Volvo V70 Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

THROTTLE BODY HAS ONGOING ISSUES WITH NEEDING TO BE CLEANED FREQUENTLY. CAR HAS ROUGH IDLE, SPUTTERS AND JUMPS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AS WELL AS WHEN STATIONARY. THE CAR SUDDENLY LOSES POWER WHEN IT DOES THIS WHICH COULD CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DAMAGED.

THIS CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN WITH CARE FOR 7 YEARS. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT NOR HAS IT HAD OTHER SIGNIFICANT FAILURES. IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS BOTH SPRINGS ON THE REAR OF THE CAR HAVE BROKEN AND THE CAR HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY. WE REPAIRED THE FIRST ONE ($500) AND WERE TOLD THAT THE DEALER (WYNN VOLVO) HAS NEVER SEEN BROKEN SPRINGS UNTIL THIS YEAR. WHEN THE SECOND ONE WENT TODAY ( WHILE IN THE DRIVEWAY) IT NOT ONLY RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE VEHICLE, BUT ALSO ABOUT THE SAFETY OF IT. IF WE HAD BEEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED, SERIOUS INJURY AND POTENTIALLY DEATH MAY HAVE OCCURRED. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A RECURRENT THEME WITH VOLVOS DURING THE LAST DECADE. IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS INHERENT DANGER THAT COULD CAUSE INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE AND YET VOLVO CLAIMS THAT IT IS NOT COMMON. I DISAGREE AND WOULD ENCOURAGE AN INVESTIGATION. *TR

THIS CAR IN THE LAST YEAR HAS HAD BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BRAKE IN HALF WHILE JUST DRIVING NORMALLY DOWN THE ROAD IT HAS THROWN OFF THE DRIVABILITY OF THE CAR AND OF COURSE YOU DON'T NOTICE IT UNTIL AFTER THE EVENT. I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TEMPERING OF THE STEEL COILS. *TR

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON I93 WHEN I HEAD A LOUD BANG. PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. GOT HOME WITH NO OTHER ISSUES. IN THE MORNING I NOTICED THE CAR LEANING TO THE RIGHT. WENT OUT AND LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND FOUND MY COIL SPRING HAD SNAPPED. NO SIGN OF IMPACT. CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY SO HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIR. REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME SPRING MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE AND IT FAILED. HOPE THE OTHER SPRING DOES NOT LET GO. *TR

I OWN A 2007 VOLVO V70 WITH LOW MILEAGE -- 19,000 MILES, VIN # [XXX]. NORMALLY MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR JUST AROUND WHERE WE LIVE SINCE SHE DOES NOT WORK - JUST A FEW MILES A DAY. LAST WEEK, WHILE GOING TO THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE WITH MY 20 MONTH OLD GRANDSON IN THE CAR, SHE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT WHEN BRAKING THE CAR FROM ABOUT 50 MPH. SO I BEGAN DRIVING THE CAR TO WORK WHICH IS ABOUT 20 MILES AWAY. WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGH MEDIUM TO HIGH SPEEDS 45-70 MPH, FRONT WHEEL SHIMMY SHAKE IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE CAR TO BRAKE IMPROPERLY AND CAUSE CAR TO SEVERELY PULL TO ONE SIDE. THIS ALSO ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK TWICE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEMONTROND VOLVO, HOUSTON, TEXAS. THEIR SHOP FOREMAN SAID THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO RUST BUILDUP ON THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS. I SAID WHAT? YOU MUST BE KIDDING. VOLVO REFUSES TO COVER THIS UNDER WARRANTY CITING NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I CONTEND THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR HAVING OWNED CARS SINCE 1965 WITH NO PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES DUE TO RUST BUILDUP, WITH ALL OF THOSE BEING VOLVOS SINCE 1985. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS IN MY LIFE -- RUST BUILDUP ON ROTORS AND PADS CAUSING A BRAKING PROBLEM. VOLVO ALSO STATES THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE DRIVEN MORE FREQUENTLY TO PREVENT THE RUST BUILDUP. THIS IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS. WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, I TOLD THE SALES MANAGER AT DEMONTROND VOLVO THAT MY WIFE ONLY DRIVES A CAR ABOUT 6,000 MILES PER YEAR. I HAD NOTICED THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WOULD START TO RUST BEFORE I COULD FINISH WASHING THE CAR WHEN I WASHED THE CAR MYSELF. BEING A SAFETY ENGINEER, MY CONTENTION IS THIS RUST BUILDUP ON 2007 VOLVO V70 BRAKE ROTORS AND PAD IS A SAFETY DEFECT. LIKEWISE, FROM SEARCHING THE INTERNET, OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH VOLVOS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO V70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF HE DID NOT AGGRESSIVELY ACCELERATE WHILE DRIVING UP HILL, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARDS. HE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED BY A REPRESENTATIVE THAT THE FAILURE WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 54000 UPDATED 09/23/09 *BF UPDATED 09/30/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO V70. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY TURN OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART ONCE STOPPED AND PLACED IN PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO SHOP TO BE SERVICED FOR THE RECALL, AND THE LAST TWO TIMES IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,162.

LOSS OF BRAKING POWER WHILE TRYING TO SLOW ON AN INCLINE OF APPROXIMATELY 8%. ACCOMPANIED BY "CLICKING" THAT SOUNDS LIKE ABS ENGAGING. RELEASING BRAKE AND REAPPLYING RESOLVED. SPEED APPROXIMATELY 15MPH. *TR

SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES, 4.5 YEARS AFTER PURCHASING VOLVO DIRECTLY FROM THE FACTORY IN SWEDEN. THE LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN TURNED OFF. THIS OCCURRED REGULARLY FOR 4 MONTHS UNTIL THE LIGHT REMAINED ON INDEFINITELY. WHEN I FINALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING, THE ERROR CODE INDICATED A FAULTY OCCUPANT WEIGHT SENSOR (OWS) EMBEDDED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NO LONGER DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE SENSOR WILL NO LONGER IDENTIFY A PASSENGER IN THE CAR. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS ALSO DISABLES THE DRIVER (PRIMARY) AIR BAG, AS WELL AS THE SIDE AIR BAGS. I CONTACTED VOLVO USA SHORTLY AFTER THE 5 YEAR MANUFACTURER WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY EMPHATICALLY CLAIMED THAT THIS EGREGIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WAS NO LONGER THEIR CONCERN. RESPECTFULLY, PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THIS FAULTY OWS THE CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO OPERATE AND THAT VOLVO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS ERROR. *JS

I HAVE A WINDSHIELD PROBLEM: THE SEAL THAT SECURES THE WINDSHIELD TO THE ROOF OF THE CAR HAS FAILED ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WAS FOUND DURING TROUBLESHOOTING A LEAK PROBLEM -- WATER WAS ENTERING THE CAR WHEN IT RAINED, LEAKING FROM THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR AND THE LIGHT ABOVE IT (NOTE - MY V70 WAGON DOES *NOT* HAVE A SUNROOF). UPON INSPECTION BY AN AUTO GLASS TECHNICIAN, THE WINDSHIELD EASILY LIFTED AWAY FROM THE CAR WHEN IT WAS PUSHED FROM INSIDE THE CABIN. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. WITHOUT A PROPER SEAL ON THE WINDSHIELD, THE ENTIRE STRUCTURAL DESIGN SAFETY OF THE CAR IS COMPROMISED. IF THE CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY A FRONT-END COLLISION, THE WINDSHIELD WOULD NOT ABSORB ANY OF THE IMPACT AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO, RESULTING IN GREATER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND MAKING IT UNSAFE. I WAS ADVISED NOT TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS REPAIRED. I LOOKED AT SOME ONLINE VOLVO FORUMS AND NOTED THAT OTHER VOLVO OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO STATED THAT HE HAS NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON OTHER VOLVO VEHICLES, AND WAS REPLACING ABOUT 2 OR 3 A MONTH. HE BELIEVES IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND THAT VOLVO SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

CPSC# I1320468A. 2009 VOLVO V70. CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING DEVICE. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ADDED AIR TO THE SUSPECTED TIRE AND THEN CONTINUED WITH HIS DRIVE. WHEN THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO HIS VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THE MESSAGE READ TIRES NEED TO BE FILLED NOW. THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. HE THEN NOTICED THE STEM HAD CRACKED APPROXIMATELY 1/4 INCH FROM THE END OF THE STEM ALLOWING THE INTERNAL STEM MECHANISM TO SLIDE PARTIALLY OUT, THUS RELEASING TIRE PRESSURE AT A GOOD RATE. THE FAILED TIRE STEM CORRODED IN APPEARANCE (AS THE OTHER THREE WERE). UPON CLOSE EXAMINATION, WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS, THE TIRE STEM WAS NEARLY CORRODED THROUGH THE WALL THICKNESS OF THE TIRE STEM AND DID NOT EXHIBIT MUCH IF ANY BRITTLE FAILURE APPEARANCE ANY INDICATION OF DISTORTION OR BENDING.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLVO V70. WHILE DRIVING, SHE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY WARM. WHEN SHE DROVE THREE HOURS AWAY FROM HER HOME, SHE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HOT ALTHOUGH SHE HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER ON. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER, LOOKED ONLINE, SEARCHED FOR A RECALL AND COULD NOT FIND ONE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE LIGHT BULB LOCATED INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

The glue used by Volvo for this era of cars is known to fail causing the side mirrors to fall off. I have had to replace the both side mirrors due to this issue.