Volvo S70 Reliability
780 NHTSA complaints (1995–2002). Complaint rate: 11470.6 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1998 Volvo S70. The 2002 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Volvo S70 Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 143 | 3.5% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 87 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 38 | 2.6% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 27 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 23 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 19 | 0.0% |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 16 | 68.8% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL | 16 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 14 | 0.0% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 14 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995GOOD | — | 3 | 2 | — | View 1995View→ |
| 1997GOOD | — | 4 | 0 | — | View 1997View→ |
| 1998AVOID | — | 317 | 11 | 5 | View 1998View→ |
| 1999 | — | 257 | 13 | 1 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000 | — | 196 | 10 | 1 | View 2000View→ |
| 2002GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 2002View→ |
See also: Volvo S70accident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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