RoadVitals

2010 Volvo XC70

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.
15
Latest Nov 23, 2023
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.
5
Latest Jun 30, 2020
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.
0
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.
1
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2010 Volvo XC70, most frequently naming the other / unspecified, powertrain (other) and engine categories. 5 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 247 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

  • Other / unspecified637.5%
  • Powertrain (other)212.5%
  • Engine212.5%
  • Tires & wheels16.3%
  • Transmission16.3%
  • Airbags16.3%
  • Visibility16.3%
  • Interior & seats16.3%

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

5 campaigns 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

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

Jun 30, 2020
308,260 units potentially affected
The defect: Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2008-2016 V70 and XC70, 2007-2016 S80, 2011-2018 S60 and V60, 2016-2018 S60 Cross Country, 2014-2020 S60L, 2009-2015 S80L, 2009-2016 XC60 and 2015-2018 V60 Cross Country vehicles. The flexible steel cable that connects the seat belt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue over time, causing the seat belt to not secure the occupant in the event of a crash.
The risk: An unsecured occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt anchor cable for both front seats. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10029.
Volvo Car USA LLCManufacturer number R10029View on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

Nov 8, 2010
416 units potentially affected
The defect: VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
The risk: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
The remedy: VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BATTERY AND A SPACER WILL BE INSERTED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY NEXT TO THE PCB. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN AT 866-957-1981 OR VISIT GARMIN'S WEBSITE AT WWW.GARMIN.COM/NUVIBATTERYPCBRECALL.
VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC.Manufacturer number R231View on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Oct 13, 2010
9,746 units potentially affected
The defect: VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 S80, XC70, MODEL YEAR 2011 XC60 AND MODEL YEAR 2010 V70 VEHICLES. THERE MAY BE AN INTERMITTENT FAULT IN THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG CLOCKSPRING WIRING CONNECTOR FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM.
The risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY AS INTENDED OR AT ALL, AND THEREFORE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A METAL SHIM IN THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING WIRING CONNECTOR. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC.Manufacturer number R229View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Seat belts
Filed Nov 23, 2023

On two P3 Volvo cars I have owned now, the front passenger and driver side seatbelt release button sometimes does not release the seatbelt, this happens almost daily and requires the button to be forcibly pressed to release, more commonly on the passenger side. Additionally, on two separate occasions, the passenger side seatbelt has slotted into the latch but was loose when tugged on, not being able to support any tension. This happened on both cars that I owned and with different passengers, where we would arrive at our destination and then they would go to press the button and the seatbelt simply disconnected. On my newer P3 car, (With the VIN here) I replaced the seatbelt catch device on the passenger side believing this was an issue with just the car, but the new replacement also had this issue. This is a serious safety issue as it prevents passengers from exiting the vehicle during an emergency and also may give a false sense of safety with the belt being latched, when really the slightest tug releases it.

NHTSA ID
11556601
Incident
Nov 15, 2023
Visibility
Filed Nov 16, 2022

The windscreen seal has failed. Water leaking into the overhead lighting fixture and main cabin. This will ruin the car, and shouldn't happen to any car. The windscreen, when properly attached to the body, contributes to the structural integrity and crashworthiness of the vehicle. If the screen is only partly bonded, any stress could detach it and the upper part of the body would suffer reduced strength integrity. I can push the windscreen out with my hand.

NHTSA ID
11493825
Incident
Oct 1, 2022
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 7, 2022

The contact owns a 2010 Volvo XC70. The contact stated that the rear differential was making an abnormal sound. The bearings were spalling metal into the gears. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.

NHTSA ID
11450730
Incident
Jun 1, 2020
Mileage
95,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 28, 2021

I would appreciate your deepest consideration for assistance with the problematic rear differential on the 2010 XC70 Volvo. I have spent considerable funds to maintain my vehicle at top working order through maintenance at Volvo. I have always asked the Volvo advisors for service recommendations on the vehicle to keep my car running economically to ensure main components did not fail due to lack of maintenance. Therefore, when I learned that my rear differential is failing and there is no recommended service on that particular part which can be seen on the Maintenance Service manual below, there seems to be a lack of knowledge shared on this part. Unfortunately, I just started to look into this matter once my rear differential starting to fail, this knowledge was not shared to me during regular periodic maintenance, my Volvo Service advisors never recommended changing the rear differential oil. Moreover, it is a known defect for Volvo cars built throughout the years of 2008-2014. Volvo and Land Rover use the same part and there are many examples of this happening to Volvo owners around the mid-90K mile range. The cost is extremely expensive at an estimated $5,580.00. Please look in to this matter, this should be a national recall for this vehicle!

NHTSA ID
11434699
Incident
Nov 11, 2019
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 17, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLVO XC70. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED ALERTING OF A CHILD SAFETY LOCK MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO LOCK WITH OR WITHOUT THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK ENGAGED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DOOR LOCK BUTTON HAD TO BE DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES TO ENGAGE THE DOOR LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR LOCK MOTOR FAILED AND A SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS NEEDED FOR THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

NHTSA ID
10945693
Incident
Nov 2, 2016
Mileage
109,000 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 29, 2016

OUR CAR HAS ABOUT 93,000 MILES ON IT. BEGINNING AT 60,000 MILES, THE CAR BEGAN TO USE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. THE LOW OIL INDICATOR COMES ON AND WE NEED TO ADD ONE OR MORE QUARTS OF OIL AT EACH 3,000 TO 3,500 MILES. THE CAR DEALER TELLS US IT IS "NORMAL" FOR SOME CARS TO USE THIS AMOUNT OF OIL AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I NOTICED A RECALL NOTICETSB #TJ30021 COVERED SOME 2011 VOLVO XC 70S FOR OIL LOSS. WHY DOES IT NOT COVER THE 2010 CARS? THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE? I HAVE RECORDS FOR MY OIL CHANGES FROM THE CAR DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID
10928614
Incident
Sep 15, 2014
Other / unspecified
Filed Jan 6, 2015

SAFETY ISSUE THE TIRE PRESSURE LABEL ON OUR XC70 (VIN: [XXX]) LIST THE PROPER TIRE PRESSURE AS BEING 33 PSI. AT THIS PRESSURE THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. THIS RENDERS THE FEDERAL MANDATED TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM ESSENTIALLY NON-FUNCTIONING AND PLACES THE DRIVER AT RISK. VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA HAS REVIEWED THIS ISSUE AND HAS CONFIRMED THE 33 PSI VALUE, NOT THE HIGHER VALUE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, IS CORRECT. VOLVO HAS CONFIRMED THEIR RECALL TO REPLACE THE INCORRECT 33 PSI LABELS ON THE 08-10 XC70 DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS VEHICLE. SINCE PROPER TIRE PRESSURE AND THE TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN SAFE DRIVING, VOLVO NEED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
10670523
Incident
Mar 1, 2010
Mileage
500 mi
Other / unspecified
Filed Jul 23, 2014

CAR JACK FAILED DURING TIRE CHANGING. THE CAR JACK FAILED CAUSING JACK TO BEND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10615718
Incident
Jul 19, 2014
Mileage
60,230 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

35526.1.8

ENGINE

This is a Technical Journal: Text plus 2 PDFs and 1 .PNG Oil Consumption test. Perform the test. Follow service procedure
 Description and Service sections updated to clarify that vehicle reports are not required.

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.

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 XC70 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2017000
2016720
2015610
2014220
2013820
2012142038.0
2011153044.3
2010Viewing155047.1
2009155049.0
2008398048.6
2007252043.1
2006183039.1
2005273045.3
20041014047.8
2003245044.2
2002354148.3
2001665150.0
2000000
1999000

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.