1998 Volvo S70 Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report the ABS and traction-control warning lights coming on intermittently, usually with the antilock function dropping out and sometimes with unexpected pedal movement. The next most common themes are intermittent exterior lighting, especially headlight switch problems, and engine stalling or no-start conditions that several shops struggled to diagnose. Complaints tend to appear from roughly 50,000 miles upward, with many reports in the 70,000–120,000 mile range.

1. 1
   Brakes

   ABS/TRACS warning light and module failure

   • 57 complaints (27%)
   • median 77,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (34 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $600 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 1999–2007

   Complaints describe the ABS and TRACS lights illuminating intermittently, sometimes after a brief hum or vibration, with the antilock and traction-control functions unavailable while the light is on. Several owners say dealers or independent shops diagnosed the ABS control module or controller and quoted replacement costs, and some describe the brake pedal dropping or pulsing without being touched. A number of reports note that ordinary braking continued but the antilock feature did not. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 140,000 miles, often appearing intermittently before becoming more frequent.

   What to check: Ask whether the ABS control module has been replaced and keep documentation; watch for the ABS/TRACS lamps during a test drive and after a hard stop, and have the module scanned if they stay lit.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Failure of ABS controller module. My research over the internet and numerous Volvo certified technicians indicate this failure is problematic with the teves 20 ABS module. An internet forum page dealing with the Volvo 850/S70 models is littered with inquiries into this problem. One Volvo technician I corresponded with indicated he had replaced hundreds of these modules over the last several years.”

   NHTSA complaint #10041721, filed 2003-10, 48,000 miles

   “My 1998 Volvo S70 had the ABS module failed. This seems to be a very common problem with the car. Had this failed in rain or snow, the consequences could have been terrible. From what I have read, this is a known problem by Volvo, but they refuse to fix it. The cost is outrageous, over $600.”

   NHTSA complaint #10047202, filed 2003-11, 137,400 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Engine stalls or loses power while driving

   • 19 complaints (9%)
   • median 106,650 mi at 7.8 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • filed 1998–2017

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out without warning, sometimes repeatedly, leaving the car stalled in traffic or an intersection and occasionally failing to restart. Owners report losing power steering assist and that multiple shops, including dealers, could not duplicate or identify the cause; in some cases a failing mass air flow sensor was found and replaced, while others mention ignition lock or turbo work. Mostly reported in the 60,000 to 130,000 mile range, with symptoms described as intermittent over weeks or months.

   What to check: Ask for any service history on the mass air flow sensor, ignition lock and turbo; note whether the check-engine light is on and whether readiness monitors have set before an emissions test.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10940374, filed 2017-01, 124,300 miles

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10137808, filed 2005-09, 93,240 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Timing belt tensioner failure damaging the engine

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the belt tensioner or tensioner pulley failing, which lets the timing belt slip or come off, stopping the engine and in some cases causing major internal damage. Complaints note the failure occurred at highway speed without warning and that repairs ran into the thousands of dollars; some say the timing belt had already been replaced on dealer recommendation. Generally reported between about 88,000 and 112,000 miles, including on cars that had a prior belt replacement.

   What to check: Ask for the timing belt and tensioner service records and the mileage at which they were done; if the history is unclear, have a shop inspect the tensioner and belt before relying on the car.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10182879, filed 2007-02, 88,000 miles

   “My wife's car ('98 S70 t5) stop last week. I took it to the dealer and they said that the tensioner seized up. This caused major damage to the engine about $3500 worth. I got the timing belt changed at 71,000 on the recommendation of the dealership so this type of problem would not happen, but it did anyway. The car now has 108,000 miles. Volvo's corporate customer service called me today and said the they are not responsible due to the mileage of the car and it is far out of warranty. I am awaiting a response from the dealership. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10121252, filed 2005-05, 107,000 miles
4. 4
   Latches, locks and linkages

   Door locks and handles not working

   • 14 complaints (7%)
   • median 74,500 mi at 7.1 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2006

   Complaints describe door locking mechanisms failing so that doors cannot be unlocked with the key fob or interior switch, or cannot be opened from the inside once locked, requiring someone to open them from outside. Owners also mention sticking interior door handles and a door that bounces back instead of closing; dealers recommended replacing lock and window control assemblies on multiple doors. Mostly reported between about 44,000 and 75,000 miles on doors that had been working normally beforehand.

   What to check: Lock and unlock every door with the fob, the interior switch and the key, then check each door opens from inside while locked; ask whether lock assemblies have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The passenger side front door locking mechanism failed. I can no longer unlock the car using the key fob or the interior unlock button, I must reach over and pull the door handle to open the door from the inside.”

   NHTSA complaint #10100073, filed 2004-11, 85,000 miles

   “1) problem with right rear passenger door lock, not unlocking. Must manually unlock from inside of car. 2) driver side door not closing. When attempting to close door it bounces back. The only way to close the door is to force it with body weight.”

   NHTSA complaint #10082217, filed 2004-07, 75,900 miles

Buying note. Given the age and mileage of this model year, a pre-purchase inspection should focus on the ABS/TRACS warning lamps and module history, the headlight switch, door locks, and timing belt and tensioner service records. Clear records for those items are more useful than a low asking price.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.