1998 Volvo V70XC: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
31 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
83,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 17 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 31 complaints (12.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 9 | 29.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 9.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 6.5% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 6.5% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 3.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 4 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module | 2 |
| Suspension | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 4; Electrical System: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys: 2; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module: 2; Suspension: 2; Air Bags: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 14 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 7 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2001: 1; 2002: 1; 2003: 7; 2004: 5; 2005: 5; 2006: 4; 2007: 4; 2008: 1; 2010: 1; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000821 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY'S FROM 1998 AND POSSIBLY OTHER MODEL YEARS ARE TURNING UP WITH MALFUNCTIONING CENTRAL CONTROL UNITS FOR THEIR ABS . IT IS HARD TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE DEALERSHIP REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT IS CLEAR THE MALFUNCTION IS WIDESPREAD IN THIS MODEL AND THAT IT ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE CAR'S BRAKING AND ABS. REPLACEMENT OF THE PART COSTS MORE THAN $500, WHICH MAY PREVENT MANY VOLVO OWNERS FROM QUICKLY ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM, WHICH ACCORDING TO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, POSES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY THREAT. I KNOW FIRST-HAND THE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000821 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010692 · 2003-03-18 (March 18, 2003)
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 68000 MILES WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE AND NO PRECIPITATING FACTORS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016958 · 2003-05-03 (May 3, 2003)
INTERMITTENT OUTAGE OF ABS CONTROL MODULE (TRACS OFF/ABS WARNING LIGHTS ON). DEALER STATES THE BRAKES WILL STILL WORK WITH THE LIGHTS ON/FAULTY PART. HOWEVER, I DON'T FEEL "SAFE" IN THE CAR AND FEEL THE PART IS FAULTY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY MANUFACTURER. BRAKES HAVE SINCE HESITATED ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE STOPPING. THERE WERE NO BRAKES FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND THEN THE BRAKES SLOWLY (2-3 SECONDS) REGAINED POWER AND CONTROL OF THE CAR. NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE DEALER (SUPERIOR VOLVO) STATED THIS IS A COMMO…
Owner-reported narrative. 146,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016958 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020894 · 2003-06-02 (June 2, 2003)
COMING DOWN A HILL IN VALLEY CENTER CA. THE TIMING BELT ON MY VOLVO XC 1998, VIN # [XXX], BROKE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DESTRUCT AND LOSS OF HYDRAULICS TO POWER THE BRAKES AND STEERING, NEARLY VEERED INTO A CANYON. THE OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING BELT AT 70,000 MILES. THE VOLVO HAS 61,000 MILES AND WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AT AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO DEALER IN HOUSTON TEXAS. THERE WAS ALMOST A MAJOR CASH BOTH REAR END AND FRONTAL WHEN THE CAR ALMOST CROSSED OVER THE HIGHWAY. CONTACTED VOLVO OF N. AMERICA AND WAS TOLD CAR WAS OUT…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020894 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021519 · 2003-07-03 (July 3, 2003)
THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND THEN HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT HER AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURE WERE CONTACTED AND THE MANUFACTURE SENT A TECHNICIAN OUT TO SEE THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS WERE. *AK PH. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021519 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025753 · 2003-07-09 (July 9, 2003)
HEADLIGHT SWITCH FELL APART CAUSING US TO LOOSE LIGHTS WHILE ON HIGHWAY. THOUGH A RECALL IS LISTED FOR THIS YEAR AND THIS PROBLEM, VOLVO REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT APPLIES TO THIS VEHICLE OR DO THE REPAIR PER THE RECALL. RECALL CAMPAIGN # 99V235000. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 83,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025753 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10043056 · 2003-10-16 (October 16, 2003)
ABS CONTROL MODULE FAULTY AT 55,000 -- ABS NON-FUNCTIONAL-- VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10043056 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10062504 · 2004-03-18 (March 18, 2004)
THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT OPEN ON COLD DAYS. BECAUSE OF THAT I CANNOT FILL THE WINDSHIELD FLUID AND WHEN THE WINDSHIELD GETS DIRTY FROM THE VEHICLES IN FRONT, MY WIFE CAN BARELY SEE HER WAY.*AK I COMPLAINT TO THE DEALER ABOUT IT SINCE THE FIRST WINTER, WE GOT THE CAR IN 1998. THIS YEAR I WENT TO THE DEALER MAYBE 3 TIMES WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE COULD NOT FIX IT. I COMPLAINED TO VOLVO HEADQUARTERS BUT THEY REFERRED ME BACK TO THE DEALER.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062504 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V504000 · Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch
Reported: 2004-10-21 (October 21, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY CEASE TO FUNCTION.
Consequence: THE HEAD LIGHTS MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY WHICH COULD RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR NO HEADLIGHT FUNCTION. THIS COULD IMPAIR A DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: ON VEHICLES WITH AN ORIGINAL OEM SWITCH, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. ALL OTHER VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF THE SWITCH HAS EEN DAMAGED AND REPLACE ONLY IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 24, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
NHTSA campaign record ↗