Electrical problems, this car eats light bulbs for lunch.
Suspension problems, creaks constantly.
Interior and accessory problems.
Engine problems runs rough in comparison to other cars.
Power steering problems.
Brake problems.
Volvo does not provide loaner car services like other high end makes - some dealers have them, some don't.
Too many others to list, the car has been into the shop at least 30 times while under the "factory" warranty.
Car has had a number of problems since I have owned it. There are simply too many to list.
Volvo and the multiple dealerships I have taken the car to have been very unsympathetic to the problems and have done very little to try and correct a bad situation. The warranty fails to cover a huge amount of defects with the car and the dealerships and Volvo are waiting with open hands ready to collect my money for repairs.
Vehicle was a "Certified Preowned" with a "Volvo Factory Warranty". This was misrepresented to me by the dealer. The vehicle's warranty is not handled by Volvo at all and is almost like a managed health plan for a used vehicle. Volvo Increased Protection is a completely separate company that sells warranty services to almost any used car dealer that can dial their 800 number. This is Volvo's normal warranty for their certified program cars.
Very comfortable with a well designed interior and body.
Great road feel and handling.
Plenty of power in the base model with a manual transmission.
Shockingly bad resale value.
Shockingly bad dealer service.
A great car if you have the time, patience and money to repair it.
Free coffee and danish while you wait in the customer waiting area for your car.
This review is unhelpful. The tone is full of anger and makes little sense.
My S70 has a major oil leak.
Had the rear main seal changed and something is still leaking. shop says it is the turbo.
I must agree. I have the exact list of problems. I have no confidence in this car. I will NEVER buy another Volvo. Too bad this car has lots of potential.
I have had many of the same problems. There is some undiagnosable (by the Volvo dealership and others) flaw in the electrical system that causes bulbs to burn out about once a month. I can't begin to count the number of bulbs we've had to replace. It adds up. A problem in the electrical system also cut off power to the AC compressor. We replace the brake pads every 5,000 miles or so. We don't drive it a lot. It has only 45,000 miles on it, but requires more (and more frequent) repairs than my former car, a 1989 Honda Civic, did when it had 80,000 miles. We have stopped taking it to the dealer for maintenance because it ends up costing us $800-1,000 even though they are unable to diagnose or fix the chronic electrical system problems. No more Volvos for me. In the future, I will pay less and get more.
Program car w/VIP warranty is a good thing. In 2 years repaired/replaced:
ac evaporator $1100
weld door hinge $450
tracs/ABS module $550
thermostat and sending unit $150
master switch windows.
Don't buy one, ever. My car has been in the shop for 9 weeks now and I don't know when I'm ever going to get it back. It blows oxygen sensors left and right. Dealership does not know how to fix it. It was a certified car and I put 60K miles on it before these problems started. I expected more from a Volvo. It has various electrical ghosts, which I don't mind. Antenna is poorly made. Interior is alright. Handles very well for it's size. Potholes feel like ravines when you hit them. Acceleration is all right (I have a manual transmission). You can definitely get more for your money with another car.
1998 Volvo S70 GLT
Front end went bad at 60K
Radiator went bad 90K
Engine Block CRACKED at 93K with no explanation from Volvo
This is an 8K repair, It was a great car... Last Volvo I'll buy.
Absolutely agree with initial review. S70 is a great car... when it works. Too many small mechanical and electrical gripes to list. Volvo service and support is terrible in Toronto. On one occasion drove car back from routine maintenance at authorised Volvo service centre only to find they'd neglected to put any engine oil back in the motor! Do your research before you buy!!! Most modern Volvo owners I've talked to can't believe these things have the Volvo brand on them!
Can somebody please tell me where I can buy this shockingly bad car? I've had my S70 for three years now 151,000 miles so far, and nothing ever goes wrong. Bought at 116,000 with full dealer service history (ex fleet vehicle) It just never has trouble, except maybe one headlight bulb two years ago, ok you got me.
I am looking at a 1998 s70 non-turbo - 109 kilometers / Canada guys!, The wholesale is $9500, retail $11,000 canadian,... Not sure about the move now. I did notice the two rear light covers inside the trunk were off / forgot to be replaced after bulb problems perhaps?. The steering seems tight. Read another site report on O2 sensors. Doesn't look good... too similar for me to proceed.
I had an 850 for 50,000 and no problems. The end came by fluke. Watch for a plugged PVC valve($5 part) this created back pressure and the oil came out the fill cap unoticed on a 2 hour drive. Off ramp was the first indication (oil light came on) and I proceeded to my mechanic. NO OIL - ring scorch!
$5 or $2000??
Wow!!! I wish I would have found this site 6 months ago!
I bought a 1998 S70 (Non-Turbo) Sedan in Jan 04 for $8900. The car had 70K miles. I figured, "it's a Volvo, it will live forever!" WRONG!!! I am $4000 into various repairs and they hits just keep on coming! Here is the repair list so far;
70K mile Service - 700 stinkin dollars!
Brakes (oh yes, PADS and ROTORS!!!) - 900 stinkin dollars!
AC Dye + Recharge (1st repair/looksee) - 225 stinkin dollars!
AC (Repair lines + More Dye + More Coolant!) - 600 stinkin dollars!
AC (Replace Evaporator!?$%#$#! + More Dye + More Coolant) - 1500 unbelievable stinkin dollars!!!
Now, I realize the 70k service is the fault of the stinkin guy that sold it to me (he lied and said all service had been done). However, the AC repairs are ridiculous!!! Also, why is it that every car today needs pads + rotors when doing the brakes? I read another post on this site that said the person is changing the pads every 5k miles, is that a smart thing to do to avoid the $900 every 40k miles?
Anyway, to the guy who posted just before me asking about whether or not he should buy an S70, my opinion is probably not. You can probably minimize your risk going into it by buying a certified pre-owned, but apparently it does not eliminate all risk.
It's a comfy car, but riddled with problems. I will NEVER buy a Volvo again. Man, I miss my BMW.
I have a 1999 and many of these problems still apply in that S70, as well. I am terribly disappointed, especially because I complained about creaking suspension problems and nothing was addressed UNTIL the drive shaft cover needed replacement @ $600. I also, had my power steering lock up on me in the middle of "rush hour" traffic (on my way to a doctor's appointment). My confidence in Volvo's reliability is shattered. How do lemon laws apply to this model? I've checked into it and am considering it. Any thoughts? Or, success?
Despite your concerns with the S70, these problems aren't uncommon for any vehicle. I'm the Parts Manager for our local Volvo dealer and see the concerns every day. I myself just purchased a 98 S70 GLT with complete confidence. The electrical problems you speak of concerning the bulbs aren't an electrical problem at all. The original supplier for the bulbs was providing a low quality product, the replacement bulbs are made by Sylvania and have a much lower failure rate. Yes, it is an annoyance. Same story for the front end suspension creaks. The problem is the front sway bar links. This is a normal problem with all car makes and models... yes even you BMW owners will experience a higher failure rate with this part. The oil leaks are simple (and again not uncommon)...there is a tube that connects the turbo to the oil pan which has seals do fail after a certain ammount of time. All seals go bad on all cars.
A lot of your concerns seem to be rooted with your dealer and not your car. Volvo's standards for customer satisfaction are incredibly steep. Any self-respecting dealer will always attempt to give you the highest service possible. If problems persist, contact the location's general manager. And keep in mind, the dealer's service department is there to fix your car, not to bend over backwards for you because your car needs normal maintinence.
I also read the phrase "It's a Volvo, it'll run forever". This is true. But it also requires work on your part. Any car with over 100,000 miles will start to show signs of wear and require replacement parts. This again, is true with ANY car. Try puting 120,000 mils on a buick and see what your repair costs come to. Your Volvo will run for just about forever, as long as you're willing to stick with it. For comparison, I checked with my companie's BMW dealer for repair costs for a 325i AC/Eveaperator core replacement... that would run you a cool 2,500 dollars. Compared to most other high-end cars, Volvo's repair costs are near the bottom. You're Volvo is what it is. And what it is is a car, just like anything else. My 98 S70 has 142,000 miles on it. And based on driving the car day to day and the problems that I see on a daily basis... I have complete confidence in this car.
Bottom line...bulbs, suspension components, minor oil leaks... if you find a car that doesn't have ANY of these problems, you let me know. Untill then, stop complaining about maintaining your vehicle.
I've just found this sight and am happy to add my two cents, especially after reading the last post. I've just traded in my second Volvo for a Japanese car because of all the problems I've had. I had a 1998 S70 with 60K miles that cost me $3,600 in maintenance and repairs in five years of ownership, including the following:
Speaker Buzz--Never Fixed... they said they couldn't duplicate the problem.
Replaced Left Bulb and Socket Assembly (three times)
Replaced Front Brake Pads and Machine Rotors (2x)
Replaced Tail Light and Right Brake Light Bulbs
Replaced Door Lock Assembly (3x)
Replaced tail lamp bulbs and Front Warning Lamps
Repaired Vacuum Leak
Replaced Drive Belt
Replaced Thermostat and Temperature Sensor
Replaced ABS Brake Module
Front Rear Brake Pads and Rotors
Replaced all four tires (2x)
I was run off the Interstate in 2003 and my S70 was totaled. I will say that the car was a tank and probably saved my life. Given that fact and against my better judgment I purchased a 1999 S80 turbo to replace my original Volvo. It only had 35K miles on it so I thought I was safe buying a used car. In less than one year I've had to replace the following parts:
Rear View Mirror
ABS Brake Module
Turbo Tube Seals
Sunroof Glass Support
Both Inner Tie Rod Ends
Battery (Twice--Not sure why it kept going out)
Four New Tires
Various Emergency Messages Came up constantly. I was told that I wasn't putting the gas cap on tight enough and that's why I kept getting messages. That was not true... I know how to screw on a gas cap. That problem was never fixed.
I finally traded the car because it now has a gas leak and I couldn't afford to fix anything else.
I'm very disappointed because I love the look of the Volvo, but the car is a money pit. Don't buy one!
Also, to the parts manager, my husband drives a 1998 Isuzu Rodeo that has never been in the shop for anything except routine maintenance and tires.
Too bad for Volvo because I was their biggest cheerleader after my accident. Unfortunately for Volvo, my desire to have a reliable car finally outweighed my desire to drive the safest car on the road.
This is a very informative list and I think it should be reviewed by all interested in Volvo ownership. Last week my son bought a 98 S70 GLT with 72K. He loves the car and seems very happy. However, by mid-week the engine lifter noise was such that he took it to an independent Volvo specialist and the problem was diagnosed within 3 minutes. It seems these engines are designed with oiling tubes and "O" rings that fail with low miles on them (one for the Turbo and one for the Cam/lifters). The repair was done in one day and $500. Presently, it runs very quiet and seems to have correct power at the mid to upper RPM ranges. Thursday, he changed the front lights with upgraded bulbs and every time the lights are switched off and back on the front right bulb fails to come on without going under the hood and moving /pressing on the rear connector. Last night I took a look at his car (after he detailed the light problem), and I found the following: This series Volvo is full of plastic body components (i.e., radiator core support, etc) and the right side light housing was not tight. It is my opinion that these cars will have numerous electrical problems due to poor or intermittent ground conditions. By Volvo moving toward plastic body components (previously made of conductive metal materials), the circuit must have the additional ground wire included through a greater portion of the circuit length (i.e., the circuit must have it's ground supplied within the wire harness and not supplied by a separate attachment to the nearest body ground). Additionally, the mountings for other high current demand relays are mounted in plastic. Over the next few weeks we will be adding additional ground wiring points (using 12 ga wire) to all accessories that draw 15 amps or more. Premature electronic component failure in newer cars can often be attributed to poor or floating ground issues that come and go like a bad headache.
Another area that seems marginal on these cars is the cooling system. Since automotive cooling is a large part of my design and manufacturing activities, I will be adding two electric "Pusher Fans" between the front bumper support and the radiator. It is bad enough that the dealers have failed to explain why synthetic oil should be used if at all possible, but Volvo seems unable to lower the operating temperature of these cars. The increased engine and engine compartment heat only serves to shorten both component and engine life. My son has already removed the big Volvo insignia that blocks airflow into the radiator.
The issue of brakes and replacement frequencies will always remain a topic that the dealers do not want to explain or correct. Owners of these and most "front-wheel drive" cars will experience low-life and expensive brake jobs unless they invest in high-performance Pads and in extreme cases, rotors. Since front-wheel drive cars have engine, transmission and differential (or transaxle) all in the front, marginal OEM brake sizes, designs, and parts just don't last. Additionally, some manufacturers have opted to use softer rotor material and harder pad material to increase braking efficiency. This works, but so does the increased deposits to the dealers' accounts.
This was a hard thing for me to watch as my son looked for the perfect car and had to deal with my 2 Lexus LS400's and performance F-Bodies around the house. My cars have 143K (LS400), 203K (LS400), 292K (Camaro Z28), and 136K (Trans Am) with original engines, etc. The LS400s have been the best!!! The Volvo was not a 1st -3rd choice for me. But this was not my choice to make so I will do all that I can to support my son's decision. We will be the upgrade team to make his Volvo a bit better/less problematic. Sorry for the long post!