2003 Volvo XC70 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other XC70 years
- More complaints than other years 7th of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Volvo XC70. That ranks 7th out of 16 XC70 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (5 complaints, 21%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 24owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Volvo XC70 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 5 | 21% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 17% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 17% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 17% | 113,659 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 13% | 101,296 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 8% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 4% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 4% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 4% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Volvo XC70 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volvo Cars USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2007 V70 and XC70 vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 14, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10136.
Equipment:electrical:navigational system(global positioning system)
Problem: Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (gps) units because the batteries on those units may overheat.
Risk: An overheated battery could lead to a fire.
Fix: Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable gps device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on november 18, 2010. Owners may contact garmin at 866-957-1981 or visit garmin's website at www.garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Volvo is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 s80, model year 2001-2004 v70, s60, xc70 and model year 2003-2005 xc90 vehicles sold in or registered in the states of alabama, arizona, arkansas, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, kentucky, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new mexico, north carolina, oklahoma, south carolina, tennessee, texas, utah, virginia and the u.s. Territories. When exposed to certain environmental conditions (hot climate and temperature cycling) over time and in combination with varying fuel quality, the fuel pump can develop cracks in the fuel pump flange.
Risk: If the condition occurs vehicle owners may notice fuel smell and/or fuel leak which, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the fuel pump installed in the vehicle, and if necessary replace the fuel pump with a part of a modified design. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on january 15, 2010. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the second isofix guide was not installed in these vehicles and, in certain cases, the owner's manual isofix information is incorrect.
Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Fix: Owners will receive a letter/package consisting of the second isofix guide with installation instructions, and in certain cases, the corrected owner's manual may be provided. If the owner wants to take their vehicle to a volvo dealer for installation of the guide, it will be performed at no charge to the owner. Owner notification began on december 19, 2003. Owners should contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo xc70. The contact stated that there was an abnormal strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The contact also stated that the vehicle would experience hesitation with starting and driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo xc70. The contact stated that a strong fuel odor emitted inside and outside of the vehicle continuously however, there was no fuel visible on the ground. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic, who both confirmed that the fuel pump needed…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo xc70. When the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated continuously. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
While driving down the road, a car was attempting to make a left-hand turn across four lanes of traffic. The person, apparently, did not see me and struck the side of my vehicle breaking the tire rod and doing extensive damage to the passenger front and back doors. The glove box was even difficult…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo xc70. The contact stated that the vehicle emitted a fuel odor. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repair. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 169,000.
Other Volvo XC70 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 XC70 | 7 | 2 |
| 2015 XC70 | 6 | 1 |
| 2014 XC70 | 2 | 2 |
| 2013 XC70 | 8 | 2 |
| 2012 XC70 | 14 | 2 |
| 2011 XC70 | 15 | 3 |
| 2010 XC70 | 15 | 5 |
| 2009 XC70 | 15 | 5 |
| 2008 XC70 | 39 | 8 |
| 2007 XC70 | 25 | 2 |
| 2006 XC70 | 18 | 2 |
| 2005 XC70 | 27 | 2 |
| 2004 XC70 | 101 | 3 |
| 2003 | 24 | 4 |
| 2002 XC70 | 35 | 4 |
| 2001 XC70 | 66 | 5 |
See all Volvo XC70 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 2003 Volvo XC70?
Owners most often report power train, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Volvo XC70?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Volvo XC70 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other XC70 model years, the 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.