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MOTRS

850 / 850 T-5R / 850R

1991-1997 / Sedan / Estate / Sweden

All 850 / 850 T-5R / 850R problems All workshop issues
Common Cooling System

Heater Core Leaks

Symptoms

Sweet smell in the cabin, fogged-up windscreen, wet passenger footwell. Coolant loss with no visible external leak.

Cause

The heater core has corroded through.

Fix

Replacing the heater core means removing the entire dashboard.

This is a 10-12 hour job and absolute hell.

Budget $200-300 for the part and $1000+ in labour if you're not doing it yourself.

Some people bypass the heater core and live without cabin heat, which is fine if you're in Queensland but less clever in Tasmania.

Cost mentioned in fix
Budget $200-300 for the part$1000+

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Other known issues

Common Cooling System

Radiator and Expansion Tank Cracks

Coolant loss, overheating, the temperature gauge climbing past 12 o'clock. You might see pink coolant pooling under the car or steam from the bonnet.
Common Cooling System

Cooling Fan Failures

The temperature gauge climbs in traffic or at idle. The radiator fan doesn't spin up when it should.
Common Engine

PCV System Oil Leaks and Breather Box Failures

Oil everywhere, particularly around the back of the engine and firewall. You might see smoke at idle or a rough idle. In severe cases, the turbo oil feed line can blow apart because the crankcase is pressurised like a balloon.
Critical Engine

Timing Belt and Water Pump

The engine suddenly stops. If you're lucky, nothing else happens. If you're not, you've just destroyed pistons, valves, and possibly the head. This is an interference engine.
Critical Engine

Oil Consumption (Turbocharged Models)

You're adding a litre of oil every 1000-2000 km. Blue smoke on startup or under boost.
Common Engine

Turbo Failure (T5 and 850R)

Loss of power, screaming noises, oily exhaust smoke. The car feels gutless and the boost gauge stays flat.
View all 26 850 / 850 T-5R / 850R problems