Volvo C70 Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 188 consumer complaints across the 13 model years of the Volvo C70 (1998–2013) that have at least 5 complaints. 2000 has the most, with 26. Across all years, the part named most often is body and structure (45 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All C70 model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 11 | 75,830 | 0 | 186 | — | Not enough data |
| 2012 | 23 | 60,950 | 1 | 184 | — | Falling |
| 2011 | 13 | 63,000 | 1 | 183 | — | Not enough data |
| 2009 | 10 | 50,000 | 3 | 180 | — | Not enough data |
| 2008 | 22 | 46,000 | 3 | 194 | — | Falling |
| 2007 | 17 | 63,000 | 4 | 204 | — | Falling |
| 2006 | 9 | 30,797 | 2 | 200 | — | Not enough data |
| 2004 | 15 | 73,500 | 0 | 165 | — | Stable |
| 2002 | 5 | 63,500 | 1 | 162 | — | Not enough data |
| 2001 | 7 | 62,227 | 2 | 162 | — | Not enough data |
| 2000 | 26 | 71,000 | 3 | 159 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1999 | 23 | 60,000 | 3 | 149 | — | Stable |
| 1998 | 7 | 83,600 | 4 | 142 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Body and structure45 26%
- Electrical system35 20%
- Other or unknown28 16%
- Vehicle speed control18 10%
- Wheels13 7.5%
- Transmission and drivetrain13 7.5%
- Brakes11 6.4%
- Engine cooling10 5.8%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2012: “We sometimes have difficulty when opening and closing the driver's door. Also, on several occasions when driving a warning light came on indicating the doors were ajar. We were on a highway when it happened. It seems to be related to an issue with the door latch. We were told by the dealer that there was a door latch recall on other Volvo vehicles, but not the C70.”
NHTSA complaint #11341209, filed 2020-07, 52,000 miles2004: “I thoight my tranmission was going at fitst the csr would buck. The other day the csr jumped forward. Raced like briefly. Today my ets light went on. Electronic throttle service light. Reading up on this states problems noted but dealership says I have to pay replacement parts and labor. I feel it should b a recall. This is dadangerous and expensive”
NHTSA complaint #11014058, filed 2017-08, 165,000 miles2008: “Right front door unlatches when I go around a corner while driving intermittently. It has not opened all the way yet but I am certain it was fully closed and latched before the car was in motion. I have heard of other people experiencing the same thing.”
NHTSA complaint #11343962, filed 2020-08, 159,000 milesOther Volvo models
1,531 complaintsVolvo S60
1,263 complaintsVolvo S80
953 complaintsVolvo V70
922 complaintsVolvo XC60
654 complaintsVolvo S70
584 complaintsVolvo 850
566 complaintsVolvo S40
491 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology