The 1991 Volvo 740 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 485 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SEAT BELTS91V0750001991-05-06485 affected
Defect
SAFETY BELTS ARE DESIGNED TO BE ROUTED UNDER A DIAGONAL CROSS BRACE DURING FASTENING. THE INSTRUCTIONAL LABELS FOR THE BELT ROUTING ARE INADEQUATE, AND CAN RESULT IN INADVERTENT RELEASE OF THE BELT BUCKLE.
Consequence
CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SAFETY BELT MISUSE COULD CAUSE THE SEAT OCCUPANT TO FACE GREATER RISK OF INJURY IN A SUDDEN STOP OR VEHICLE ACCIDENT IF AN INADVERTENT RELEASE OF THE SAFETY BELT OCCURRED.
Remedy
INSTALL LABELS TO INSTRUCT THE USER IN PROPER SAFETY BELT ROUTING; ALSO REPLACE SAFETY BELT BUCKLES.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
6
5crashes4injuries
AIR BAGS
3
1injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2
2crashes1injuries
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
1
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
1
1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
1
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
1
Total complaints24
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Tl* the contact owns a 1990 volvo 740gl (na). While driving 30 mph, the driver side air bag deployed without warning. The contact sustained injuries to both arms, the left shoulder, and back that required medical attention. The cabin of the vehicle was filled with air bag debris. The vehicle was…”
“Dt: the owner tried to park car and was slowy going into the parking space. All of sudden the car accerelated and it crashed into a wall of a building. Then, car smoked. Owner sustained injuries . Before the car took off the owner was going 1-2 mph. The air bag deployed and injured the owner's…”
“While driving 40 mph driver's side airbag deployed inadvertently. Driver sustained injuries arm, chest, and face injuries. *ak”
“While driving 45 mph vehicle stalled. Consumer tried to restart vehicle, and after 60 seconds the vehicle started up again. Consumer was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic could not duplicate the problem. *ak”
“The driver and passenger seat belts broke from the anchoring at the bottom due to deterioration of the plastic release button. *ak *cb *nlm”
“While driving the vehicle had stop on a trafic light and then bearly realesed the brake pad and inpacted the front vehicle that let the air bags deploy. Manufactor was contacted and stated that the retraint system perform properly and there was evidence of prior accident that it was done six years…”
“I took my car in when the red light on the dashboard for air bag lights coming on. The fairfax vovlo dealer estimated my repairs to be $1400.00. I find this outrageous, the part alone was $1100. I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem and or is this a one time case. I will also…”
“In may 2000, I had a problem with my car either not starting, and if it did start it would stall at any time. This seems simular to the incident with the recent court ordered recall of the ford vehicle with the faulty ignition unit which causes the cars to stall at any time. In my situation, I was…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA94015 Opened 1994-04-20 · closed 1994-10-12
INADVERT. AIR BAG DEPLOYS
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE93095 Opened 1993-11-23 · closed 1994-04-20
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1991 Volvo 740 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.