1999 Volvo V70XC: complaints, problems and recalls

I WAS DRIVING A 1999 VOLVO V70XC AND ENTERING AN INTERSECTION FROM A STOPPED POSITION. I WAS HIT BY A DODGE DURANGO, WHICH WAS MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE DURANGO HIT THE VOLVO V70XC AT THE LOCATION OF THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR. THE HIT WAS DISPLACED OVER THE ENTIRE DRIVERS DOOR OF THE VOLVO, BOTH "A" & "B" PILLARS WERE COMPROMISED. THE VOLVO IS EQUIPPED WITH SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT THE FRONT AIR BAG DID, WITH NO HIT TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VOLVO'S DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS CRUSHED …

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016409 at NHTSA ↗

MY ABS/TRAC DASH LIGHTS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY COMING ON, INDICATING THAT THE ABS IS NO LONGER WORKING. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH NEWER (LATE 1990'S AND ON) VOLVOS DUE TO A FAULTY ABS COMPUTER MODULE AND VOLVO ISN'T COVERING THE REPAIRS UNDER A RECALL. THE COST OF THE MODULE IS $500 (NOT INCLUDING LABOR COSTS). I'M REQUESTING NHTSA CONTACT VOLVO HEADQUARTERS TO DEMAND A RECALL ON THIS HINDERING ABS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041427 at NHTSA ↗

THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON MY 1999 V70 XC FAILED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING MY HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE AT NIGHT WHEN SWITCHED TO THE "ON" POSITION. WHILE NO CRASH OCCURRED, THERE ARE OBVIOUS SAFETY RISKS INVOLVED WITH A SUDDENT LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC HOUSING CONTAINING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAD CRACKED WITH ALLOWED THE UNIT TO SEPARATE. I HAVE SUBSTANTIAL ANECTODAL EVIDENCE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD ON 1999 V70 AND S70 MODELS ON VARIOUS INTERNET BULLETIN BOARDS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10058423 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY MY VOLVO DEALER (DON BEYER VOLVO, FALLS CHURCH, VA) DURING ROUTINE SERVICE THAT THERE IS AN INTERNAL FAULT IN THE ABS MODULE IN MY 1999 VOLVO V70 WAGON. THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS PROSPECTIVE REPAIR IS $951. I UNDERSTAND FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER 1999 AND 2000 VOLVO OWNERS, AS WELL AS A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH VOLVO'S DURING THIS PRODUCTION PERIOD. SINCE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE DOES NOT DETERIATE FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR BUT, INSTEAD IS A COMPUTER BASED SYSTEM WHICH SHOULD LAST…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10065890 at NHTSA ↗

CAR STALLED WITHOUT WARNING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FOUND TO BE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. THIS IS TANTAMOUNT TO HAVING THE THROTTLE CABLE SNAP. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND VOLVO KNOWS ABOUT IT BUT REFUSES TO 'FESS UP. LUCKILY WE WERE UNHURT BUT THIS PROBLEM IS PERVASIVE AND DEMANDS ATTENTION. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073218 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE PULLING ONTO AN EXIT RAMP AT 45 MPH THERE WAS AN OVERHEATING SMELL IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE, FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE STALLING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP FROM THE EXIT RAMP THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE ENGINE SEVERELY OVERHEATED, THE EXPANSION TANK AND ENGINE COVER MELTED, AND THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING AT THE SIDE TANK. RADIATOR LOOKED LIKE IT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THIS FAILURE WAS RELATED TO COOLING FAN RECALL 04V451000, BUT THE VIN IS NOT INCLUDED.*AK...........*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 108,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10103366 at NHTSA ↗

PENDING PROBLEM. 1999 VOLVO XC70 USES A DRIVE-BY-WIRE THROTTLE. THE THROTTLE BODY MODULE IS PRONE TO FAILURE AND WHICH LEADS TO UNINTENDED ACCELARATION OR LOSS OF ACCELARATION CONTROL. EARLY FAILURE IS INDICATED WITH ENGINE SURGING FROM 500 TO 1000 RPM, CYCLING BACK AND FORTH.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10108137 at NHTSA ↗

RECENTLY I BOUGHT A USED VOLVO- 1999 V70 XC. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE ETS LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $1000 TO REPLACE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS NOT ONLY AFFECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE AND THE CAR TO SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING. THE PART IT WOULD BE A REPLACED WITH WAS THE EXACT SAME PART THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT COULD OCCUR. THE LOCAL MECHANIC CANNOT FIX IT. IT MUST BE DONE BY A DEALER. I WROTE TO VOLVO WITH NO RESPONSE. I MET OTHERS ONLINE WHO IS TRYING …

Owner-reported narrative. 108,662 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121065 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Reported: 2006-11-15 (November 15, 2006)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES, A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING, AND/OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE A WARNING LAMP TO LIGHT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES.

Consequence: THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES GOING INTO THE LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CURRENT SOFTWARE UPGRADE ONTO THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.