RoadVitals

2002 Volvo C70

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
5
Latest Jun 19, 2012
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Nov 15, 2006
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Volvo C70, most frequently naming the body & structure, engine and other / unspecified categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 166 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Body & structure116.7%
  • Engine116.7%
  • Other / unspecified116.7%
  • Powertrain (other)116.7%
  • Steering116.7%
  • Transmission116.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
06V441000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Nov 15, 2006
170,099 units potentially affected
The defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES, A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING, AND/OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE A WARNING LAMP TO LIGHT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES.
The risk: THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES GOING INTO THE LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CURRENT SOFTWARE UPGRADE ONTO THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC.Manufacturer number R155View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE05041ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTION

Opened Jul 26, 2005
Closed Dec 7, 2005

PE05-041 WAS OPENED ON JULY, 26, 2005, BASED ON 136 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO ODI ALLEGING THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI HAS NOW RECEIVED 591 COMPLAINTS OF ETM FAILURES WHICH ALLEGE SYMPTOMS WITH POTENTIAL SAFETY RELATED CONSEQUENCES.THESE INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE STALL, VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD WITHOUT ACCELERATOR INPUT, VEHICLE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION AND SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED TRANSITION INTO REDUCED PERFORMANCE OPERATION (LIMP MODE).VOLVO SUBMITTED OVER 2,900 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE ETM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DURING PE05-041.ODI'S PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF A SAMPLE THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 55 PERCENT WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.ODI IS CONTINUING ITS ASSESSMENT OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS. IN NOVEMBER 2005, TO RESOLVE AN INVESTIGATION BY THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, VOLVO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 10 YEARS / 200,000 MILES FOR THE ETM IN APPROXIMATELY 356,000 MODEL YEAR 1999 THROUGH 2002 PASSENGER CARS SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.UNDER VOLVO'S POLICY, VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE ETM FAILURES WILL RECEIVE A VARIETY OF REPAIRS INCLUDING ETM CLEANING, REPROGRAMMING THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ETM. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-021) TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF ETM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 19, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO C70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. SPORADICALLY, IT WOULD SEEM TO SHIFT INTO PARK WHILE ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT EVENTUALLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10462312
Incident
Nov 1, 2011
Mileage
70,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 2, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO C70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT 60,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE FAILS TO SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. WHEN IT FINALLY SHIFTS INTO GEAR, THE VEHICLE JERKS. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF CONSUMERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURES. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ID
10253604
Incident
Feb 20, 2007
Mileage
57,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 21, 2008

DURING SUN ROOF RETRACTION A 30" METAL BRACE FELL FROM THE INTERNAL ROOF SLOT FOR THE SUN ROOF ON MY HEAD. THE METAL MEMBER APPEARS TO BE A STURDY CROSS BRACE HELD IN PLACE BY SOME TYPE OF ADHESIVE. I WAS IMMENSELY DISTRACTED AND WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10246246
Incident
Oct 20, 2008
Mileage
108,550 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 10, 2004

VOLVO C70 - 2002 -- LEAKS POWER-STEERING FLUID SO FAST I CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR. I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO THE VOLVO DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. IT IS UNDRIVEABLE. THE VOLVO COMPANY REFUSES TO GIVE ME ANY ASSISTANCE AS FAR AS REPURCHASING THE CAR. THE DEALER THAT HAS WORKED ON IT HAD NOT GIVEN VOLVO HEADQUARTERS THE REASONS FOR THE CAR BEING IN THEIR SHOP.

NHTSA ID
10086549
Incident
Jan 14, 2004
Mileage
3,500 mi
EngineOther / unspecified
Filed Nov 7, 2002

COOLANT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON VOLVO DEALER NOTIFIED. APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED NEXT DAY. OWNERS' MANUAL INSTRUCTS DO NOT USE COOLANT OTHER THAN VOLVO COOLANT. NEITHER MANUAL NOR DEALER ADVISE NOT TO DRIVE CAR. THAT DAY WHILE DRIVING, OIL LIGHT FLICKERS WHILE STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. ENGINE SEIZED AND DESTROYED. CAR HAD ONLY 2250 MILES AND ONLY 60 DAYS OLD. VOLVO DISCLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY. DT

NHTSA ID
769441
Incident
Oct 31, 2002

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

37809.1.1

This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to easily identify any components that are on prior approval. This TJ will be regularily updated as items are added or removed from prior approval.
 Current items under prior approval are listed in the "Service" section

19245

This is a Technical Journal. Vehicle type and platform identification.

8501

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

This is a Technical Journal: Remote connection, BOMGAR application. Before joining a remote session:
 •Connect a suitable battery maintainer/charger and verify that the battery voltage indicated in VIDA is between 12.5V and 14.9V.
 •Connect to the vehicle over a wired connection using a VOE (Volvo OBD to Ethernet) adapter and perform a NEW vehicle readout.

S10303

Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch Service Action S10303 on certain model year 2025 EX90 vehicles.
 Volvo Car Investigations have identified that there is a pairing issue with the key fob.
 As a result, there is a possibility that the customer’s key fob is not paired to the vehicle.
 The corrective action is to download SP Software.
 S10303 affects 151 vehicles in the U.S and 5 in Canada.

S10303

Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has decided to launch Service Action S10303 on certain model year 2025 EX90 vehicles.
 Volvo Car Investigations have identified that there is a pairing issue with the key fob.
 As a result, there is a possibility that the customer’s key fob is not paired to the vehicle.
 The corrective action is to download SP Software.
 S10303 affects 151 vehicles in the U.S and 5 in Canada.

37175

This is a Technical Journal: Vehicle/Connectivity report checklist. To provide timely and high-quality feedback to the appropriate department or factory

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Volvo C70 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2014000—
2013110027.4
2012231040.6
2011121037.6
2010420—
2009103039.1
2008223061.3
2007174040.6
2006920—
2005000—
2004150036.8
2003400—
2002Viewing511—
2001732—
2000264359.3
1999233351.8
1998741—
1997000—
1996000—
1995000—
1994000—
1993000—
1992000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.