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Volvo XC70Model year report

2003 Volvo XC70 Problems

Complaints
24filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
115,552miles, 20 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 2.5L 5-cyl 4WD/AWD · 16 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2003 Volvo XC70 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 24 consumer complaints for the 2003 Volvo XC70. The part named most often is fuel system, with 6 complaints (25% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (5) and air bags (4). 20 of the complaints include a mileage, and 10% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 115,552 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 170 technical service bulletins for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the fuel pump and 3 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 5 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

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.

Example complaints

Fuel system: “I purchased this 2003 Volvo XC70 recently and a few weeks after driving it I noticed a bad smell of gas. I looked around and did not see anything leaking. I kept driving daily and smelled gas every single time the car was on. I became very concerned because I drive with my 6 year old daughter in the car. After some time I noticed that there was a gas leak coming from the passenger side rear and this became a very scary and dangerous situation. I automatically drove to the nearest mechanic shop and got the car looked at. …”

NHTSA complaint #10554719, filed 2013-12, 102,600 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I purchased my (2003) Volvo XC70 in late 2006 from I service it regularly and do routine maintenance checks. About a month ago the car began to jerk and hesitate. I took it to the dealer and was told I needed a new transmission for $5700. The car has 71000 miles on it.”

NHTSA complaint #10427544, filed 2011-09, 71,000 miles

Air bags: “While driving down the road, a car was attempting to make a left-hand turn across four lanes of traffic. The person, apparently, did not see me and struck the side of my vehicle breaking the tire rod and doing extensive damage to the passenger front and back doors. The glove box was even difficult to open. In all of this, the passenger side airbag did not deploy. My son who is 14 and is 170 pounds was sitting in the passenger seat at the time. He is quite sore along his arm and neck. …”

NHTSA complaint #10671821, filed 2015-01, 170,000 miles

Electrical system: “I was driving on the highway when suddenly my gas gauge dropped below empty and all my gauges stopped working including the clock, blinkers, speedometer and the digital information computer panel that indicates how many miles left to a gallon, etc. This was quite dangerous as I could no longer see the speed of travel, how much gas I had left, the time nor could I use my blinkers to indicate lane changes. There was no warning or indication that the speedometer panel would just die out!”

NHTSA complaint #10510254, filed 2013-05, 115,105 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

10% of the 20 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 75,000 and 130,000 miles.

0%0–105%10–255%25–5015%50–7510%75–10050%100–15015%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (20 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 115,552 miles.

Complaints by year filed

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

20032008201066201220142016
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.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2003 Volvo XC70 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
XC70 AWD2.5L 5-cyl5-speed automatic162319$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2003 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. 170 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 170 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

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2003 Volvo XC70 have?

NHTSA recorded 24 consumer complaints for the 2003 Volvo XC70 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2003 Volvo XC70 is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 6 complaints (25% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 5.

Has the 2003 Volvo XC70 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2003 Volvo XC70 get?

The EPA rates the 2003 Volvo XC70 (XC70 AWD, 2.5L 5-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2003 Volvo XC70 reported?

Among the 20 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 115,552 miles and the middle half falls between 75,000 and 130,000 miles; 10% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

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.