Skip to content
Volvo XC70Model year report

2001 Volvo XC70 Problems

Complaints
66filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
79,000miles, 59 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Volvo XC70 (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe two patterns: an electronic throttle module that leaves the engine surging, stalling or in reduced-power mode, and a transmission that slips, flares or clunks before dealers recommend replacement. Front coil springs snapping, fuel spitting back out of the filler neck during refueling, and occasional cooling-system problems round out the reports, with most complaints filed between roughly 50,000 and 130,000 miles.

  1. Vehicle speed control

    Electronic throttle module (ETM) stalling and reduced power

    • 36 complaints (55%)
    • median 71,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (33 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,016 (median of 17 quotes)
    • filed 2005–2017

    Owners describe the engine losing power without warning, sometimes at highway speed, with a 'Performance reduced' or 'Engine system service urgent' message on the display. Many say the car restarts after sitting a few minutes, then stalls again, and that it may surge or idle unevenly; dealers typically cleaned or reprogrammed the throttle, and in many cases replaced the throttle module/bodies at owner expense. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 100,000 miles, with no clear seasonal pattern in the complaints.

    Recall 06V441000

    What to check: Ask whether the throttle module has been replaced and whether any throttle-related software updates were applied; on a test drive, watch for surging, hesitation or a 'reduced performance' message.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The warning light on the message board of my 2001 Volvo XC70 displayed performance reduced and engine service system urgent . The car lacks appropriate acceleration and shakes as if it were going to stall. After taking it to be repaired, I was informed that the electronic throttle on my car was faulty.”

    NHTSA complaint #10159359, filed 2006-06, 61,900 miles

    “1) in the 6 weeks prior to the failure we had noticed worsening symptoms of what we now know is the failure of the electronic throttle module (etm) in our 2001 Volvo XC70. At highway speeds there would be intermittent surging that was not caused by the driver 2) on sept. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10135573, filed 2005-09, 60,700 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission slipping, flaring and hard shifting

    • 21 complaints (32%)
    • median 95,500 mi at 10.0 yrs old (20 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2006–2012

    Complaints describe the transmission slipping or flaring between gears, the engine revving without corresponding acceleration, and hard clunks when shifting around 20-40 mph or when coming to a stop. Several owners say fluid flushes, valve body work and software downloads did not resolve it, and dealers often told them the transmission needed replacement. Commonly reported from roughly 80,000 miles upward, often around 95,000 to 130,000 miles, during ordinary driving.

    What to check: Check transmission fluid condition and service history, and drive the car through gentle acceleration and stops to feel for slipping, flaring or harsh engagement.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 2001 Volvo XC70. The transmission has been clunking into and out of gear in the 20 - 40 MPH zone since I hit 95000 miles. I have taken it to the dealer who simply reprogrammed the car but the issue is not resolved. The car hesitates when I step on the gas. Sometimes it goes and other times it does not. This makes the car extremely dangerous to drive.”

    NHTSA complaint #10176566, filed 2006-12, 96,000 miles

    “The transmission is slipping between gears 2-3 and 3-4. Mechanics recommends transmission replacement. Car has 94,000 miles. This is a family car and not driven hard. I've had 3 cars over hundred thousand miles and this is the first time I've had a transmission failure on the most expensive care I've owned.”

    NHTSA complaint #10440352, filed 2011-12, 94,000 miles
  3. Suspension

    Front coil spring breakage

    • 5 complaints (8%)
    • median 100,100 mi at 8.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2006–2011

    Owners report a loud noise from the front end and a broken front coil spring, several times on the driver's side, sometimes while the car was parked or being maneuvered at low speed. Complaints describe peeling coating and rust on the lower coils, and some had both springs and seats replaced after corrosion was found. Reported from about 78,000 to 124,000 miles, often noticed at low speed or after the car sat parked.

    What to check: Inspect the front springs for cracked or flaking coating and rust near the lower coils, and listen for clunks or noises over bumps.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The driver side front coil spring on our 2001 Volvo XC70 snapped either while the car was driven into the driveway or while sitting overnight. Backing the car out of the driveway into a dip produced a noise that indicated a serious problem with the front suspension. Upon examining the front suspension I discovered the broken coil spring. The lower portion of the springs powder coat had peeled and the spring had a coating of rust on the lower coil. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10158691, filed 2006-05, 78,900 miles

    “My 2001 Volvo XC70 wagon had the coil spring snap on the driver's side front side. My wife was driving when she heard a loud noise in the front end of the vehicle. I have checked online at Volvo repair sites and it appears this is a fairly common problem with this model car. It is a great concern to me as believe it is a potentially serious safety issue since the broken spring a directly above the front tire, which could cause it to puncture at high speed driving. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10399694, filed 2011-05, 87,000 miles

Buying note. These cars are old enough that service history matters more than mileage: ask specifically about throttle module replacement, transmission work, and front spring condition before buying, and budget for repairs if records are thin.

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.

NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2001 Volvo XC70. 59 of the complaints include a mileage, and 8% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 79,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 167 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Seat belts (1), Body and structure (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “The failure just began at around 100k miles, no specific event. The car lurches when I am pulling into a parking space after I have brought it to a complete stop. Car jerks while down shifting into right hand turns. Car jerks at intersections while slowing down and/or accelerating. I am afraid it is going to jerk forward and hit something that I, as a driver, should not be at risk of hitting. This jerking began intermittently and the car would run more smoothly on the streets after a highway trip of some distance, but now it happens almost constantly and the jerking is more severe. …”

NHTSA complaint #10399312, filed 2011-05, 124,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “Our 01 Volvo v-70 xc had been acting a little off, kind of surging a little while at highway speeds, dealer couldn't find a problem.. So we tried to ignore it. One day a few months ago my wife (8 mo. Pregnant) took the car to the city. Along the way, she was going up a hill on a two-lane highway, when the car started loosing power and finally just quitting right there on the road....no shoulder...cars whizzing by. By the time I got there, the car started fine, so I switched her vehicle and she continued on. …”

NHTSA complaint #10143732, filed 2005-11, 78,000 miles

Engine cooling: “Suspect failure of electronic throttle control module. Vehicle stalls without warning and does not always restart until vehicle cools. A foreign car service technician looked at the problem and informed me that the current electronic throttle control was not functioning in his opinion. On 9/13/05 I called Volvo service representative b.j. Alger at don beyer Volvo, dulles, virginia who advised me to bring it n for repair immediately. …”

NHTSA complaint #10136373, filed 2005-09, 77,480 miles

Fuel system: “This 2001 Volvo XC70 has never failed to start until this occurrence when attempted to start it chugged horribly & engine failure & engine system service urgent code appeared the car died & repeated attempts to star it failed diagnosis reveals a non-service listed issue as we have always had this car properly serviced promptly as needed. The issue is a throttle body failure . According to the Volvo service shop this will cost me $800 to $1000 to fix!! Last january I had to purchase a wire harness for this car that was $1400!! …”

NHTSA complaint #10494710, filed 2013-01, 124,500 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

8% of the 59 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 61,900 and 99,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–258%25–5029%50–7539%75–10019%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (59 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 79,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

20052720072009201120132017
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2001 Volvo XC70 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 167 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 167 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volvo XC70

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2016727,3502—26—Not enough data
2015628,7001—27—Not enough data
2013815,3002—21—Not enough data
20121425,0002—21—Not enough data
20111538,0003—21—Falling
20101528,5005—18—Falling
20091563,2235—18—Falling
20083971,5008—17Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
20072585,3752—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200618101,0002—19—Falling
20052771,1432—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200410190,0003—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200324115,5524—19—Stable
20023581,4424——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20016679,0005——Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Volvo XC70 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Volvo XC70?

Owners of this model year most often describe two patterns: an electronic throttle module that leaves the engine surging, stalling or in reduced-power mode, and a transmission that slips, flares or clunks before dealers recommend replacement. The issues reported most often: Electronic throttle module (ETM) stalling and reduced power; Transmission slipping, flaring and hard shifting; Front coil spring breakage.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Volvo XC70 have?

NHTSA recorded 66 consumer complaints for the 2001 Volvo XC70 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Volvo XC70 is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 21 complaints (32% of the total), followed by vehicle speed control with 15.

Has the 2001 Volvo XC70 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2001 Volvo XC70 reported?

Among the 59 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 79,000 miles and the middle half falls between 61,900 and 99,000 miles; 8% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.