Volvo V70 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
854 owner complaints analyzed
22 distinct recall campaigns
79,800 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 to 2016 model years. Data snapshot: . 587 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 153 of 854 complaints (17.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 160 | 18.7% |
| Braking behavior | 133 | 15.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 82 | 9.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 46 | 5.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 41 | 4.8% |
| Steering behavior | 37 | 4.3% |
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 | 153 |
| Electrical System | 104 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 47 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 47 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 40 |
| Air Bags | 33 |
| Power Train | 33 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 32 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 153; Electrical System: 104; Engine And Engine Cooling: 47; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 47; Fuel System, Gasoline: 40; Air Bags: 33; Power Train: 33; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 32
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 45 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 73 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 143 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 150 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 120 |
| 150,000 and above | 56 |
Under 25,000: 45; 25,000 to 49,999: 73; 50,000 to 74,999: 143; 75,000 to 99,999: 150; 100,000 to 149,999: 120; 150,000 and above: 56
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (150). 267 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 | 38 |
| 2001 | 41 |
| 2002 | 47 |
| 2003 | 49 |
| 2004 | 57 |
| 2005 | 202 |
| 2006 | 54 |
| 2007 | 45 |
| 2008 | 36 |
| 2009 | 36 |
| 2010 | 35 |
| 2011 | 48 |
| 2012 | 29 |
| 2013 | 15 |
| 2014 | 33 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2000: 38; 2001: 41; 2002: 47; 2003: 49; 2004: 57; 2005: 202; 2006: 54; 2007: 45; 2008: 36; 2009: 36; 2010: 35; 2011: 48; 2012: 29; 2013: 15; 2014: 33; 2015: 17; 2016: 13; 2017: 15; 2018: 8; 2019: 9; 2020: 3; 2021: 6; 2022: 12; 2023: 5; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 160 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 133 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 82 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 10131699 · 2005-08-05 (August 5, 2005)
VEHICLE RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE SHUT-DOWN WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL. DISABLED VEHICLE WITH GROCERIES AND SMALL CHILDREN INSIDE ON A 90+ DEGREE (VERY HOT!!)AFTERNOON IN MID-JULY. $322 FOR REPLACEMENT OF AIR FLOW DEVICE (METER OR SENSOR?) TO CORRECT PROBLEM. APPROX. $50, LOSS OF PERISHABLE FOOD. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 77,251 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131699 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10131801 · 2005-08-06 (August 6, 2005)
STALLING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. STALLING AT NORMAL OPERATING SPEED WITH RESULTING LOSS OF POWER, STEERING AND BRAKES. THE MASS AIR SENSOR AND INTAKE HOSE WERE REPLACED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 106,063 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131801 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000732 · 2003-01-04 (January 4, 2003)
ABS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. THEN GOES OFF AFTER A CYCLING OF THE ENGINE. SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND BECAUSE THE ABS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON, IT IS DANGEROUS. VOLVO DOES NOT SEEM TO BE PAYING MUCH ATTENTION TO THIS PROBLEM DESPITE A HIGH NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS. BECAUE THERE IS NO ONE DATE FOR THIS PROBLEM I WILL ARBITRARILY PUT ONE IN FOR REPORTING PURPOSES
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000732 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008469 · 2003-03-06 (March 6, 2003)
I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO V70R AWD AND BOTH THE ABS/TRAC WARNING LIGHTS HAD BEEN GOING ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS. THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN GO OFF. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAVE NOW HAD THE CONTROL UNIT REPLACED. THE COST TO REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL UNIT WAS APPROXIMATELY $563.60. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 86,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008469 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000498 · 2003-01-03 (January 3, 2003)
SHIFT LOCK ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF VOLVO V70 LOCKS OUT. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000498 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10091898 · 2004-09-08 (September 8, 2004)
THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE. *NM BLACK SMOKE WAS BELCHING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. *SC THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091898 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006396 · 2001-04-14 (April 14, 2001)
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH, WHEN I RAN OVER A PIECE OF METAL THAT WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A RULER. I HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND THEN I GOT HOME, FOUND THAT GAS WAS POURING OUT OF THE GAS TANK. IT HAD BEEN PUNCTURED. OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THERE WAS A SPARK. I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED A GAS TANK TO SO EASILY PUNCTURED. *JB ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****744064
Owner-reported narrative. 44,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006396 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10160830 · 2006-06-26 (June 26, 2006)
THE FUEL TANK ON MY 1998 VOLVO V70 HAS FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY CAR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. AFTER REPLACING ALMOST MY ENTIRE FUEL EVAP SYSTEM, VOLVO DETERMINED MY FUEL TANK HAD A LEAK. I REQUESTED THAT VOLVO REPLACE MY FUEL TANK AT THEIR EXPENSE, BECAUSE I FEEL THAT A FUEL TANK SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO LAST MORE THAN 8 YEARS. VOLVO HAS REFUSED TO RECALL THE TANK AND HAS ABSOLVED THEMSELVES OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 99,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160830 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10143876 · 2005-11-29 (November 29, 2005)
VOLVO V70 1998 - FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT - CAR DESTROYED DURING ROUTINE DRIVING, ENGINE STOPS. DRIVER NOTICES SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS (LIGHTS) BLINKING. IN A FEW MINUTES THE CAR IS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY FIRE. WHEN I VISITED THE WRECKER'S YARD I FOUND A VOLVO 850 WAGON THAT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE IN THE SAME WAY! *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10143876 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10168235 · 2006-09-14 (September 14, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR ONE DAY, SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE FIRE. THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. UPDATED 10/18/2006 - THE VEHICLE WAS LAST DRIVEN ABOUT 14 HOURS PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE. THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE HARNESS TO THE ABS CONTROL UNIT. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 72,592 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168235 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007547 · 2003-02-15 (February 15, 2003)
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UNDER ORDINARY USE AND IGNITION KEY COULD NOT BE REINSERTED INTO IGNITION. PH
Owner-reported narrative. 54,406 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007547 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 8 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
2000: 5; 2001: 8; 2002: 6; 2003: 5; 2004: 5; 2005: 3; 2006: 3; 2007: 2; 2008: 4; 2009: 3; 2010: 3; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 1