U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Volvo S70 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

199 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

80,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 148 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 65 of 199 complaints (32.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Engine operation	59	29.6%
Braking behavior	18	9.0%
Electrical and battery issues	12	6.0%
Steering behavior	5	2.5%
Transmission and shifting	3	1.5%
Fuel system concerns	3	1.5%

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.

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments

Fuel System, Gasoline

Air Bags

Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Vehicle Speed Control	65
Electrical System	41
Engine And Engine Cooling	17
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	9
Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments	9
Fuel System, Gasoline	8
Air Bags	4
Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch	4

Vehicle Speed Control: 65; Electrical System: 41; Engine And Engine Cooling: 17; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 9; Structure:Body:Door:Hinge And Attachments: 9; Fuel System, Gasoline: 8; Air Bags: 4; Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 15; 50,000 to 74,999: 38; 75,000 to 99,999: 39; 100,000 to 149,999: 36; 150,000 and above: 13

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (39). 51 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.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2014

2015

2016

2017

2000: 9; 2001: 6; 2002: 4; 2003: 13; 2004: 9; 2005: 87; 2006: 12; 2007: 8; 2008: 6; 2009: 11; 2010: 9; 2011: 9; 2012: 7; 2014: 4; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 2

Pattern summary

Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 59 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 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.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10047978 · 2003-11-14 (November 14, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST SPEED OR HESITATED, AND EVENTUALLY STALLED. DEALER INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THAT THROTTLE BODY WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALSO, DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL, AND YEAR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10047978 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10086139 · 2004-08-04 (August 4, 2004)

1999 VOLVO S70 ETS LIGHT COMING ON DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. THIS IS HAPENING ON THOUSANDS OF VOLVOS AND CAUSES UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO THE ACCELERATOR NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND CAUSES THE CAR TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY. VOLVO WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND CHARGES FOR THE REPAIR.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 47,825 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086139 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10029441 · 2003-07-16 (July 16, 2003)

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING ABS FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10029441 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10046007 · 2003-11-11 (November 11, 2003)

1999 VOLVO S70 - CONTINUED REAR BRAKE, RUNNING LIGHT, AND TURN SIGNAL PROBLEMS.I PARTICIPATED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (00V405000) TO REPLACE THE REAR TURN SIGNAL SOCKETS AND BULBS. TO THIS DAY I CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR TURN SIGNALS, RUNNING LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS. I FREQUENTLY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ALL OF THE REAR LIGHTING (BRAKE, RUNNING, AND TURN SIGNALS). RECENTLY, I FOUND BOTH REAR TURN SIGNAL AND BOTH REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. I HAD TO BANG ON THE LIGHT HOUSINGS TO GET THE BULBS TO MAKE GOOD CONTACT…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046007 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10028931 · 2003-07-23 (July 23, 2003)

I OWN A VOLVO S70, SEDAN YEAR 1999 4 DOOR. I PURCHASED VEHICLE IN MARCH OF 1999. AT 12K MILES THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED MALFUNCITIONING WITHOUT WARNING. MOST RECENTLY THE ENTIRE LIGHTING SYSTEMS HAS STARTED TO HEAT UP AND ALL LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIIDLE OF THE NIGHT. FOR A COMPANY WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE THE "SAFETEST VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. I DO NOT CONSIDER THE VEHICLE WHICH LIGHTS AND ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHTSAFE? . I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT VOLVO MULTIPLE TIMES. ONCE THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028931 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049045 · 2003-12-02 (December 2, 2003)

MY 1999 VOLVO S70 HAS FAILED TO START AFTER SHORT TRIPS. MY WIFE HAD MENTIONED THIS PREVIOUSLY, BUT TWO RECENT INCIDENTS MADE THIS REPORT NECESSARY.*AK THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS ON THE MORNING OF 11/18/2003. AFTER A 30-MINUTE TRIP, I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND LEFT THE CAR TO GATHER PAPERS FOR WORK. I LEFT THE CAR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR, THERE WERE LIGHTS IN THE DASH AND THE FUEL PUMP PRIMED, BUT NO IGNITION. THERE WAS NO CLICKING, BUT IT SEEMED THAT THE CAR HAD POWER. CAR WAS TOWED TO A VOLVO DEALERSHIP FOR …

Owner-reported narrative. 74,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049045 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10126031 · 2005-06-21 (June 21, 2005)

I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. THE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY RESULTING IN INJURIES FROM HITTING STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE TOTAL LOSS, BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS, AIRBAG FAILURE

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10126031 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10131237 · 2005-08-03 (August 3, 2005)

I OWN A 1999 VOLVO S70. ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE, WITHOUT WARNING CUTS OUT. WITH THIS THE POWER STEERING GOES AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STEER OUT OF TRAFFIC. BOTH THESE INCIDENTS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS AN INTERSECTION. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENT. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS HARD TO DIAGNOSE AS IT JUST HAPPENED ONCE. WELL IT HAPPENED AGAIN! THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED ON MAY 1, 2005 AND THE SECOND ON JULY 30, 2005. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10131237 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10131835 · 2005-08-07 (August 7, 2005)

(1) AIR CONDITIONER DOES NOT WORK IN HOT WEATHER (OVER 100 DEGREE). THE CAR WILL STALL AFTER A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE AIR CONDITIONING QUITS. (2) THE CAR WILL STALL AFTER THE AIR CONDITIONING QUITE. MOVE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE CAR. THANK GOD IT HAS WORKED SO FAR. (3) TAKE THE CAR TO WALNUT CREEK, CA VOLVO AND THEY CANNOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 78,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131835 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10377140 · 2011-01-19 (January 19, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S70. FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS THE CONTACT COMPLAINED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THE STRONG SMELL OF GAS ACCUMULATING OVERNIGHT IN THE GARAGE AFTER FILLING THE GAS TANK TO FULL. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED IT WAS EITHER THE GAS CAP OR THE FUEL TANK. THE GAS CAP WAS REPLACED, BUT THERE WAS STILL NO IMPROVEMENT. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS IDENTIFIED AS FAILED SEALS ON THE METAL FUEL LINES ENTERING AND EXITING THE LID OF THE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED ON TOP OF THE FUEL TANK UNDER …

Owner-reported narrative. 170,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10377140 at NHTSA ↗