1998 Volvo V70 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other V70 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 187 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Volvo V70. That ranks 2nd out of 21 V70 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (40 complaints, 21%), typically at around 68,250 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 7 fires, 15 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 187owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Volvo V70 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 40 | 21% | 68,250 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 29 | 16% | 69,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 24 | 13% | 103,532 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 7% | 88,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 14 | 7% | 71,900 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 13 | 7% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 6% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 6% | 64,082 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 5% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 9 | 5% | 59,750 | — | — |
| Tires | 9 | 5% | 70,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 4% | 151,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 3% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 2% | 98,730 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 2% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 2% | 77,203 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 1% | 65,800 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 151,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 151,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 200,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Volvo V70 recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:headlights:switch
Problem: On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, over an extended period of time, the headlight switch may cease to function.
Risk: The head lights may not operate properly which could result in intermittent or no headlight function. This could impair a driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: On vehicles with an original oem switch, dealers will replace the headlight switch. All other vehicles will be inspected to determine if the switch has een damaged and replace only if necessary. The recall began on january 24, 2005. Owners should contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Exterior lighting:turn signal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. There could be inadequate contact between the bulb and socket which could cause the front turn signal not to function as designed.
Risk: This would fail to warn an approaching driver that the vehicle is turning and could lead to a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right front turn signal bulb and socket.
Exterior lighting:headlights:switch
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Operation of the headlight switch, over an extended period of time, can result in inconsistent operation of the switch.
Risk: Driver's could experience a loss of visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the headlight switch.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The frontal passenger air bag may be overly sensitive to certain electrostatic discharge.
Risk: This could possibly cause an inadvertent deployment.
Fix: Dealers will install an additional ground wire in the passenger side to assure sufficient grounding.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Problem: Vehicle description: station wagons equipped with third seats. Users of the third seat, when exiting the vehicle, can come in contact with the tailpipe.
Risk: Contact with the tailpipe can result in personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the length of the vehicle's tailpipe and, if necessary, repair the tailpipe.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Headlight failure (RQ04004) — opened Jun 8, 2004, closed Nov 5, 2004, led to recall 04V504000.
- Turn signal (PE00031) — opened Aug 15, 2000, closed Dec 22, 2000, led to recall 00V405000.
- Inadvertent side air bag deployment (PE99040) — opened Jun 7, 1999, closed Oct 27, 1999.
- Fuel leakage (PE99005) — opened Jan 15, 1999, closed Jun 30, 1999.
- Exhaust pipe burns (PE98043) — opened Aug 5, 1998, closed Oct 21, 1998, led to recall 98V254000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Severe tire sidewall bubbles on all four tires after only 2 years of normal use. Tire brand and type: dunlop 195/60r15 888 h signature ii.
The ignition switch frequently jams, locked, in the "off" position. The key can be inserted, but the ignition lock will not turn, making it impossible to start and operate the vehicle or turn on accessories or turn the steering wheel, rendering the vehicle completely inoperative. When the ignition…
I was on the entrance ramp to i-94 when the accelerator stomped flush to the floor. The engine revved uncontrollably and i tried to clutch it down but kept on accelerating. At this point i turned off the ignition but that did no good. All the instrumentation turned off but the engine was maxed out…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 volvo v70. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, an abnormal sound was present coming from the rear passenger side. While inspecting the vehicle it was discovered that the rear passenger side brake rotor had cracked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or…
Purchased this car this month for my son for him to commute to school. My son told me that the seat moves to different position when the car hit the pot hole. It is very dangerous if the driver has short legs. There is preset position for the seat. No sure what to do with this. *tr
Other Volvo V70 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 V70 | 0 | 1 |
| 2015 V70 | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 V70 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 V70 | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 V70 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 V70 | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 V70 | 4 | 3 |
| 2009 V70 | 4 | 3 |
| 2008 V70 | 11 | 4 |
| 2007 V70 | 7 | 2 |
| 2006 V70 | 21 | 3 |
| 2005 V70 | 21 | 3 |
| 2004 V70 | 83 | 5 |
| 2003 V70 | 32 | 5 |
| 2002 V70 | 76 | 6 |
| 2001 V70 | 221 | 8 |
| 2000 V70 | 93 | 5 |
| 1999 V70 | 169 | 4 |
| 1998 | 187 | 5 |
| 1997 V70 | 3 | 0 |
| 1996 V70 | 1 | 0 |
See all Volvo V70 problems by year, every Volvo model, or the Volvo VIN decoder.
Similar Volvo models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Volvo V70?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, exterior lighting, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 40 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Volvo V70?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 Volvo V70 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other V70 model years, the 1998 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.