2000-08-12 (August 12, 2000)
WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, INTO THEIR GARAGE, CAUSING VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. WHEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE AGAIN ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY BACK INTO OUR HOME'S GARAGE, HITTING OUR SECOND VEHICLE. TWO OF OUR VEHICLES DAMAGED (INCLUDING VOLVO), TWO NEIGHBOR'S VEHICLES DAMAGED, AS WELL AS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO NEIGHBOR'S GARAGE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 727703 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 967717 · 1995-06-26 (June 26, 1995)
WHEN PLACING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE VEHICLE SURGE INTO REVERSE AT HIGH SPEED. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 967717 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.