Volvo S70

volvonation · March 2005

I was wondering if anyone here might have directions for replacing the speakers in a 98 s70 glt. I'm planning on replacing them with blaupunkt. Also I was wondering if anyone knew of a head unit that could control an ipod, has sub preouts, plays mp3 and is of good quality. Thank you very much for your help.

qbrozen · March 2005

Just in case nobody has an answer for you here, volvonation, I wanted to post so you know you aren't being ignored.

In any case, you may want to look through the reference and maintenance sections on volvospeed - i believe they have some radio and speaker instructions on there that may help you. AND/OR, try a place like crutchfield for head unit ideas.

bowmanza · March 2005

How would one go about replacing an antenna mast? And I went to the Gates website, but I didnt see what it was that you were talking about. Thanks for the imput!

volvomarc · March 2005

I have a 2000 S70 SE. My driver door latch to open my fuel door and truck does not work. I understand that there is no emergency fuel door release. Could it be a fuse? Before I run out of gas and bust open the door, anyone have any advice?

volvonation · March 2005

Thanks gbrozen. I'll have a look at that site. I've looked at crutchfield but I've had issues with them in the past as they didn't always send me the wiring kits with the stereo. They also don't have any radios that are factory fit but all need to be modified. Do you happen to know of any stereos that will take the entire space the factory radio takes up?
Thanks again for your help

reds70 · March 2005

have a 99 S70 with over 100k, is a transmission flush recommended? I called a couple dealerships and one said they could charge me $350 but another said that Volvo does not recommend a transmission flush under normal driving conditions? my mechanic, though he doesnt work with volvos often, suggested that the fluid was dirty. Car drives fine, a little rough btwn 3rd and 4th somtimes, but over all, very smooth. Any suggestions?

qbrozen · March 2005

100%, without a doubt, yes! You didn't say what model you have, but I can tell you that the T5 tranny needs to be serviced every 30K miles to operate properly (starts slipping otherwise). I had problems start at 60K and my dealer didn't know what to do. After reading some message boards, I finally asked them to do a tranny service. After it was done, even the tech finally admitted he could feel a huge difference in the car. So now I've done it every 30K since then. Its $79 at either my dealer or independent Volvo mechanic.

qbrozen · March 2005

not a problem. I hope you find what you're looking for. The stereo in the Volvo is a standard double-din. Meaning it is double a standard stereo. There are a few double-din setups out there, but a great number of owners have purchased 2 separate units that work together (like an equalizer and CD-player, for instance).

qbrozen · March 2005

i did this last year. Its not very easy. What you need to do is remove the nut from the top of the fender and pull the whole power antenna assembly off from inside the trunk and disconnect it. Then you need to disassemble it. Its just one nut holding the black plastic case together. Problem is that its loaded up like a spring.

When you pull that case apart ... *boing* ... the nylon toothed line unravels and shoots out of there. So then you pull the mast and nylon line out and stick in your new one. Then the almost impossible task ensues of trying to wind the line back up and hold it there while trying to get the plastic case back together. With some patience, you'll get it. By the way, in case you haven't found it, I got the mast off alloemautoparts.com. Pretty good place for alot of stock volvo stuff. The process is a pain, but the savings over buying a complete new power antenna is pretty significant (don't remember exactly, but I believe we're talking $75-$100).

stevelab · April 2005

I have a 2000 S70, which the dealer wants to charge me $700 to do a 60,000 mile check up on. I think this would include things like spark plugs, wires, etc. Can this be done less expensively elsewhere. What exactly is on the list of things to do at 60,000 miles so I don't miss anything? How much should it REALLY cost to do this stuff? It can't possibly cost this much in the REAL world. Thanks.

volvomax · April 2005

Your maintenance booklet has a section that describes each of the services for your car.
An independent Volvo shop might save you $100 or so, maybe a little more depending on their labor rate. Parts won't be any cheaper.

qbrozen · April 2005

Well, i just looked up your maintenance schedule, which you can also do on volvo's website here:
http://www.volvocars.us/_Tier2/Owners/Library.htm

Your 60k service should only involve new plugs, belts, air filter, and an oil change. What you need to do is find out what the DEALER's 60k service includes. They typically add many things that are not suggested by volvo. If you stick to the suggested maintenance in the manual, I don't see how it could possibly go over $400 (I'm estimating as follows: $30/plugs, $80/belts, $30/air filter, $50/oil change, 2 hours labor/$190 = $380 total .... and that's all pretty high, i mean, 2 hours labor would be ridiculous, but they COULD charge it, I suppose).

I would search for an independent mechanic with alot of volvo experience.

pat · April 2005

can also be accessed by going to the home page of Edmunds.com, then to the Tips & Advice tab, and then to the Maintenance Costs link, which you will see directly beneath the tabs. Filling in the vehicle details will get you tons of info.

qbrozen · April 2005

Seems to be a nice little tool, however, I've NEVER been charged "22 cents" or "87 cents" for labor. IIRC, my volvo dealer charges $95 per hour and only works in half-hour increments. So going in there and asking them to check your brake fluid for "$1.79" or whatever, is just not going to fly.

pat · April 2005

Okay -- why don't you go to the Feedback link at the top of the page and tell them that ... then let us know what you find out.

volvodriver1 · April 2005

I need some help...lately I have been feeling some sort of hesitation when I hit the gas from a stop. It feels like it is skipping or like the breaks are holding the tires.. Any ideas what could be causing this?

I also have have been hearing this sound coming from the front right tire. It happens when I go over bumps...it does not sound like the typical squeek you would expect from shocks... It is not a loud sound more like a low thumping..
Any ideas????

stevelab · April 2005

First, thanks to everyone who were so helpful about the 60k check-up for the 2000 S70. The manual doesn't seem to call for any transmission fluid change or radiator coolant flush --EVER. I don't have a turbo charger. When, if ever, should I change out the transmission fluid and the radiator coolant? Are there other important maintenance items that are not listed in the manual? Why aren't these items included in the published Volvo list? Thanks again for your help. Steve.

qbrozen · April 2005

I'm not sure why those items aren't in the manual.

60K is a good time to do both, in my opinion, however. Not having a turbo may prevent you from having the tranny issues I have with my T5, which require I change the tranny fluid every 30K, but I think every 60k would be a good practice for even the non-turbo.

By the way, each of those is $79 at my independent volvo mechanic. So that would bring my highest estimate up to $540 total.

qbrozen · April 2005

I don't think I can help with your hesitation (non-turbo?), but the sound you hear is most likely one of 2 things, either the swaybar endlinks or spring mounts. Swaybar endlinks are very cheap and very easy to replace and are a very common failure on our cars, so I would just go ahead and swap those out first. If the problem persists, then you have the bigger problem of upper spring mounts (still not a big deal, but definitely much more labor-instensive to fix). good luck.

qbrozen · April 2005

thanks for the suggestion, Pat. If I wasn't so darned lazy, I'd do it.

volvodriver1 · April 2005

Thanks for the heads up on the swaybar....
As for the hesitation, it is not turbo...I feel like it might be the fuel injectors..but I am just not sure...Like I said, the hesitation does not happen everytime I pull off from a red light, I thought it could be junk gas...but I ran that tank completely out and refilled it, it's still happening.

qbrozen · April 2005

how many miles do you have and have you kept up with all maintenance?

what grade gas do you run?

when you ran that tank of gas out, did you fill up at a different station?

you could need a fuel injection cleaning. The dealer did tell me they don't clean the injectors on these cars, though. I wonder if every dealer would say that.

volvomax · April 2005

I think that your labor calculation need re-thinking.
Everyone in the car repair business uses the same labor guides, which are broken into half hour increments.
Also, labor time doesn't necessarily mean real time.
Changing plugs may be billable at 1 hour, yet only take 15 minutes.
The only difference is in the hourly rate of each shop.
Dealers tend to have a higher hourly rate than an independent.

volvodriver1 · April 2005

I have 115,000 mile and I have kept up with the maintainence regularly.
As for the gas, I did fill it up at a new station and I am using regular, which I always have.

I know that they recommend the higher test, but I have not done that.

I greatly dislike my dealer and have had difficulty finding anyone else that can do quality work on them...

mesincity · April 2005

repsonse to post #95;

we recently replaced our michelins with falken ziex ze-512's...they were actually rated fairly high in consumer reports either last year or the previous year...seemed pretty reasonable...i think we paid somewhere in the low-$80's or high-$70's for them...the other thing we did, which i haven't noticed as a post yet...was went witha lower profile tire vs. factory spec. and that's greatly reduced the wheel well "rubbing" or whatever that sound was, when the steering was turned (it seemed to happen more frequently when turned to the left) full-lock or close to...hope that helps

mesincity · April 2005

volvoscott-

where are you located? we live in las vegas , nv and will be looking for a good non-dealer service shop in the near future (i.e. once the certified warranty is up)

i can be reached at:

mesincity@hotmail.com

anyone else have any thoughts on this, for that matter?

lancerfixer · April 2005

I had a similar problem on my old 740, and the culprit was bad spark plug wires. Changed the cap/rotor/plugs/wires, and everything was fine again. The '98s are the last year to use the "old" ignition system and mechanical throttle; mechanically, '98 S70s are much more similar to the 850 model than they are to the '99s and later. I bought a '98 S70 for just this reason.

I'd try this first, but another possible culprit could be a bad fuel filter.

I don't know how handy/confident you are around tools, but the tuneup is an easy DIY job, especially with the non-turbo (no intercooler pipe to remove first.) If not, any competent mechanic should be able to do this for you; they really needn't be a Volvo specialist for something this simple. Good luck.

ellenk · April 2005

Hello All,
I just bought my first Volvo: a used 1998, S-70 GLT, w/ 90,000 miles on it. I am excited and (realistically) looking forward to owning it. I am a cautious optimist. I work as an overnight animal-and-house sitter in W. Pennsylvania and I drive to folk's homes, but mostly I drive for pleasure -- doing errands, etc.

I have a question for any/all: How can I best take care of this wonderful car? I want to keep it a long time. Please answer - or direct me to a good site.
I thank you in advance for your help. I'm sure I'll have more questions.

I see that there's been a recall for the "master light switch" in 10-04. I am not certain if this has been done.

Ellen K.
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lancerfixer · April 2005

The best way to know if it's been done is to call your local Volvo dealer. If you give them the car's VIN, they should be able to tell you if the recall's been performed (and if there are any other outstanding recalls...I remember there being one early on regarding the front turn signal sockets.)

The best way to take care of it? Just follow the owner's manual re: maintenance. I like running synthetic oil in my car (also a '98 S70 GLT, currently at 84,000 miles) to provide added protection for the turbo. Also, and this is critical: make sure the timing belt has been changed. If it hasn't, do so at your earliest opportunity.

Enjoy your first Volvo. This S70 is my second, and I think there'll be at least one Volvo in my garage for the foreseeable future.

Edmunds frowns upon providing links to other sites, but if you email me at the address in my profile I'll be glad to provide some good links for more info and advice.

ellenk · April 2005

Hi LanceFixer,
You are kind to answer me. I am being given all the owner's manuals so I'll follow them and your other suggestions. I can see that the one recall item was not seen to, when I checked the car in Carfax. I'll take care of. I take possession on Wednesday, the 20th. I have tried to get to your profile through these forums and I can't seem to do it. You can send me your e-mail address to the address in my profile, if you have time.
Again, thanks
Ellen

jonjulie · April 2005

My car seems to be acting a little sluggish lately....I was wondering if anyone knows wether or not these cars require their fuel injectors cleaned? It has 94,000 and the spark plugs were changed last year at 78,000. Thanks for your input.

mesincity · April 2005

IF ONLY MAZDA STILL MADE THE OLDER-BODY (1988-1992) MX-6...THE CAR RAN GREAT, WAS FUN TO DRIVE, FAIRLY FUEL EFFICIENT (USUALLY OVER 30 MPG W/ A 2.2L 12-VALVE INLINE 4 CYL.)...ACTUALLY SEATED FOUR ADULTS COMFORTABLY FOR WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SMALL COUPE...AND ONLY BASICALLY COST ME TO CHANGE THE OIL...GOT APPROXIMATELY 169,000 MILES OUT OF IT...PROBABLY WOULD HAVE COST $800-$1000 TO KEEP IT RUNNING, BUT FOR THOSE 169,000 MILES (I OWNED IT FROM 13,000 ON) IT WAS PRACTICALLY MAINTENANCE/TROUBLE-FREE...BURNED A BIT OF OIL, BUT USING MOBIL 1 USUALLY SOLVED THAT...

qbrozen · April 2005

lancer hit on the major item ... timing belt.

but i have heard that switching to synthetic this late in a car's life is not a good idea. i have no idea why, but even my independent volvo mechanic suggested against it, so i'm taking his advice.

oh, and i just emailed you in case lancer doesn't get a chance.

qbrozen · April 2005

dealer told me they never clean injectors on these cars.

If you've done a full tuneup, including filter, cap, rotor, and wires, it could have a boost leak. Its supposedly very common on our vehicles that the rubber boost and vacuum hoses can crack/split with age. Do you have a boost guage. If so, the readings will tell you if this is your problem.

jonjulie · April 2005

No,,,,,no boost guage. I've also noticed my MPG's have gone down,,,,Is this a pretty simple test that any shop can do? Thanks, Julie

lancerfixer · April 2005

Thanks...I hadn't gotten the chance to e-mail Ellen yet. Hope the Brickboard was on your list.

The reason synthetic oil is not recommended for older cars, as it has been explained to me, has to do with aged seals. Synthetic oil basically can "find" weak spots in older seals that will still hold back conventional oil, and you may get leaks that weren't there with conventional. In fact, a coworker found this to be the case with his '94 960. He switched back to conventional and his leak (at the rear main seal, no less) disappeared. I'm under the opinion that a turbo, due to the extreme heat and RPMs it operates under, could use all the protection it can get. I don't have any leak issues with either oil type, so I'm sticking with synthetic.

pat · April 2005

You can't use our Forums to promote other automotive message boards. This not so subtle tiptoeing around emailing each other about them instead of posting is using our Forums to promote other automotive message boards.

I need you to stop. Thanks.

qbrozen · April 2005

sorry, pat, whereas i appreciate your position, you just can't find info on how to disassemble the front end of your volvo (for instance) here on edmunds. its a great place for general info, but owners will never be able to get in-depth technical answers that already take up a great deal of space elsewhere. and, in these cases, really, we're not necessarily promoting message boards. the sites we like to refer to have static repair instructions (with pics) and news articles, but they also just happen to have message boards, therefore we are forbidden to refer to them.

At the same time, i know the fear is that folks will leave here for sites dedicated to their vehicles, but, yet, here folks like lancerfixer and myself are. We've been here for years, with thousands of posts to our names, yet we also visit sites dedicated to various vehicles. And I happen to know dozens of regulars around here who do the same thing. There is a time for general discussion and there is a time when you need the collective database of knowledge on one particular vehicle. There is no reason why the 2 philosophies can't coexist peacefully. yeah, yeah, i know this has been discussed round and round and I've been a part of those discussions time and again, but, oh well, i felt it needed to be said ... again. back to your regularly scheduled program.

mesincity · April 2005

WE WERE GIVEN A PRICE IN THE $800-$900 RANGE FOR THE ABS STEPPER MOTOR GOING OUT...I'M CERTAINLY GLAD WE PAID A BIT EXTRA FOR THE CPO (CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED)...AS THAT COVERED IT

...IT'S A '99T5 BY THE WAY, AND WE BOUGHT IT WITH AROUND 60K MILES ON IT, WE'RE CURRENTLY UP AT AROUND 85K MILES...

...AND NOT TO JINX OURSELVES AS THE CPO WARRANTY RUNS OUT, BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED THE SLEW OF PROBLEMS MANY PEOPLE POSTING HERE HAVE POINTED OUT...I JUST HOPE IT CONTINUES THAT WAY...

...HOWEVER, I AM IN AGREEMENT THAT VOLVO SERVICE COSTS (FOR THINGS AS SIMPLE AS THE STANDARD MAINTENANCE) SEEM ON THE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH SIDE...

BTW, ANYONE HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH NON-FACTORY/VOLVO BRAKES THAT DON'T WEAR AS QUICKLY? I DRIVE IT PRETTY HARD...

pat · April 2005

You can provide links to articles on sites that contain other message boards (provided that the link does not go to a page that actually contains a message exchange). That is a change from the more restrictive policy of a few years ago. But telling people via links, hints or emails to participate in other message boards is forbidden by the Membership Agreement. I have no more power to make that different than you do. Whatever you or I think of the policy, it is something to which we all agreed when we joined this community.

If anyone wants to pursue this topic, it needs to be done by email, not here. You can reach our Community Manager at Sylvia AT edmunds.com or me at Pat AT edmunds.com.

We need to return to the subject - thanks!

qbrozen · April 2005

well, i never tell them to participate ... only to search the archives.

Anyway, since this is ok, then here is a link for those looking for good info on repairs and maintenance of their S70s and 850s:
http://www.volvospeed.com/maintence.htm

pat · April 2005

Thanks!!

bowmanza · April 2005

Hello all. I have a really general question. Where could I buy some touch up paint for my blue S70 Volvo? I haven't really researched it, I figured that I should ask from those who know best. Thanks.

lancerfixer · April 2005

I'd say your dealer would be your best bet; if there isn't one nearby, perhaps a body shop could order it.

mesincity · April 2005

actually, i was informed (and i cant remember where, but i believe it was the dealer) that the factory stereos were made by alpine...the only things pooped out on ours ('99 s70 t5 - 85,000 miles)lights in 3 of the buttons, and, once i figured out how to set it, it doesn't seem the ASC (automatic sound control) has ever worked...the stereo display shows it as on and i suppose i'll diengage it sometime when i go back to the owner's manual to read how to do it again

dwatford · April 2005

I am seriously looking at purchasing a 2000 S70 AWD. Has anyone experienced any problems with AWD in their S70's? Previously owned a '94 960 that we loved and had no problems with. Thanks

reds70 · April 2005

I have a 99 S70 GLT, but the cd player will not read very many cds. What kind of systems can i replace the old cd player with?

lancerfixer · April 2005

Oh, pretty much any DIN-sized stereo with an appropriate mounting kit would work. Double DINs, too, since that's the factory size anyway.

clana · May 2005

gthomas, did you ever resolve your problem. I am having the exact problem as you. Same. 2000 S70 GLT SE. Began noticing problem one year ago. Start the car, car would turn over, then die within one second. Happened many times. Dealer was able to replicate problem while in the shop. Fault codes did show up and antenna ring was replaced. This was in June of '04. Problem began happening again 10 months later - even with new antenna ring. Car is currently at the dealer, whom I have done business with for 15 years. They have had my car for 6 days and say they can't get it to fail so they cannot diagnose. I am frustrated. Would really appreciate hearing how your experience worked out.

Anyone else???

dys2k6 · May 2005

Quick question RE: 1997 Volvo S70 GLT

When I first bought this car, three power door locks didn't work. The FR FL and RL.

They would lock on command, but wouldn't unlock.

Recently, the RR door lock died. I was wondering 1.) What could possibly have caused this, and 2.) How much would it cost to fix it?

Also, If I bought a remote off eBay or other website, would it work with the car (if reprogrammed)?

And, a pretty nonsensical question but: Would a new paint job be out of the question? How much would a "good" one cost? Where the paint is nice and shiny, and doesn't have the dullness associated with spraypaint?

Volvo S70

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