1998 Volvo S70 Owner Complaints

I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SEARS AUTO CENTER AT 1178 EL CAMINO REAL IN SAN BRUNO, CALIFORNIA (SEARS STORE #6909) ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 FOR FRONT BRAKES. SEARS RETURNED THE CAR TO ME ON 9/2/18 (A COPY OF MY "FINAL INVOICE" IS ENCLOSED). I SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THAT THE DUST BOOT FOR THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER IS MISSING. I RETURNED TO SEARS ON SEPTEMBER 10 AND TOLD THE MANAGER IN CHARGE, MR. HOLLOWAY, THAT I HAD LEARNED - FROM ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO HAD BEEN DOING OTHER FRONT END WORK - THAT THE DUST BOOT WAS MISSING AND THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE COMPONENT PARTS OF THE BRAKE CALIPER SYSTEM (DESIGNED TO KEEP DEBRIS AND MOISTURE OUT OF THE BRAKE CALIPER). SEARS RE-INSPECTED MY VEHICLE ON SEPTEMBER 10 AND CONFIRMED THAT THE DUST BOOT IS MISSING. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEPARTMENT MANAGER (MR. JULIO ESTRADA) WOULD NEED TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION. ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2018, THE MANAGER OF THE SEARS AUTO CENTER - MR. JULIO ESTRADA - REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT SEARS' EXPENSE. I BELIEVE THAT SEARS WAS NEGLIGENT AND ASK THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATE THE CONDUCT OF SEARS AUTO CENTER.

NHTSA ID

11129516

Incident

Sep 2, 2018

Mileage

20 mi

THE PLASTIC HANDLE OF THE OIL DIPSTICK CAME OFF CAUSING HALF OF THE OIL DIPSTICK TO BE IN THE DIPSTICK TUBE THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING IT HAPPENED WHILE CHECKING THE OIL LEVEL MAKING SURE THERE WAS OIL IN THE CAR MAKING SURE THAT THE ENGINE WILL NOT SEIZE WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ID

11080411

Incident

Mar 20, 2018

Mileage

137,500 mi

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE DIM I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS WITH BRIGHTER BULBS AND THEY ARE STILL DIM I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH THE FOG LIGHTS ON ALL THE TIME IN ORDER TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.

NHTSA ID

10947858

Incident

Jan 26, 2017

Mileage

125,000 mi

I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED DECEMBER 16 2016 KNOWING IT NEEDED A LOT OF WORK. I HAVE SINCE GOTTEN ALL THE REPAIRS DONE ON JAN 4TH 2017. I NOW NEED TO GET THE CAR EMISSION TESTED AFTER DRIVING 200 MILES THE READINESS MONITORS ARE STILL NOT SET AND HAVE SINCE REPAIRED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND STILL CAN NOT GET AN EMISSIONS TEST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10940374

Incident

Jan 7, 2016

Mileage

124,300 mi

KEY STUCK IN IGNITION,&ACCELEROMETER, CAUSES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON

NHTSA ID

10783554

Incident

Aug 12, 2014

Mileage

155,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLVO S70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, WHICH ALSO FAILED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

NHTSA ID

10763454

Incident

Sep 14, 2015

Mileage

165,000 mi

KEY WILL NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10712552

Incident

Mar 3, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

AS I WAS PULLING OUT ONTO A BUSY STREET, MY SEATBELT LET GO, SPONTANEOUSLY RELEASED ITSELF! IT DOES THIS 2-3 TIMES IN A ROW. WHEN I HEAR THE SOUND OF A SEATBELT BUCKLE CLICKING (AFTER I FASTEN MINE, SOUND SEEMS TO COME FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE!) THEN I KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO RELEASE AGAIN. AT LEAST NOT TIL AFTER I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND THEN START IT AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10680360

Incident

Sep 9, 2014

Mileage

148,500 mi

UPON ACCELERATING UP THE HILL OF MY STREET, TODAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2011, MY CAR, A 1998 VOLVO S70 , SPED UP, UNNATURALLY, CLOSE TO THE TOP . I HAD JUST DRIVEN OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, AS I BACK INTO IT ALWAYS, AND PROCEEDED UP THE HILL. AS USUAL, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DOWN AS THE CAR APPROACHED A STEEPER PORTION OF THE HILL. WHEN BRAKING FOR THE STOP SIGN AT THE TOP, I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP FULLY AT THE STOP SIGN, AND AFTER GOING AROUND THE CORNER TO THE RIGHT, I PULLED THE FLOOR MAT AWAY FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MY LEFT FOOT WAS NOW FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AS WELL AS MY RIGHT FOOT QUICKLY PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL , ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE GAS PEDAL UNSTUCK, WHICH IT DIDN'T. IT JUST MADE THE CAR ENGINE CONTINUOUSLY RACE EVEN MORE. THE RPM'S INCREASED ALSO THE MORE THAT THE ENGINE RACED. UNABLE TO FULLY STOP AT THE NEXT SUBSEQUENT 2 STOP SIGNS, ON A STRAIGHT AWAY, AND MY LEFT FOOT TO THE FLOOR WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL, I FINALLY DECIDED TO PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE RACING AT WHAT SEEMED A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED BY EVIDENCE OF THOSE RPM'S. I CONTINUED TO PUMP THE GAS PEDAL,WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN SUDDENLY THE RACING CEASED, AND THE RPM'S CAME DOWN TO AN IDLE, JUST BELOW 1000, I BELIEVE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND STOPPED. AFTER A BIT, I PLACED THE CAR FROM NEUTRAL INTO PARK, AND THEN AGAIN SHIFTED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE. I BEGAN MOVING DOWN A HILL BY MERE IDLING SPEED. I WAS CAREFUL, JUST COASTING NOW, NOT TO INITIALLY PLACE ANY PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR AS I PROCEEDED IN DRIVE. I CAME TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, FOR A RED SIGNAL LIGHT, AND WHEN IT WAS GREEN, I DROVE BACK AROUND A LARGE CITY BLOCK TO MY DRIVEWAY. I BACKED INTO MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO FURTHER ISSUES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION DURING THE FINAL DISTANCE DRIVEN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 OTHER TIMES RECENTLY WHEN SETTING CRUISE CONTROL GOING UP A HILL.*KB

NHTSA ID

10419690

Incident

Aug 16, 2011

Mileage

77,494 mi

EXCESSIVE TIRE NOISE AND WEAR. *TT

NHTSA ID

10412410

Incident

Jan 1, 2011

FRONT AXLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE SPLIT IN TWO THROUGH THE CROSS-SECTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10231060

Incident

Jun 1, 2008

Mileage

105,000 mi

I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO S70 WHICH HAS ABS/TRAC LIGHT PROBLEMS. I'VE BEEN HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THIS WHERE THE INDICATOR LIGHTS COME ON AND THE ABS WILL SOMETIMES PULSATE AND IT MAKES A TERRIBLE NOISE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHEN THE ABS INDICATOR IS ON, I DON'T HAVE ABS BRAKES. IT APPEARS FROM THE VOLVO BRICKBOARD THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY (BESIDES THE FACT THAT IT IS SCARY WHEN THE BRAKES START GOING) AND THINK VOLVO SHOULD MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. IT APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE ONLY ON THIS YEAR/MAKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207804

Incident

Jul 17, 2007

REPLACED TIMING BELT AT 76,000 MI. PER VOLVO MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. AT 107,000 MI. TIMING BELT TENSIONER AND PULLEY FAILURE RESULTING IN TIMING BELT SLIPPING OFF AND CAUSING MASSIVE VALVE DAMAGE. THANKFULLY, VOLVO OF NA SERVICE STEPPED UP AS DID DARELL WALTRIP VOLVO AND HELPED TO COVER OVER HALF OF THE $4,600 IN DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED. STILL I WAS STUCK WITH A $2,000 UNEXPECTED REPAIR BILL. ATTENTION - 1998 VOLVO S70 OWNERS AND ALL INTERFERENCE ENGINE OWNERS WITH TIMING BELTS NOTE REPLACE YOUR TENSIONERS AND PULLEYS WHEN YOU REPLACE THE BELT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10202373

Incident

Aug 21, 2007

I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO S70 WITH ABOUT 88K MILES ON IT. I HAD A LOT OF WORK DONE ON IT DEC 20, 2006 INCLUDING REPLACING THE TIMING BELT. ON 2/15, WE WERE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED - WE LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKING, ETC. WE MANAGED TO SLOW THE CAR AND GET INTO A PARKING LOT AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, JORDAN VOLVO IN MISHAWAKA, IN. WE FOUND THAT THE TENSIONER HAD FAILED CAUSING THE TIMING BELT TO SLIP OFF AND CAUSE WHAT APPEARS TO BE VERY MATERIAL (RETAIL AROUND $4K) WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. VOLVO RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE TENSIONER AT 105K MILES I BELIEVE, BUT I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS CASES ON MESSAGE BOARDS OF PEOPLE HAVING THEIR TIMING BELT BUT NOT TENSIONER REPLACED AND THEN HAVING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE NOT ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED, OR ALONG SIDE THE ROAD (IT WAS PROBABLY 5 DEGREES OUT). THE DEALERSHIP HAS OFFERED TO REPAIR THE CAR AT 1/2 PRICE, BUT MAINTAIN THAT THEY FOLLOWED VOLVO'S PROCEDURES. I CALLED MY OLD MECHANIC IN CHICAGO AND HE SAID THAT 90% OF THE TIME HE REPLACES THE TENSIONER TO AVOID JUST WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. WE WERE NOT EVEN WARNED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS HAPPENING NOR GIVEN THE OPTION TO DECLINE THE SERVICE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10182879

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

Mileage

88,000 mi

ABS BRAKE UNIT FAILED AT 60K MILES; ALL SERVICE WAS DONE AT DEALER. DOZENS AND DOZENS OF OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS TO NHTSA FOR EXACT SAME MAKE AND MODEL. NHTS SEEMS POWERLESS TO TAKE ON THIS ISSUE. HOW MANY DEATHS WILL IT TAKE TO GET SOME ACTION? VOLVO DEALERS AND FORD KNOW WELL THE PROBLEM -- JUST COUNT THE CASH THEY ARE MAKING ON THE REPLACEMENTS, AND THEN MULTIPLY BY 10 BECAUSE MOST ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY $1,000 FOR A $200 PART. *NM

NHTSA ID

10177631

Incident

Aug 13, 2005

Mileage

60,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED WHILE THE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THERE WAS A FAILURE OF THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. ALSO, THE DEALER DETERMINED THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10176382

Incident

Dec 18, 2006

Mileage

78,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED CAUSING BOTH COMPONENTS TO BE INOPERABLE. THIS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED BOTH SYSTEMS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 10/31/2006 -*NM

NHTSA ID

10168756

Incident

Sep 20, 2006

Mileage

76,000 mi

THROTTLE STUCK FULL OPEN WHILE DRIVING!!! THE CAR NEEDED TO BE TURNED OFF TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM REVVING TO MAXIMUM RPM. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED IN ONE YEAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10167072

Incident

Aug 30, 2006

Mileage

90,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ONCE THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND BOTH REAR DOORS ARE LOCKED, THEY CAN NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. IN ORDER FOR OCCUPANTS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, WHILE THE DOORS ARE LOCKED, THE DOOR MUST BE OPENED BY SOMEONE FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE AUTO WINDOW CONTROL AND LOCKS ON ALL THREE DOORS. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK FAILED PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE AUTO WINDOW CONTROLS AND LOCK TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE LOCK FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10158016

Incident

May 20, 2006

Mileage

74,000 mi

CONSUMER 1998 S70 ENGINE HAS FAILED ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, TIMING BELT SERPENTINE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS A PREMATURE FAILURE. THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. THE FRONT SPRING SEAT WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10151956

Incident

Oct 9, 2004

Mileage

101,958 mi

THE ABS ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM IN MY 1998 VOLVO S70 FAILED. THE DASHBOARD LIGHT INDICATED ABS & TRACTION CONTROL (TRACS) FAILURE. NORMAL NON-ABS BRAKING REMAINED. RESEARCH ON SEVERAL VOLVO OWNERS WEB SITES (SUCH AS BRICKBOARD: HTTP://WWW.BRICKBOARD.COM/AWD/?MODEL=S70) SHOWED SYSTEMIC FAILURE OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE VOLVO PART # 9162675 DUE TO PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD SOLDER CRACKING AFTER 6 YEARS. THE CAR WAS TESTED BY A VOLVO DEALER CONFIRMING ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILEDURE. VOLVO CHARGES A TOTAL $650 TO REPLACE THE UNIT. THE "BRICKBOARD" OWNERS GROUP SUGGESTED A REPAIR SHOP IN CALIFORNIA THAT RESOLDERS THE CIRCUIT BOARD, REPLACES AND UPGRADES FAILED COMPONENTS, TESTS & RETURNS IT FOR $130 PLUS SHIPPING. WE HAD THE OLD BOARD REPAIRED, SINCE A NEW EXACT REPLACEMENT BOARD FROM VOLVO WOULD HAVE THE SAME FAILURE AFTER ANOTHER 5 YEARS. THE REPAIRED ABS CONTROL UNIT HAS BEEN REINSTALLED & THE CAR NOW WORKS PROPERLY, WITH FULL ABS AND TRACS CONTROL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST PRINTED CIRCUIT FAILURE FROM VOLVO. OUR 1993 VOLVO 940 TURBO HAD TWO BOARD FAILURES: 1, THE RELAY BASE BOARD SOLDER CRACKED, AND RESULTED IN THE OVERDRIVE RELAY NOT WORKING; 2, CRUISE CONTROL OPERATED ERRATICALLY, DUE TO BAD BOARD SOLDER. BOTH OF THESE BOARDS WERE REPAIRED BY OUR LOCAL SERVICE SHOP. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT TWO CRITICAL SAFETY ELEMENTS - THE ABS SYSTEM AND TRACTION CONTROL - ARE FAILING IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, & BECAUSE OF A FAILURE OF WHAT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE ASSEMBLY OF TESTED PARTS. FURTHER, WE ARE MOST DISTURBED THAT VOLVO'S REMEDY IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT, WITH THE SAME FAILURE PRONE PART. WORSE, ALTHOUGH WE OPTED FOR A COMPLETE REPAIR, THERE ARE OWNERS WHO CANNOT AFFORD THE FIX. THESE WILL BE DRIVING WITH FAR LESS BRAKING AND CONTROL THAN THE CAR IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144606

Incident

Oct 23, 2005

Mileage

73,000 mi

DT: THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER, IT SHUTS DOWN. USUALLY IT WILL START BACK. CAN CUT ACROSS TRAFFIC, AND IT WILL JUST STALL. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY PUT DIFFERENT PARTS ON IT TO NARROW DOWN THE PROBLEM. THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AFTER IT STALLS. BACK IN JANUARY THE TURBO WENT IT OUT AND THEY REPLACED IT. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL SKIPPING. THIS STARTED HAPPENING AROUND JANUARY 15, 2005. *NM THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10130962

Incident

Jan 15, 2005

Mileage

117,000 mi

I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO S 70 WHICH HAS FAILED DC INSPECTION BECAUSE THE OBD SCANNER USED BY THE DMV CANNOT GET A READOUT FOR CATALYTIC CONVERTER, OXYGEN SENSOR AND A COUPLE OF OTHER EMISSIONS RELATED ITEMS. THE CAR ECU SIGNALS "NOT READY". THE CAR RUNS FINE. WE HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR IN ACCORD WITH VOLVO'S RECOMMENDED "STRUCTURED DRIVE" WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO RESET THE COMPUTER. THIS DID NOT WORK. ONE VOLVO SHOP BELIEVES THE ECU IS FAULTY. ANOTHER SAYS THE ECU IS FINE AND ITS THE SCANNER'S INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE ECU THAT IS AT FAULT. THIS SHOP ALSO REPORTS THAT HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL SIMILAR MODEL VOLVOS OVER THE PAST MONTH OR TWO WITH THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. MEANWHILE DV DMV SAYS THEY CANNOT PASS THIS CAR UNLESS THEIR SCANNER GETS POSITIVE AND ACCEPTABLE READINGS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10139976

Incident

Sep 22, 2005

ENGINE STALLED LEAVING ME STRANDED IN AN INTERSECTION IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. POLICE OFFICER HAD TO PUSH ME OFF THE STREET BECAUSE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. DEALER STILL HAS NOT IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10137808

Incident

Jul 28, 2005

Mileage

93,240 mi

1998 VOLVO S70 LOST POWER THEN STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES (9) WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY JULY 27, 2005 . I AM CONCERNED ABOUT DANGER OF STALLING IN TRAFFIC AND GETTING REAR ENDED OR IF STALLS IN INTERSECTION. OR BEING STRANDED. WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND "FAILING MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR". THEY REPLACED IT AND IT RUNS FINE NOW. OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. BUT SERVICE AND REPAIR COST $369.20. I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE OTHER S70 OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM ON MYCARSTATS.COM AND AN ARTICLE IN CARANDDRIVER.COM.*JB

NHTSA ID

10136617

Incident

Jul 27, 2005

Mileage

93,955 mi