1999 Volvo S70 Vehicle Speed Control Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Nov 1, 2017 · 66 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the 1999 Volvo S70, 32% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 80,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “electronic throttle” (23% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Electronic throttle: mentioned in 15 of 66 complaints (23%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical vehicle speed control repair on the 1999 Volvo S70 at $1,800, and half of them between $1,550 and $2,000.

Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2005), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?

Based on 53 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles0 · 0%
10k–25k miles1 · 2%
25k–50k miles8 · 15%
50k–75k miles14 · 26%
75k–100k miles11 · 21%
100k–150k miles14 · 26%
150k+ miles5 · 9%

How serious are the reports?

Of 66 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 2 an injury.

Volvo S70 vehicle speed control complaints by model year

Peak: 2000, with 70 complaints
1997: 1199711998: 9199891999: 661999662000: 70200070

n = 146 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearVehicle Speed Control complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2000 S707043%75,894
1999 S706632%80,000
1998 S7094%90,000
1997 S70125%47,900

When owners reported it

Peak: 2005, with 29 complaints
2000: 3200032003: 112004: 5200452005: 29292006: 7200672007: 442008: 1200812009: 222010: 4201042011: 222012: 2201222014: 332015: 1201512016: 112017: 120171

n = 66 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (1)

Vehicle speed controlNov 15, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V441000 · 170,099 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, a combination of throttle positioning sensor irregularities, a dirty throttle housing, and/or inefficient software calibration may cause a warning lamp to light and the subsequent onset of limp home modes.

Risk: This resulted in a high number of vehicles going into the limp home mode without need.

Fix: Dealers will install the current software upgrade onto the involved vehicles. The recall began on december 29, 2006. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

While driving speed needle goes back to zero as if you are not movin, show no mileage numbers n miles you have gone or zero trip miles, many lighton breaks, abs ect.all while drivingif stop when time to go car thinks it is in park all this is while in traffichave pic can not down load be glad to…

Received Nov 1, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 11042001

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volvo s70. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. In addition, all the lighting and warning indicators illuminated. The dealer could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that…

Received Sep 7, 2016 · NHTSA complaint 10904292

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 volvo s70. While approaching a stop at a low speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic was unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the…

Received Apr 7, 2015 · NHTSA complaint 10704156
Volvo S70
Volvo S70 photographed in College Park, Maryland , USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 1999 Volvo S70s have vehicle speed control problems?

No. NHTSA has 66 owner complaints about vehicle speed control for the 1999 Volvo S70 (32% of the 205 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 1999 Volvo S70 vehicle speed control?

Yes: 1 safety recall list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems start?

The median reported mileage is 80,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix vehicle speed control problems on the 1999 Volvo S70?

Owners report a typical cost of $1,800 (half paid between $1,550 and $2,000), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the 1999 Volvo S70?

The most frequent phrase is “electronic throttle”, in 15 of 66 complaints.

See all 1999 Volvo S70 problems or vehicle speed control problems across all S70 years.