Used car guide

1996 Volvo 900 Series: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 1996 Volvo 900 Seriess, from 484 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 484 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

484MOT tests in 2025

62%pass first time (all 1996 cars: 67%)

5,300typical miles a year

2.3×the usual rate for exhaust system

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 1996 Volvo 900 Seriess than on all cars registered in 1996.

Exhaust system2.3× usual

Volvo 900 Series
20% All 1996 cars
8.8%

Failed outright at MOT: 4.3%, against 2.4% of all 1996 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.
Battery3.3× usual

Volvo 900 Series
7.6% All 1996 cars
2.3%

Failed outright at MOT: 1.4%, against 0.6% of all 1996 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £80–£200 our estimate

At the viewing: Check the car starts cleanly and there are no warning lights once running.
Suspension arm bushes and joints2.1× usual

Volvo 900 Series
9.1% All 1996 cars
4.3%

Failed outright at MOT: 1.4%, against 0.8% of all 1996 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.
Brake pads2.3× usual

Volvo 900 Series
8.1% All 1996 cars
3.6%

Failed outright at MOT: 1.4%, against 0.8% of all 1996 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £75–£175 (one axle) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.
Steering rack inner joints2.4× usual

Volvo 900 Series
6.6% All 1996 cars
2.7%

Failed outright at MOT: 0%, against 0% of all 1996 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

By area

The share of 1996 Volvo 900 Series MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

Suspension

37% of testsRough price £120–£400

At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.
Lights and electrics

35% of testsRough price £10–£80

At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
Brakes

33% of testsRough price £150–£350

At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.
Tyres

26% of testsRough price £70–£150

At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.
Exhaust and emissions

25% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.
Oil and fluid leaks

21% of testsRough price £80–£600

At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a Volvo 900 Series?

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Other years

Year	MOT tests	Most flagged
1998	243	Suspension 37%
1997	709	Suspension 39%
1995	491	Suspension 42%
1994	255	Suspension 41%
1993	253	Suspension 37%
1992	244	Suspension 41%
1991	179	Suspension 39%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 1996 Volvo 900 Seriess registered in 1996. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score