Alternator/generator/regulator Problems of Volvo 850

Volvo 850 owners have reported 6 problems related to alternator/generator/regulator (under the electrical system category). The most recently reported issues are listed below.

1 Alternator/generator/regulator problem of the 1996 Volvo 850

Failure Date: 03/15/2004

Vehicle was parked in the garage, once the consumer tried to start it, it would not start. The automobile club came and jumped the vehicle. Consumer proceeded to the dealer, and was told the battery needed to be replaced, and it was replaced. Consumer retrieved the vehicle, and the problem of starting the vehicle recurred. Automoble club came again, and the consumer was told the alternator was defective.

See all problems of the 1996 Volvo 850 🔎.

2 Alternator/generator/regulator problem of the 1996 Volvo 850

Failure Date: 06/04/2003

The entire alternator wiring harness was melted and destroyed before the fuseable link opened the circuit. This clearly is not an acceptable electrical design. In fact, it is my contention that if my wife had not turned the car off when she did, due to the white smoke from the fan, the wiring harness would have caught on fire. Most likely the resulting fire would have destroyed the car as the melted wiring harness is directly under and around the engines fuel injection system. Personally inspected the electrical damage, and was appalled by how much of the wiring was fused together. If the safety design (fuseable link) of the fan circuit had worked properly the alternator wiring harness would never have been damaged to the extent I saw and more importantly my wife would never have been in personal danger. I have reported this issue to Volvo America and they contend that a loose fan mount caused this issue. The repair shop was at a lose to explain this position to me as they could not understand how this was relevent to the extensive damage caused as the wiring harness melted down.

3 Alternator/generator/regulator problem of the 1997 Volvo 850

Failure Date: 07/13/2001

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

See all problems of the 1997 Volvo 850 🔎.

4 Alternator/generator/regulator problem of the 1997 Volvo 850

Consumer states the alternator was replaced and the battery was replaced twice.

5 Alternator/generator/regulator problem of the 1997 Volvo 850

Alternator failed. Yh.

6 Alternator/generator/regulator problem of the 1997 Volvo 850

The alternator failed, on two occasions.


Other Common Electrical System related problems of Volvo 850



Fuel Economy of 850 Vehicles
850 Service Bulletins
850 Safety Recalls
850 Defect Investigations