FaultScore

Worst years for a Volvo V70

Owners have filed 1,177 complaints about the Volvo V70 with NHTSA across model years 1996 to 2010. More of them are about the acceleration & cruise control than anything else.

Avoid

1998 Volvo V70

242 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly brakes.

Cleanest on record

2003 Volvo V70

36 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Volvo V70 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2010 6 0 0 55,425 Engine & Cooling
2009 8 0 0 63,100 Tires
2008 B 13 0 2 122,500 Electrical System
2007 8 0 1 22,581 Brakes
2006 B 23 0 1 39,500 Electrical System
2005 B 22 0 1 49,809 Acceleration & Cruise Control
2004 C 118 4 6 85,000 Engine & Cooling
2003 A 36 1 0 71,500 Fuel & Propulsion
2002 C 91 8 3 100,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2001 D 268 12 3 75,455 Acceleration & Cruise Control
2000 C 116 14 2 79,314 Acceleration & Cruise Control
1999 C 220 5 2 80,000 Acceleration & Cruise Control
1998 F 242 20 9 78,582 Brakes
1997 3 0 1 Electrical System
1996 3 0 0 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a Volvo V70

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Worst in 2001

Electrical System 142 12.1%

Worst in 1999

Engine & Cooling 139 11.8%

Worst in 2004

Fuel & Propulsion 124 10.5%

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2001

Brakes 103 8.8%

Worst in 1998

Lights 75 6.4%

Worst in 1998

Airbags 52 4.4%

Worst in 1998

Tires 37 3.1%

Worst in 1998

Seat Belts 37 3.1%

Worst in 1998

Worst in 1998

Worst in 1999

Suspension 28 2.4%

Worst in 1998

Worst in 2001

Exactly what failed on a Volvo V70

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Transmission 48 23.1%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 35 16.8%
Engine 30 14.4%
Headlights 19 9.1%
Control Unit/Module 14 6.7%
Frontal 14 6.7%
Sidewall 13 6.3%
Fuel Injection System 13 6.3%
Fuel Pump 11 5.3%
Tank Assembly 11 5.3%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Volvo V70, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Dec 1997 peak 121 Aug 2024

Volvo V70 problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Volvo V70

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.