Your vehicle report
1998 Volvo V70
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 187
- Received Dec 1997 to Oct 2016
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up30 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Seat belt fails to latch or retract13 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Headlights dim or fail at night13 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #04V504000On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, over an extended period of time, the headlight switch may cease to function.
- Recall #00V405000Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. There could be inadequate contact between the bulb and socket which could cause the front turn signal not to function as designed.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 10 crashes, 7 fires, 15 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 17 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
- Headlights dim or fail at night
- Turn signals work intermittently or fail
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 2 |
| 1998 | 21 |
| 1999 | 42 |
| 2000 | 20 |
| 2001 | 8 |
| 2002 | 23 |
| 2003 | 25 |
| 2004 | 10 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 187 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 30 | 16% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 13 | 7.0% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 13 | 7.0% | – | NHTSA recall #04V504000, #99V235000 |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 10 | 5.3% | – | |
| Turn signals work intermittently or fail | 8 | 4.3% | – | NHTSA recall #00V405000 |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 8 | 4.3% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 7 | 3.7% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 3.7% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 7 | 3.7% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 5 | 2.7% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 4 | 2.1% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 2.1% | – | |
| Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration | 4 | 2.1% | – | |
| Tailgate or trunk latch fails | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 3 | 1.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #04V504000October 21, 200497,000 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights: switch
On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, over an extended period of time, the headlight switch may cease to function.
The head lights may not operate properly which could result in intermittent or no headlight function. This could impair a driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
On vehicles with an original oem switch, dealers will replace the headlight switch. All other vehicles will be inspected to determine if the switch has een damaged and replace only if necessary. The recall began on january 24, 2005. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
NHTSA recall #00V405000December 6, 2000245,894 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: turn signal
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. There could be inadequate contact between the bulb and socket which could cause the front turn signal not to function as designed.
This would fail to warn an approaching driver that the vehicle is turning and could lead to a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the left and right front turn signal bulb and socket.
NHTSA recall #99V235000August 30, 1999139,588 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights: switch
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Operation of the headlight switch, over an extended period of time, Can result in inconsistent operation of the switch.
Driver's could experience a loss of visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the headlight switch.
NHTSA recall #99V236000August 30, 1999124,381 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The frontal passenger air bag may be overly sensitive to certain electrostatic discharge.
This could possibly cause an inadvertent deployment.
Remedy
Dealers will install an additional ground wire in the passenger side to assure sufficient grounding.
NHTSA recall #98V254000October 14, 199850,835 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Vehicle description: station wagons equipped with third seats. Users of the third seat, when exiting the vehicle, Can come in contact with the tailpipe.
Contact with the tailpipe Can result in personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the length of the vehicle's tailpipe and, if necessary, repair the tailpipe.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1998 Volvo V70.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN