Volvo S70 Problems by Year
NHTSA has 593 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file for the Volvo S70, across 7 model years (1995–2002). The 1998 model year has the most complaints (215). The most reported problem area overall is vehicle speed control.
Volvo S70 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical S70 year: 1998, 1999, 2000. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1998 S70: 215 complaints, 4 recalls
- 1999 S70: 205 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2000 S70: 164 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Volvo S70 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 146 | 4 | 5 |
| Electrical System problems | 112 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 83 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 74 | 5 | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 51 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 35 | 3 | 0 |
| Structure | 30 | 4 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 29 | 4 | 21 |
| Power Train | 24 | 4 | 3 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 19 | 4 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 15 | 4 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| Tires | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| Wheels | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| Engine | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Seats | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Volvo S70 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2000: vehicle speed control (70)
- 1999: vehicle speed control (66)
- 1998: service brakes, hydraulic (61)
All Volvo S70 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 S70 | 3 | 0 | — | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2000 S70 | 164 | 3 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 S70 | 205 | 4 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 S70 | 215 | 4 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 S70 | 4 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 1996 S70 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| 1995 S70 | 2 | 0 | — | Air Bags |
More from Volvo: all Volvo models · Volvo VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Volvo S70 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1998 (215), 1999 (205), 2000 (164) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical S70 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Volvo S70?
Vehicle Speed Control, with 146 complaints across 4 model years.
How many recalls does the Volvo S70 have?
6 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.