FaultScore

1998 Volvo V70 transmission problems

13 of the 242 complaints about the 1998 Volvo V70 are about the transmission — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 99,000 miles.

B

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Power Train 3 23.1%
Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) 3 23.1%
Driveshaft 2 15.4%
Manual Transmission 1 7.7%
Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch 1 7.7%
Axle Shaft 1 7.7%
Differential Unit 1 7.7%
Floor Shift 1 7.7%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Volvo V70 year

1998 13 17.3%
2001 45 60.0%
2002 17 22.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 151,000 miles Gwynn OAK, MD

POWER TRAIN

I JUST PURCHASED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO A 1998 VOLVO V70 USED ON 4/3/2014 FOR 3000.00 . THE VEHICLE DROVE JUST FINE UP UNTIL TWO WEEKS AGO WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING. WHILE I WAS RIDING ON I695 AND WAS GOING ABOUT SIXTY MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE CAR JERKED AND CUT OFF, MEANING BLINKING IN AND OUT OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ALONG WITH THE ENGINE AS I WAS PULLING OVER ON THE SHOULDER, WHICH IS TERRIBLY UNSAFE. I ASSUMED AND THOUGHT VOLVO'S WERE GREAT ON MILES AND TRANSMISSION SO I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE HAVING THESE TYPE OF ISSUES. I AM A FIRST TIME VOLVO PURCHASER AND HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED AND IT'S TO EXPENSIVE FOR ALL THE HASSLES. ALL OF THE MINOR ISSUES WERE EXPECTED BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE BEING A USED CAR. ALSO, I CANNOT EVEN CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVELS IN ORDER TO SEE IF ALL I NEED IS SOME TRANSMISSION FLUID, THE DIPSTICK THAT LEADS TO THE TRANSMISSION IS STUCK, AS IN I HAVE TRIED PULLING, TWISTING AND TURNING BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER PURCHASING A 300 DOLLAR KEY PAD FROM THE DEALER I EXPECT MORE FROM THE MANUAL AND AT LEAST TO BE ABLE TO CHECK ALL FLUIDS ON THE VEHICLE. IF THESE MINOR ISSUES DIDN'T EVOLVE INTO MAJOR ISSUES WITH MY VOLVO VEHICLE I WOULD NOT HAVE AN ISSUE. YET THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE MINOR ISSUES ARE INDEED CAUSING MAJOR REPAIRS WHICH IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE AND CAUSING UNSAFE DRIVING HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS THAT COULD INDEED AFFECT THE LIFE OF MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTEN AND HOPEFULLY DIRECTLY ADDRESSING MY CONCERNS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR UPDATED 12/8/2014

NHTSA complaint #10592530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 99,000 miles Waterford, CT

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH ON A LOCAL STREET WHEN SHE FELT A PULL WHEN TURNING LEFT THEN SHE HEARD AND FELT A SOUND LIKE THE MUFFLER WAS FALLING OFF AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. SHE IMMEDIATELY TURNED INTO A SHOPPING PLAZA AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT THE AXLE NUT AND PART OF THE AXLE HAD BROKEN OFF AND FALLEN OUT OF THE RIGHT FRONT REAR WHEEL. THE WHEEL COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY FALLEN OFF AND LUCKILY SHE WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY MOVING FAST. THE VOLVO DEALER BELIEVES THAT THE CV JOINT FOR SOME REASON (WHICH HAVE NOT YET EXPLAINED) SEIZED AND CAUSED THE AXLE TO BREAK. THE DEALER RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE CV JOINT AND BEARING AND THE AXLE. THE ROTOR WAS ALSO IRREPARABLY DAMAGED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WILL KEEP THE OLD PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #10142018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Potomac, MD

POWER TRAIN

THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF CARBON MONOXIDE. *NM BLACK SMOKE WAS BELCHING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. *SC THE TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #10091898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 71,000 miles Trabuco Canyon, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT

SHIFT LOCK ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF VOLVO V70 LOCKS OUT. TS

NHTSA complaint #10000498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sparta, NJ Fire

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

WHILE DRIVING AT STATE SPEED LIMIT LEFT TIRE BLEWOUT. TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH SPARE TIRE. PROCEEDED TO DRIVE UNDER 50 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND STATED THAT GEARSHIFT HAD MALFUNCTIONED CONSUMER WAS AT FAULT BECAUSE OF THE SPEED VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT.

NHTSA complaint #8005823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Strathmore, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

WHILE DRIVING ABS/ TRACKING LIGHT ILLUMINATE ON DASHBOARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8003740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newark, DE

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

ABS ANF TRACKING SYSTEM OFF WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. SOMETIMES AT STARTUP, WHILE DRIVING OR BRAKING. DEALER HAS SERVICED SYSTEM WITH NEW SENSORS AND RESETTING COMPUTER WITH NO SUCCESS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THEY SAY IT ISN'T IMPORTANT.

NHTSA complaint #749935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Newark, DE

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

ABS ANF TRACKING SYSTEM OFF WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. SOMETIMES AT STARTUP, WHILE DRIVING OR BRAKING. DEALER HAS SERVICED SYSTEM WITH NEW SENSORS AND RESETTING COMPUTER WITH NO SUCCESS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THEY SAY IT ISN'T IMPORTANT.

NHTSA complaint #749935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chattaroy, WA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #737903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chestnut Hill, MA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #744175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Merrifield, VA

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THE CONSUMER HAD TO PUSH THE GEAR SHIFT LOCK BUTTON TO CHANGE THE GEARS. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #782520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Aguilar, CO

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

2 TEETH ON DRIVESHAFT HAVE BROKEN OFF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED THE RUNNING GEARS TO CEASE, AND WHEELS TO LOCKUP. DEALER CLAIMED THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

NHTSA complaint #864390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lynnwood, WA

POWER TRAIN

CAR EXHIBITS A SHUDDER IN THE DRIVE TRAIN - MORE NOTICABLE AT SPEEDS UNDER 55MPH. A PRONOUNCED SHUDDER OCCURS WHEN COASTING OR IN TRAILING THROTTLE BETWEEN 36-44 MPH. DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS JUST A 'CHARACTERISTIC' OF THE MODEL. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE VIBRATION IS CAUSED BY MIS-ASSEMBLED OR IMBALANCED DRIVE TRAIN COMPONENTS AND WILL RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WHEN BEING DRIVEN.

NHTSA complaint #704558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1998 Volvo V70 problems

← Full 1998 Volvo V70 report