Hi Guys,

So I just sold my 740 GLE and I'm now in the market for a '94-'97 850 Turbo... what are the common problems that I should look out for with these cars? Are the auto transmissions with traction control reliable? How long do the turbos last?

-Cheers!

-Dave
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Dave G. '86 740 w/ 275,000 km

Depending on maintenance history, turbos last the life of the engine. Tranny's need frequent flushing, especially if a lot of 0-60 driving is done. A 10W-30 synthetic would be a good choice. Normal Volvo quality problems, ABS modules, etc. Seems that cars expected to easily go 150-200K have problems with parts that only last 5 years.
AC leakage is very common, I just add R134a when needed. Warped rotors are common. Engine mounts break for people with lead feet! Always check the rear main for possible leakage $$$. Make sure there are service records. And look at KBB.com for trade in value. A 1995 turbo is now 10 years old. 1996 and younger need a scan tool to read OBDII.
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98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 88 245(165K mi)

Thanks for the info Klaus... I just looked at a '94 850 Turbo with 100,000 miles on it today, it was a really nice car, but I found that the center of the under carriage was covered with fresh oil from about the fire-wall back... is this a symptom of a main seal leak?

It also had an illuminated yellow/orange triangle on the right side of the dash, could this be for the ABS/Tracs module?

Cheers!

-Dave
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Dave G. '86 740 w/ 275,000 km

Hi Dave,

Noticed that you didn't get an answer on the last issue. Oil from the firewall back could be the oil return tube from the turbo the oring and seal go bad cheap fix $5 in parts 30 mins labour. And the Triangle with orange and yellow is probably the emissions symbol. I have that problem on my 96 855t but I only see it once and awhile so I haven't taken it to the dealer yet since it doesn't effect the performance.

Kevin,

88 740T (245,000KM), 96 855T (148,000KM)