Volvo V70 Reliability
1,177 NHTSA complaints (1996–2010). Complaint rate: 2392.3 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 1998–2004 Volvo V70 (64 crash-related complaints). The 2007–2010 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 V70 Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 154 | 3.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 105 | 1.0% |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 48 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 47 | 0.0% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 40 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 35 | 5.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 34 | 2.9% |
| AIR BAGS | 33 | 18.2% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 30 | 0.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 25 | 8.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 1996View→ |
| 1997GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | 1 | View 1997View→ |
| 1998AVOID | — | 242 | 20 | 9 | View 1998View→ |
| 1999AVOID | — | 220 | 5 | 2 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000AVOID | — | 116 | 14 | 2 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001AVOID | — | 268 | 12 | 3 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002AVOID | — | 91 | 8 | 3 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003AVOID | — | 36 | 1 | — | View 2003View→ |
| 2004AVOID | — | 118 | 4 | 6 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005 | — | 22 | 0 | 1 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006 | — | 23 | 0 | 1 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007GOOD | — | 8 | 0 | 1 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008GOOD | — | 13 | 0 | 2 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009GOOD | — | 8 | 0 | — | View 2009View→ |
| 2010GOOD | — | 6 | 0 | — | View 2010View→ |
See also: Volvo V70accident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Volvo V70?
Check the specific VIN for hidden accidents, title issues, and full vehicle history — just $4.99.
Check VIN Free