1999 Volvo V70 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
157 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
80,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 110 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 52 of 157 complaints (33.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 47 | 29.9% |
| Braking behavior | 21 | 13.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 5.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 3.2% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 2.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 1.9% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 52 |
| Electrical System | 36 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 6 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 6 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery | 5 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 52; Electrical System: 36; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline: 6; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 6 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 35 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 35 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 19 |
| 150,000 and above | 12 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 6; 50,000 to 74,999: 35; 75,000 to 99,999: 35; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 12
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (35). 47 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 | 8 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 8 |
| 2003 | 7 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 74 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 9 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2000: 8; 2001: 9; 2002: 8; 2003: 7; 2004: 9; 2005: 74; 2006: 10; 2007: 9; 2008: 4; 2009: 3; 2010: 4; 2011: 3; 2012: 3; 2014: 3; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 47 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 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 10063142 · 2004-03-12 (March 12, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART, AND TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. AND MECHANIC REPLACED ABS MODULE BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10063142 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10130884 · 2005-08-01 (August 1, 2005)
MY 1999 VOLVO V70 STALLED IN TRAFFIC CAUSING ME TO LOSE POWER STEERING. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS MOVING SLOWLY BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND RESTART IT AFTER SEVERAL TRIES. I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THEY CLEANED FUEL DEPOSITS OFF THE THROTTLE, BUT INFORMED ME THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTS, I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER FOR A $1,600 DOLLAR REPAIR OF THROTTLE CONTROL. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130884 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10040416 · 2003-11-05 (November 5, 2003)
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKES DIDN'T ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP, AS A RESULT THE DRIVER HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY PUMP THE PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS COMPLETE AND TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE ABS UNIT THAT WAS REPLACED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER RESET THE LIGHT. *PH *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10040416 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10097328 · 2004-10-12 (October 12, 2004)
AFTER CHARGING THE BATTERY, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. *BF THE INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 TIMES AND THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO FIX TO THE PROBLEM. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10097328 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10130886 · 2005-08-01 (August 1, 2005)
DT: 1999 VOLVO V70 STATION WAGON GLT. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND SPEED. CONSUMER WAS JUST DRIVING AND IT STARTED LOSING POWER. WHEN PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL IT STARTED BUCKING. WHEN CONSUMER FIRST CONTACTED THE DEALER HE TOLD HIM THAT IF CONSUMER LEFT VEHICLE SITTING FOR A WHILE IT WOULD START BACK. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE. THIS PART WAS REPLACED ON 4-1-05, AND LATER FAILED ON 7-29-05. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT AGAIN AT NO CHARGE. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OTHER ELECTRICA…
Owner-reported narrative. 69,071 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130886 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10131200 · 2005-08-02 (August 2, 2005)
INCIDENCE 1 OF 7 SIMILAR. AS REPORTED ON SERVICE INVOICE: C/S CAR STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING, MAKING A U-TURN, START RIGHT UP. CHECK CAR FOR CODES, ACCESS, NO CODES ON ANY SYSTEM. NO CODES ON FUEL SYSTEM, CHECK FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR UNDER REAR PANEL, ALL OK. PER ABOVE, THOUGH SERVICE DEPT COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, THIS INCIDENT WAS THE 1ST OF 7 SIMILAR PROBLEMS OCCURRING LATER THAT ULTIMATELY LEAD TO HAVING THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANED TWICE & THEN REPLACED TWICE. I WILL BE REPORTING ALL THE OTHER SUBSEQUENT INCIDENTS IN SEQUENCE OF OCCURRENCE …
Owner-reported narrative. 15,827 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131200 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10334119 · 2010-06-01 (June 1, 2010)
MY VOLVO V70 HAS STALLED DEAD REPEATEDLY WHILE DRIVING AT BOTH HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS, MOST RECENTLY WHILE JUST COMING ONTO A LONG FREEWAY EXIT RAMP WITH NO SHOULDER. THERE WERE CARS BEHIND ME AND I ALMOST GOT HIT FROM BEHIND. PRIOR STALLS (ABOUT 5 OF THEM) INCLUDE TOTAL STALLING WHILE BRAKING, AND WHILE SPEEDING UP. I HAVE HAD THE FUEL PUMP, RELAY, AND MANIFOLD REPLACED. AND AFTER ALL THAT, SPENDING OVER $1000, IT STALLED THIS LAST TIME. SOMETIMES THE CAR CAN START UP AGAIN AFTER A STALL AND A 10 MINUTE WAIT, BUT IT WILL SUDDENLY STALL AGAIN. *TR…
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10334119 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134213 · 2005-08-25 (August 25, 2005)
PROBLEMS WITH MY 1999 VOLVO V70 INCIDENT 5/10/05 1. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. MY CAR EXPERIENCED A FALTER THEN ROUGH IDLE AND DRASTICALLY REDUCED POWER. IN ADDITION THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. 2. THE CAR SEEMED TO RECOVER AND I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. 3. I TOOK MY CAR INTO MY REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. I WAS TOLD THE FAULT CODES REGISTERED IN THE CARS COMPUTER INDICATED THERE WAS A FAILING EVAPORATOR PURGE VALVE ALONG WITH BAD ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM). THE REPAIR COST ME $1,070.00. INCIDENT 5/2…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134213 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10196011 · 2007-07-10 (July 10, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO V70. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING, AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ABS MODULE FAILED AND THEY MADE THE REPLACEMENT. NO OTHER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE REPLACEMENT. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 140,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10196011 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10667254 · 2014-12-19 (December 19, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO V70. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION RANGE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,550.
Owner-reported narrative. 171,550 miles reported. Look up ODI 10667254 at NHTSA ↗