John,
What you heard is correct. This problem is not unique to Volvo but a problem that is effecting the entire automobile industy. Some have suggested the switch to R13A as being corrosive. My neighbour put two evaporators in his Intrepid under warranty for example, when finding out he needed a third, he sold the car.
So buyer beware, check that the A/C works. When working, the A/C should be cold enough to be uncomfortably cold, in fact in the summertime we have the temperature adjusted warmer because full cold is just like being in a freezer!

Kino Velez did a survey on this and other problems. The results are broken down by model year. Look it up at www.vsr.cjb.net/

My best guess is that out of 100 evaporators 100 will ***EVENTUALLY*** leak. They're made out of aluminum and unfortunately buried deep within the dash. Some here have gone to a brass (not Volvo) replacement.

-Phil Punxsutawney

Yes John they are all defective our car have been replace 2 times. and it cost around $1200 each times... we are giving up and now just recharge it every year cheap way to go it cost around $20 for the kit a WallMark... and you can do it yourself...


this car is a money pit if you keep fixing it every time something go wrong...

get around the problem go for cheap fix....

I don't know the numbers but I have '93 & '94 850s. One has what some would call an evaporator problem, meaning the AC stopped blowing cold air. I understand to replace would cost $1000+. The alternate simple solution I do is spend $15 and 5 minutes once a season on a can of r134 and recharge AC system. So I wouldn't be too afraid of evaporator problem in the earlier 850s.