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Volvo V70 Wagon Experience

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Comments

  • passingonleftpassingonleft Member Posts: 4
    Funny you should mention Hess. My VW which takes Premium and I always use premium. But I have had the check engine light one a few times and I think it always coincides with after putting in Hess premium. I wonder if the weights and measure people check the grade of gas in addition to the accuracy of the pump. :surprise: :confuse:
  • tomv70tomv70 Member Posts: 6
    About 2 years ago I had problems with Shell, not Hess as kamala95 mentioned. It turns out they were using a new additive that was gumming up fuel gauges/pumps and various sensors. They paid for a goodwill repair of a new fuel pump for my Contour and my sister's Voyager. We feel good using Shell with goodwill repairs like that. :)
  • tomv70tomv70 Member Posts: 6
    Does anyone know an easy way to install a turbo gauge on a 2002 V70 2.4? The car can be very economical, but I have tried using the turbo a little too often & would like to know when it kicks in.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    V70 2.4T is at boost from 1800-5500 rpm.

    Many companies sell boost gauges, with instructions.
  • wholtwholt Member Posts: 1
    I have a rumble in the front end of my AWD V70 with 105,000 miles on it. It only is noticeable on turns at low speed such as when turning into a driveway especially if the driveway is uphill. The rumble is the same type you experience when approaching a toll booth to alert you to slow down. It happen on both right and left turns.

    My Volvo Dealer said it was worn bearings on my front wheel drive shafts. $900 to replace them as the bearings are part of the shafts.
    I went to another Volvo independent repair shop for a 2nd. opinion. Thay said the same thing. I had them replace the bearings/shafts on both sides for $800. The rumble was less noticable but still there. Now three months have passed and the rumble is worse than ever.

    Any ideas?
    Walt
  • tomv70tomv70 Member Posts: 6
    I was reminded that I read your post 3 days ago. My car's interior fan was running today after my car was parked for 1 hour. The situation was; parked in full sun on a 26 degree C day with the climate control set at 23 C. I think the fan was set to Auto. You might want to experiment and take precise notes of how yours is set to try to replicate it. I'll let you know if mine becomes an ongoing problem and gets fixed.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    That is normal, its called an after blow feature.
    Basically, the car is trying to clear out the a/c system.
    See your owners manual for an explanation.
  • tomv70tomv70 Member Posts: 6
    That's probably it volvomax. I should have read the manual. It says it might run for 5 minutes after sitting for 50 minutes if it's humid. Thanks.
  • tomv70tomv70 Member Posts: 6
    I guess what I should have said is I want a gauge that looks factory installed. I've got a Natural Gas fuel gauge (LED) I'll try to fit somewhere. Thanks.
  • aillonaillon Member Posts: 10
    Hi Guys, I am about to buy a 2001 certfied cross country with 47000 miles for the great price of 18000. Are there problems with the 01s. Am I getting myself into some expensive fixes after the warranty runs out?
  • klazklaz Member Posts: 3
    Howdy All,
    I'm about ready to repair the cruise control on my '98 V70 AWD. It stopped working awhile ago (year or two) and was wondering if anyone had experienced the same. I have not previously posted here as I've used the Brickboard site but was surfing and stumbled upon this group.
    For the benefit of others, I've got experience replacing the center driveshaft bearing ($45 for replacement bearing) and the viscous coupler end driveshaft bearing ($30) if anyone would like some help on that. Likewise I have personally replaced the air conditioning evaporator (yes, a real job), the front and rear wheel bearings, at least two master power window switches, front struts, ignition switch module, I guess if you've owned one of these nice, plush riding, money hogs you get the idea. I do my own work because I sure can't afford to pay for the labor rate AND the parts. Any help on what people have replaced to get the cruise control working would be appreciated.

    Klaz
    '98 V70 low serial number, high mileage
  • robert23robert23 Member Posts: 1
    Have a 2002 volvo XC AWD, that has developed a BAD howl. Prev, repairs were right rear axle shaft , front wheel hubs, left and right, replaced tires with quiet Mich Harmony
    Has anyone run into this with their own, and what was found to be the causes.
    This howling, makes it hard to drive the vehicle over 70KMP......

    Robert23
  • klazklaz Member Posts: 3
    Rear drive shaft center support bearing and rear bearing (inside the viscous coupler support bracket) both went on my '98 v70. Howling noise from center of car that was hard to detect because it radiated the length of the driveshaft. Both can be replaced by a drive line repair shop (someone who makes driveshafts and replaces bearings and U-joints) for cheap money compared to dealers. Good Luck.

    Klaz
  • ovlovovlov Member Posts: 2
    I am test-driving a 2002 V70 2.4T with 29,000 miles on it. I left the car to get some dinner, came out of the restaurant, and found the AC fan running full blast. It was about 95 F where I live (San Antonio, Texas) today. This scares the devil out of me. Local dealer wants 23,000 for car, which seems a little high--especially if it's got a potential problem in the electrical system. Do I worry? :confuse:
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    ovlov, - the fan is supposed to run after the car is off to dry out the a/c system so no mold can grow. if you drive with a/c off it won't happen. the price sounds high, bur check it against the bluebook/nada to see for sure.
  • wally6wally6 Member Posts: 4
    I picked up a V70R about six weeks ago and made one mistake -- I didn't get the factory subwoofer for the HU-850 premium sound system (actually, I didn't know the stereo upgrade didn't come with the subwoofer at the time). I'm looking into adding the Volvo accessory sub now. Has anyone ever done this themselves? The sub itself appears simple to install but I'm wondering if all 70R's are pre-wired for the installation. I looked at a 70R w/sub installed -- I know where the wiring harness should be -- and can't find it on my car. Yet it doesn't make sense to me that Volvo would require you splice into an existing wiring harness to install. BTW, the sub in the 70R is unique to this model. Any help/insight would be appreciated.
  • ovlovovlov Member Posts: 2
    Thanks, man. A couple of knowledgeable people have told me the same thing. For the record, I think they want far too much for the car.
  • volvomaxvolvomax Member Posts: 5,238
    I doubt that the car is prewired.
    Plus, you would have to download the appropriate software.
    Not hard to do, but it would take some work for the dealer to do.
  • bluetranebluetrane Member Posts: 67
    Hi all,

    I will shortly be replacing my beloved Audi A4 Avant with a new vehicle - my older daughter is complaining about the lack of legroom so I need to upsize a bit. I think I have things narrowed down to a V70, Ford Freestyle, or a Honda Odyssey. A couple of questions:

    1) I would want the 3rd row seat, as I would occasionally be transporting up to 4 adults and 2 kids. Is there any safety data on the 3rd row seat? It seems awfully close to harm's way in the event of a rear impact.

    2) Has anyone driven both the XC70 and a FWD V70 in bad weather? We get 5-10 days of snow and plenty of rain and I don't have the option of staying home if the weather is nasty.

    Thanks
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    What do you make of the 4th-generation VW Jettas (1999-05) in terms of reliability and safety? Are they a good alternative to, say, the V40 or current-gen V70? My mother is trying to decide between an '02 V70 2.4 or an '02 Jetta 2.0 for her next car...I'm saying avoid the Jetta at all costs because they had well-known teething problems in their first years. If I'm correct those are made in Mexico.
  • bsiriannibsirianni Member Posts: 1
    I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE. WAS JUST ABOUT TO BUY THE MODULE FOR $800.00 . I BOUGHT A 2000 V70 LAST OCTOBER
    WITH 87,000 MILES NOW. DO YOU THINK I AM COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED
    WARRANTY MENTIONED. THX FOR YOUR HELP. BSIRIANNI@EARTHLINK.NET
  • lmlplmlp Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a 2001 v70 t5 in 2000. I''ve had (what seems like) one problem right after another. And I just made another appointment for the throttle control and abs module that you speak of. This is the third time I've had problems with an engine surge. It's dangerous not to mention really annoying. I like the car when it's running properly, but we are considering selling. I'd be interested in anyone's comments on their experience on contacting Volvo directly. Is customer satisfaction high on their list?

    thanks
  • reader5reader5 Member Posts: 1
    You may be able to get some answers to your questions if you read Myron Levin's article Volvo is Facing Pressure Over Faulty Throttles that was published in the Detroit News on May 3, 2005. The article is available online.
  • detroitborndetroitborn Member Posts: 1
    All I can say is "good luck" with trying to work with Volvo on the surging problem. Our leased 2002 Cross Country (our 5th Volvo product) began to do this about 18 months ago. First terrifying experience -- with 4 kids in the car -- was stopping at a red light at the top of an expressway exit ramp, luckily about 15 feet behind the Mercedes in front of me. Had my foot on the brake when the car suddenly whined and surged forward about 6 feet. I stood on the brake to no avail; it just kept "bucking" forward. I slammed the car into neutral and it stopped -- about 6 inches from the Mercedes' bumper. Took the car to the dealership the next day, but they couldn't reproduce or find the problem. This continued to happen about once/month in different circumstances, including when driving (not stopped). The accelerator seemed to take over and dramatically surge to increase the car's speed to full throttle. It's certainly fun -- and safe -- to have to shift into neutral when you're going 70 on the expressway, then pull over, turn the car off, etc. My husband almost killed his 96 year old mother, who had gotten out of the car and walked in front of it. At stop signs or red lights, we would have to stay at least a car length behind the car in front (with hand on the control for a fast shift to neutral) or pull up to the stop, shift into neutral, and back into drive once traffic began to move. As a matter of course, we would shift into neutral when pulling into our garage in order to avoid the chance of a head-on collision with a concrete block wall.

    Volvo's response to this? If they "can't reproduce and diagnose the problem, it doesn't exist." No kidding, those are the exact words spoken to me. I was told that no one had ever heard of this type of problem before. Every time I would show up at the dealership, I was dealt with as if I was delusional -- exasperation and barely concealed eye-rolling. The final straw was when I was told that this problem must be "driver error" -- that both my husband and I must be driving in such a way that the floor mat (the FLOOR MAT???) was pushing forward and depressing the accelerator.

    The solution was long, time consuming and complex. We had more than two years remaining on the lease when this started. For more than a year, Volvo was completely intractable on every front. We parked our Cross Country in our barn, where it became a large paperweight (on which, of course, we still had to make payments). The dealer finally proposed that we could turn the car back if we agreed to a new 4 year lease on a new Volvo. Needless to say, not an acceptable solution. After repeated contacts with Volvo North America, threats of legal action, etc., the dealership finally took back the car with 7 months remaining on the lease.

    My fear is that the dealership has spiffed up this dangerous lemon (which was in very good shape cosmetically) and will sell it to some unsuspecting person. Although volumes of correspondence exist to document our concerns, none of that information is in the public record such that it would be obtainable through Carfax or another vehicle history service.

    Needless to say, we will never, ever, ever, buy another Volvo.
  • pineflatroadpineflatroad Member Posts: 1
    I'm hoping someone will provide a practical solution to this problem.

    When I open the driver's side door during/after rain--something that happens frequently here in Seattle--a healthy amount of water runs from the roof and drips directly onto the driver's seat and/or the driver.

    Is there a good way to prevent this? Thank you.
  • graffitograffito Member Posts: 6
    My 1991 945T (turbo wagon) is getting tired (about 108k miles).
    It's either a v70 wagon or a Toyota Sienna. (They have comparable fuel econo ratings...)

    Amongst the MY 2001-2005, what are the known "issues" ("defects") that I should keep in mind when shopping? Anything else positive or negative to consider in choosing between various cars?

    One Volvo dealer has a used (8k mi) Magic Blue 2005 v70r for 38850.

    (The nicest Volvo I've ever seen is the s80 Premier. Wow! Local Dealer had a Ford exec turnover for about $38k.)

    Thanks!
  • jrosasmcjrosasmc Member Posts: 1,711
    Well speaking of 2001-05 V70s, I saw an '02 2.4 fitted with rims from a '97 850 (base). My opinion- those rims are a disgrace to that V70.

    Graffito- 108,000 miles?? Your 945T is definitely not tired...I would keep that car and shoot for 200k. My old '93 850 had 112k miles on it last winter and I would have definitely gone for the 200k mark had it not met its demise in a wreck.
  • graffitograffito Member Posts: 6
    My Volvo thanks you for that vote of confidence.

    I should first of all correct myself: it's 118k miles.

    The Second "correction" is that MY WIFE is tired of it.

    I have no problem with the idea of driving it into the ground. The maintenance is getting a bit inconvenient, of course. And it just can't compare in occupant comfort to the more recent models. But for those who love the older boxes and RWD, it's a great car.

    I hear that there are Volvo fans who would grab this car in a heartbeat. I hope I find one, because a local Volvo dealer wouldn't consider it as a trade, which is perfectly reasonable from his point of view, and I agree.

    Now, about those 2005 v70's ... locally, the only color they want to sell is Silver. Ugh. And color is apparently half of a car sale. (It would help if they offered some nice ones. Oh-oh, there's a topic for flames!)

    I saw a v70r on his lot with 8k miles for $38k. GORGEOUS! No mommy-mobile, that! But for driving around suburbia, years past adolescence, not necessary, though desirable. The only Volvo they won't certify. Hmph.
  • danzeedanzee Member Posts: 2
    On March 20 , '05 - the headlights on my '99 Volvo V70 shut off while rounding a curve on a dark [moonless] night. I hit a bridge abutment, the car rolled over several times and was totaled. I contacted Volvo , & received a recall notice 11 days later for defective headlight switch - it was originally issued for this model 6 MONTHS earlier.
    Volvo sent an "investigator" up to check airbags , which never deployed , and switch. He reported that accident wasn’t serious enough for any of the 4 airbags to deploy , he also stated that he :hooked up a battery to car , and the headlight switch worked. Curiously , the serial # on the switch was scraped off after his visit.
    Subsequently , I learned from a Volvo Service manager that all they do to check for defective switches , is check the serial #. I described the condition of the switch , outside plastic shell deteriorated, latches holding 2 halves together cracked /broken , interior spring expanding unit beyond it's original size. He confirmed that is was indeed the defect that caused the recall. Volvo also ran identical recall back in 1999 , on the C70 models.
    In that I wasn't sufficiently injured , no lawyers are interested in the case. Volvo says case closed , I'm now in bankrupsy , housebound & unemployed , stuck up on a mountain for 2 1/2 months now.
    VOLVO STINKS - UNSAFE @ any speed ! :mad:
  • tomv70tomv70 Member Posts: 6
    My 2002 V70 2.4 T is the first Volvo I've owned and it's great. In the 3 months since I bought it I've put 5k mi on it (550 one day). :) No known issues but if you need more power ( I doubt it ) the newer ones are 2.5 T.

    You think like me. Sienna was the other vehicle on my short list but I found the Volvo first. Both have a good reputation and neither comes out of a Chrysler / :lemon: factory.
  • woosahhh1woosahhh1 Member Posts: 4
    Multithreaded, This message is late in coming, 4 years actually, but I'm in the market for a used 2001 v70 2.4 (non-turbo). Since you leased your volvo as a safety precaution, how was the car overall during the time you had it. I'm trying to find post of 'negative' comments to give me an idea what to look for. It's obviously 2005 now and the 2001 I'm looking at has 104k. It's been serviced regularly at the dealership and the asking price is $10,500. Kbb is $11,300 and the seller knows this. Can you give me any info as to whether the 2001 year model had any major issues with it. Since the warranty has expired due to mileage, I'm trying to anticipate what to expect. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks - Steve
  • magomanmagoman Member Posts: 4
    Hi Guys new to this forum. I had just looked at a 2002 V70xc w/50k on it. I have been a subaru guy
    and loved the reliability of them. Then was looking into a Toyota Highlander at Toyota dealer
    and there was this very nice used V70xc fell in love with it.
    Can anyone shed some light on this car for me as far as reliability of them and any other things
    I should know about this car?
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    My wife and I love our 2001 XC. Its a nice car for long trips, it will gobble up miles of interstate at 75 MPH +. Four hundred mile days are no sweat. One thousand mile four day weekends (like the past July 4th) are a piece of cake. Its also great for just putzing around town. The AWD is great come winter and the seats are fantastic. Perhaps the best in any car. The top of the head rest is above the crown of my head and relatively close to it. This gives me the idea that the seatbacks would minimize whiplash. If you buy a 2001 thru 2003 or so , invest in having the rear window and rear glass areas tinted dark. It gets hot back there. The new ones (2004 and on up?) seem to have this standard from the factory.

    But, we've had our share of problems. A quick run through (by memory only) of the problems includes issues that resulted in a rebuilt transmission, new front struts, and the electronic throttle module all replaced under warranty. For the first three years the light bulbs blew regularly until the dealer installed the factory fix and the electronic door locks failed. The repairs we did pay for weren't cheap. We spent $1100 on a brake job (no joke) at 53K miles or so and $400 or so at 60K on a front control arm. The front end though is still loose like it needs new struts (again). The 60K mile service was expensive ($500 +-) and nothing significant was really done. (OK, they changed a few cabin air filters, greased some door locks and changed the oil.)

    Dealership experience? Acceptable but not great. The customers tend to be inoffensive, upper middle class types who bought a Volvo because they were told they are reliable. The owners are really out of their element when in front of the service writers desk and most customers just grumble and authorize the repair. The repairs themselves are uneven. Tools are left in the engine compartment, the vehicles rarely returned washed (not that I need a free wash, but if the mechanic didn't wash it like the dealer promises after each service, what else didn't he do?), etc. The dealer principal (it is a one store operation) lives out of state and is never around. All in all, the dealership experience is probably better than a domestic service experience but not like the Germans.

    Would we buy one again? Yes and no. If we had had to pay for the warranty repairs, I'd be furious and so probably not. On the other hand, what else is out there? I'm convinced that the E Class Mercedes Wagon with Fourmatic is no more reliable, holds less, is no where near as competent in foul weather, and certainly far more money. The AWD Pacifica lacks panache, the SAAB Aero is not AWD, etc. While a Suburu wagon, the Official Maine State Car, makes the most sense, I have certain cultural and business hangups about driving a Suburu. Maybe what we should buy is a V70 T with a stick shift. That would eliminate the tranny problem and maybe some of the front end problems (AWD is complicated). Put on some Blizzaks come Thanksgiving and we would be all set.
  • purppurp Member Posts: 3
    I am also looking at a 2001 v70. I have test driven two so far and absolutely love it. It seems as though this car is a popular lease vehicle. This might explain the low price. The dealer I am working with offered the car to me for $12,000 but also said he would add a third seat and roof rack for an extra $500. The mileage is 132,000, but it drives like it were new. If you get any good or bad info can please pass on the info.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Why would you want to buy a worn out car for 12K, asking, when one with decent mileae is just 3K more?

    You can pick up a 2001 XC with 50-60K miles for 19K or so. A V70 with leather but not AWD with decent mileage for 15K. I strongly suspect you are not familiar with the used car game and have gone to a non-authorized, corner lot. Your language is revealing. You say you are "working with a dealer". Does he give you a W2 form? IMHO, you have a serious case of role reversal. You would do a lot better if you indicated to him that he should be trying to work FOR you. In any case, no dealer, not even an authorized Volvo dealer offerring you a certified used car, will be able to offer any kind of a meaningful warranty at 132,000 miles. So, since the price isn't significantly lower than a 55,000 mile car and there will be no warranty, why bother?

    For the 3K savings you are "losing" 75K miles of relatively trouble free driving and facing with absolute certainty almost an immediate 5K in repairs: radiator, brakes, air conditoner work, tires, suspension, etc. It gets worse. After you drop 5K (that's post tax money, incidentally. You had to earn 7K in your W2 to get 5K) you still have a worn out car that only a college sophmore would buy from you.

    This is nuts. Run away. Then, to prepare yourself for the next encounter check out Edmunds TMV pricing and equally importantly, spend a Saturday visiting perhaps 50 dealers to become more familar with the process and to convince yourself who works for whom.

    Good luck.
  • jbindajbinda Member Posts: 1
    Please Help!

    I own a 2002 Volvo V70 and I have discovered a strange problem. When I drive on a highway for more than 1/2 hour, the fan for my AC system shuts down. It stays off until I drive off the highway and slow down. After about 10 minutes the fan and the cool air return. I have taken it to the dealership twice, and they cannot replicate the problem.
    This is a huge issue for long car rides in summer and winter (de-frost) My only option is to allow a technician to take my car overnight so they can drive it home and re-creat the problem..then hook up a laptop to the car to see if they can pin point the problem.
    Can anyone offer any suggesttions as to the cause of this huge proble. Thank you.JHB
  • tmarttmart Member Posts: 2,233
    Are you sure it's only with highway driving? Sounds like a problem I had recently on a trip to Dallas from Houston. The airflow gradually decreased to nothing and the whole system shut off. About 15 minutes or so later, the AC came back on full blast. Problem turned out to be the low temp sensor. It didn't tell the compressor to stop cooling, so it ran until the coil froze over effectively stopping the airflow. After being off awhile the ice melted and cold air blew again...until freezing again. Interestingly now that you mentioned it, I don't recall it happening while driving in town. Anywho, the dealer recognized the problem right away and replaced the sensor. Don't understand why your dealer didn't recognize the symtoms.
  • johnqjohnq Member Posts: 1
    Hello All, this is my first post to this forum. I just got a 2005 v70 2.4 (w/premium package) for $6K below invoice from Volvo Marin in San Francisco area. I wanted to install the fog lights to my car. Does Volvo make a fog lights kit for V70 2.4? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    Cheers! -John
  • dmarcus48dmarcus48 Member Posts: 139
    Yes they do, and your car is more likely pre-wired for the lights. I think. You will need a software download to get the lights working.
  • rononearthrononearth Member Posts: 2
    I used to sell Volvo cars. I am sold on them for the safety. The customers had life saving stories. Many repeat customers.

    I want now a V70R. Can only afford used. Is it a good idea to get one with 90K? Are repairs more and expensive on the "R" over regular Turbo's? Must have turbo and AWD.

    Any help on my decision would be appreciated. My wife is questioning my decision to get such a high milage car. I told her they can go a few 100 thousand miles.

    I found one I like, and want it!

    thanks everyone
    Ron
  • rononearthrononearth Member Posts: 2
    I used to sell Volvo cars. I am sold on them for the safety. The customers had life saving stories. Many repeat customers.

    I want now a V70R. Can only afford used. Is it a good idea to get one with 90K? Are repairs more and expensive on the "R" over regular Turbo's? Must have turbo and AWD.

    Any help on my decision would be appreciated. My wife is questioning my decision to get such a high milage car. I told her they can go a few 100 thousand miles.

    I found one I like, and want it!

    thanks everyone
    Ron
  • lorieannelorieanne Member Posts: 4
    My advice regarding buying a Volvo would be to run in the other direction as fast as you can. It may be that Volvo use to be a reliable car, that is no longer true. I have a 2001 XCV70, just in the last six months I have had to put 9,000.00 (you read it correctly, 9,000.00) to fix little "quirks" that continue to go wrong. At first it was just bothersome, most of the "quirks" were covered under warranty. What I know now is that they really just put a bandage on to get it through and four years later those little problems have turned into big, costly problems. One of those problems is the ETM, which after research I have discovered is in the court system right now because Volvo is suppose to disclose the problems with their throttle and cover the cost. Instead they try to put blame on the owner. You used the wrong gas, didn't change the oil enough and so on. I have found this to be the typical response from Volvo from the lowest in the company to the highest, CEO Ann Belek. But that's not even the worst. The latest thing to go wrong on my car was that a control arm bolt split in two. Causing the control arm and tire to fall off while driving. I have the bolt in my posession and it is clearly a faulty bolt. I should add I had had the car in three times stating it was making a noise in the front right. I even had a second party tell them the control arm bushings were worn and needed to be replaced. Vovlo told me they had taken care of it. Obviously they had not. I'm lucky I was driving slow at the time the tire came off, I can only imagine what could have happened. I am now in dispute with Volvo over this and many other issues this car has had. My advice again, run! Whatever you do, don't buy a Volvo. They don't stand behind their car. And they are by far the most expensive car on the market to service.
  • lorieannelorieanne Member Posts: 4
    Most expensive car to have service done on. 1999-2002 have lawsuits against them regarding the throttle. I would never buy another Volvo again, but I certainly wouldn't buy one that was past warranty. I've put 9,000.00 into my Volvo in the last six months. The car is four !/2 years old. You can read the details about my horrific experience on the message board.
  • whenwillitendwhenwillitend Member Posts: 1
    I own '99 V70XC. I have had a check engine light problem for almost 12 months. I have had the O2 sensor replaced--twice--and the mass air filter. This was $1000. And the light still popped on after 100 or so miles.

    The car then started to occasionally spit black smoke and idle roughly when I came to stop.

    I also have noticed that recently the lights wouldn't work when I started the car (blinkers and headlights) I need to restart the car and, voila, the lights would work.

    Now they tell me that the car is "contaminated" and that the wiring harness is shot. The problem is that the harness gets dirty and then shorts out various electrical parts. The cost? $1500 to fix.

    Has anyone dealt with this before? Am I getting the shaft?
  • lorieannelorieanne Member Posts: 4
    This is a very late reply but if it turns out to be the same thing as my car, very important. I had a "rumble" in the front of my car for six months. Had a similar experience to yours. After being in the shop four times in that six months period, and 5,000.00 later my front passenger side tire and control arm fell off while driving. I'm lucky, I was slowing down to come to a stop when it fell off. The explanation is a faulty bolt that looks as though it was accidently sawed part way and eventually split the remaining way. Have the control arm checked and the bolts that hold them on. Now my cost is up to almost 5,000.00 more and still rising. I'm in a huge dispute with Volvo and I can tell it's going to be a long process to get it resolved. This car has had numerous problems. The service men finally told me it's basically a lemon. When my lease is up they told me there is no way they will resell this car to someone. They are giving it back to Volvo. But I'm stuck with it in the mean time.
  • lorieannelorieanne Member Posts: 4
    Given the experience I've had with my 2001 XCV70 I'm impressed yours has only acted up recently. My check engine light has been on more than it's been off, and that's on a small problem on this car. But I will pass along that recently it turned into a much bigger problem in that the computer is throwing off many codes and they aren't sure why. They fix one thing, another problem pops up and the check engine light comes on. My lease is up in four months and given the past history with my car they are just trying to keep it going until the lease is up but I can tell you is that it seems as though they put a "band aide" on the problem instead of ever really figuring out what was wrong and now it's a big problem which will easily run into several thousand dollars to fix, if it really can be fixed. I hope you have better luck than I have had.
  • johnwngjohnwng Member Posts: 24
    I have a 2003 V70. So far, I love it, except that the leather on the steering wheel is peeling off. It does not affect driving, but looks bad. Does that happen to anyone here? I have an 5 year old Nissan with leather wrapped steering wheel, and the leather is still nice and smooth. Nothing like my Volvo. Hate to replace the whole steering wheel. It there any aftermarket steering wheel wrap for Volvo?
  • purppurp Member Posts: 3
    Could you be anymore honest? I am obviously not making a good decision here. Thanks for your advice anyway, it really hit home.
  • neatneat Member Posts: 1
    i have a 1996 volvo 850 wagon with 207,000 miles on it and have not had 1 major problem with it and still have no rust on it. I also have a 2003 cross country with 100,000 miles on it and also have no problems with it. I am only 30 but I will drive nothing but volvo for the rest of my life. sorry about your problems with your volvo
  • volvoprovolvopro Member Posts: 1
    Volvo is replacing peeling steering wheels under warranty. :)
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