Volvo V70XC problems and owner complaints

1998 VOLVO V70XC, REPLACEMENT OF MECHANICAL TIMING BELT TENSIONER NOT SPECIFIC AS TO MILEAGE FOR SUCH REPLACEMENT, REPLACED TIMING BELT AT 70,000 MILES AS REQUIRED, TENSIONER APPEARED GOOD ON INSPECTION, NO VOLVO TSB ADVISING REPLACEMENT, TENSIONER FAILED AT 84,000 MILES, VOLVO WARRANTY REJECTED REPAIR CLAIM FOR TENSIONER, VALVE DAMAGE, TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT APPROX. $2,400.00 NO RESPONSE FROM VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE TO EMAIL FOR REVIEW OF CLAIM. HAD I BEEN ON THE TURNPIKE LOSS OF POWER MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH SINCE ALL POWERED SYSTEMS WOUL…

Owner-reported narrative. 84,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104790 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 ↗

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 68000 MILES WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE AND NO PRECIPITATING FACTORS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010692 at NHTSA ↗

65,000 MILES - TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A REGULARLY DEALER SERVICED VEHICLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10192484 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER PURCHASED HER VEHICLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND IT WILL NOT HOLD A BALANCE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY TELLING HER IT IS FIXED. THE STEERING WHEEL IS STILL SHAKING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE PURCHASE. VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA AND THE DEALERSHIP ARE BOTH TELLING HER THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED. SHE REPLACED THE TIRES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED, THEY WENT BAD AND SHE'S HAD TO PUT ON 2 MORE SETS OF TIRES. THEY RECOMMENDED SHE U…

Owner-reported narrative. 53,121 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128646 at NHTSA ↗

A FEW WEEKS AGO, I HAVE NOTICED A STRONG GAS FUEL SMELL FROM MY 98 VOLVO V70 CROSS COUNTRY AWD FROM THE GAS TANK AREA. THE SMELL COMES FROM THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE RR WHEEL, ON TOP OF THE PLASTIC PANEL WHICH COVERS THE FUEL TANK. THE LEAK IS NOTICEABLE WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. THE ONLY WAY FOR ME TO KEEP THE SMELL FROM POPPING OUT IS TO NOT FILL UP THE TANK MORE THAN 8 OR 10 GALLONS. THE CAR IS NO LONGER SAFE TO BE PARKED IN THE GARAGE AS THE FUEL SMELL IT RELEASES IS SO STRONG THAT I CAN FILL THE HOUSE WITH IT THROUGH MY VENTS. I WANT THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156667 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE CRANKED BUT WOULD NOT START. UPON INSPECTION, THE FUSE TO THE FUEL PUMP WAS OBSERVED TO BE BLOWN. THE FUSE WAS CHANGED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND LOSE POWER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER, AN ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING APPEARED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK WAS SMOLDERING, AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECH…

Owner-reported narrative. 118,042 miles reported. Look up ODI 10161427 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER WANTED THE ETM REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH THE CONSUMERS REQUEST, BECAUSE THE PART HAD NOT FAILED. THE CONSUMER HAD DIFFICULTY REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD A DRINK WAS SPILLED IN IT, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER DISAGREED WITH THAT THEORY. THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AFTER SHOWING SIGNS OF BEING WEAK, HOWEVER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN. UPDATED 12/14/05. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10137812 at NHTSA ↗

CHARRED BATTERY CABLE - COULD CAUSE FIRE. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10139764 at NHTSA ↗