Volvo S70

tylerbarny · March 2009

I have an S70 volvo that does the same thing. I can be on the interstate and it just lose power and starts right back up. I have spent thousands of dollar for them to figure out what causes it. They always say they can't duplicate the problem. Is your car a turbo? I've had a fuel pump, mass air flow sensor and I will have to look at my repair bills to let you know all they have changed on this car. There just seems to be no hope. I bought my car new in 1998 for 33k and spent probably an additional 4-6k on repairs. If you find the cause, please let me know.

gmac50 · March 2009

I'm going to replace the temp sensor next..mine is a non turbo

gmac50 · March 2009

I have a volvo s70..very dissappointed ..wish i never purchased it..stay away from them especially the s70..buy a honda or toyota..you will be ahead of the game and they won't bleed you dry

gmac50 · March 2009

I replaced the o2 sensor before and after the cat..so far so good.

wysochea · April 2009

I have a 98 Volvo S70 and have had some problems with the climate control system. I just had the AC recharged and the system will give both heat and cold, but the fan is temperamental. At times it runs perfectly and the speed responds as I change the dial. Other times I can have the heat/AC on full blast, yet the fan does not blow at all. At those times, I can feel the heat/cold lightly wafting from the vent so I know the temperature is responding, but the fan does not blow the air. The other day I was driving with the AC running perfectly, but the speed of the fan seemed to be affected to my driving speed---if I sped up quickly, the fan would slow down, and when I slowed down the fan sped up.

swede54 · June 2009

before relocating from southern california several weeks ago i noticed my engine coolant light began flashing particularly when going up incline. had a local garage mechanic check it out. they replaced the plastic reservoir tub ($50) that holds fluid. Mechanic said there was a hairline crack at the base. Three weeks later same thing happened with coolant light and the reservoir was low again. Took car to West coast Volvo dealership who said I needed new radiator- huge cost, several hundred plus several hundred labor. A month later same issue so i filled it with water and had vehicle shipped to east coast. Once car arrived brought vehicle to local east coast Volvo dealer who checked system (pressurized it I think ) and said it was fine and then topped it off, but said there was a leak with the O cylinder near the transmission, and replaced this- another several hundred dollar cost. It was fine for another two weeks and then the light came on again, and sure enough reservoir was only 1/4 full.

Does anyone know what the problem might be? Is there some sort of air pocket that won't allow the system to fill properly? Or is there some sort of affiliated turbo issue or transmission issue that is using large amounts of coolant?

volvomax · June 2009

If you overheated the engine, you could have warped the head. This would allow coolant into the cylinders. Happened to my ex's Mercedes. We had to re-do the head on it.

swede54 · June 2009

Thanks for your thoughts. I sort of doubt that I overheated engine since I did little driving in LA in the past year I was there and usually stayed on secondary roads, no high speed or long distant driving. I never saw any overheating indicators. Wouldn't professionla mechanics be able to identify this if this were the case? I've had two different volvo dealerships look at this issue to date. How does one check for this condition?

volvomax · June 2009

Doesn't take much to overheat an aluminum block engine.
IIRC, if you see a lot of white smoke coming out the tailpipe you are burning coolant.

qbrozen · June 2009

The title of your post stated you are overheating. Then you state you never saw any overheating indicators. Which is the truth?

As Vmax stated, overheating on an aluminum engine is a very very bad thing.

How many miles on the vehicle? It does sound like you may be burning off coolant; however, it sounds like it is slow enough that maybe it wouldn't be noticeable at the tailpipe.

hoseboat · July 2009

ditto.

ours has 65k miles on it. $3k repairs in last year, $5k in last 2 years. they want to do $1.5k more.

qbrozen · July 2009

they want to do $1.5k more.

That's what you get for going to THEM and letting THEM decide. THEY will always get you!

scottieshottie · July 2009

I have an appointment to look at a used 1998 S70 today. Car looks amazing. It does have 114K miles on it but considering the price that is really nothing. Owner says it is in great running condition but that the check engine light is on for the O2 sensor. I had the same problem in my 2007 Yukon so that doesn't steer me away. Reading pages of complaints however does. I know all experiences are different and all makes of cars have problems. Heck my 2007 Yukon had a new transmission at 36K miles so it does happen.

Any suggestions?

qbrozen · July 2009

The S70 is a great car. But I'd like to see all service records if buying one with so many miles. Timing belt is of utmost importance. It is due every 75k that year, IIRC. Also want to know if the transmission was ever serviced. Fluid should be changed regularly (I suggest every 30k).

prosperc · August 2009

Hi everyone
Id like your suggestion. I am about to buy a volvo s70 glt with 150,000 miles on it. the only problem so far is that the car is 150k miles and last time the timing belt has been changed is at 85000 miles. I am surprised how the owner is still driving. I got a hell of a deal on it but is it dangerous to drive these cars with for a while even if the timing belt is 65,000miles old? thanks

qbrozen · August 2009

65k is still within the limit (I believe it is 75k miles on the '98), but how much time has passed? You typically don't want to go more than 5 years on a timing belt, either.

prosperc · August 2009

Hey thanks for your answer. I went to a garage where i've been told that the timing belt is still ok. These cars are great to drive. The car though has a big probleme, the valves are touching on the metal and it makes a little noise. As soon as the noise gets bigger I'll have to change the head of the engine...

qbrozen · August 2009

????

Why are the valves hitting?? And WHAT are they hitting? If that is the case, something is out of alignment and really should be fixed immediately. What garage is telling you this? Is it one that specializes in Volvos?

prosperc · August 2009

Hi,
well the garage is not specialized in volvos but he knows how to fix them ( he was working on a 850 when I went to see him ) . He is the one who told me that it could last even in this situation. I went to another garagist who never works on volvos. This one told me that valves are knoking on the metal and that it wont take long before the engine is out of order. I don't know who I should trust but the car makes this noise since a little bit more than 1 year. Its a metal on metal noise. It's not very loud but when you are outside the car you can hear it clearly. If the car lasts one more year like that it would be great, if not well I'm in trouble...

qbrozen · September 2009

But did they say WHAT is hitting? Valves can make noise in a few ways. One is hitting the tops of the pistons. This is VERY bad and means the timing is off. Of course, the timing problem can be remedied. Another way is valve lash: where the noise is actually when the vavle hits the lifter. This could be caused by poor oil flow or bad hydraulic lifters. Possibly the valves are hitting the valve cover, although I'd be surprised the clearance is that tight.

So, in short, if they are saying the valves are hitting, I'm pretty sure this is something that could be fixed now without a new engine, rather than waiting for further damage.

volvomax · September 2009

Probably is valve lash. If you aren't religious about changing the oil it can happen.

prosperc · September 2009

Well, the previous owner changed it every 5000km.. but before him I have no idea...
Next week i'll take it to a volvo garage, but in your opinion can it last for few months like that ? Some mecanics tell me that it can , some others tell me " you should not use the car anymore it's dangerous. " Since it lasted with that noise for 1 year at least, I guess it won't be a problem for the next months..
Anyways thanks for all your help

volvomax · September 2009

Old Volvo's usually have some lifter noise. It's probably not serious.
Have a real Volvo tech look at it.

devi1dog · December 2009

I have a 2000 volvo s70 that has about 228k miles. I have never had an y problems with the car until recently. I can get it to start but then it dies after about 5-10 seconds. I dont know what could cause this. I was told about a recall for a sensor or something but i cant get that changed until i get the car running so i can get it to the shop. please help me.

qbrozen · December 2009

MAF sensor.

If you are so inclined and motivated, you can remove it and clean it.

asika · December 2009

I had the same experience on my 1998 Volvo s70. My 17 year old drives it and it started doing exactly what you described. Anyway, I spent $130 at Kragen for a re-manufactured Mass Air Flow(MAF). It took less than 20 minutes to replace at home.

chi9 · February 2011

Does any body have experience an acceleration with the S70 SE? When you first step on the gas pedal, you have to really step on it, and the car would make a revving sound before it start to accelerates. However, once it gains momentum it accelerates smoothly. Is this a common problem? Is this means that there is something wrong with the engine? The pedal seems to resists. Please help.

qbrozen · February 2011

if it is revving before moving, it is a transmission problem.

jeff207 · February 2011

I disagree about the 1998 not being reliable. I have one with 230,000 miles and it has been wonderful. Actually my cousin is a mechanic and said that it is the year you want since after 1998 they made it so you have to plug the car in at the dealer to use their diagnostic system that has a proprietary uplink to Volvo in Sweden. Issues I have had are MAS air flow sensor replaced under warranty around 70k and really not much else. It's hard to believe but either I have a one of a kind or the car is just excellent. I have been in 2 not at fault accidents where I was struck on the rear bumper quite hard and there was no structural damage. Just replace the bumpers and voila! Back in business! Try that in a "reliable" Toyota or Honda. From those two accidents I seriously believe I would have had a totaled car (and thus a new car payment). Mine keeps on truckin' and I plan to keep it until I just get tired of it since I really have not been able to wear it out. I do drive my cars hard but keep the routine maintenance up. Avoid the dealer for service and ask around town whose work is good with Volvos. As a helicopter mechanic on Apache and Blackhawks for 15 years I know what good engineering is and these cars are made to last.

Note: I have always used Mobile One Synthetic oil.

1998 S70 GLT 2.4 liter.

qbrozen · February 2011

'98 really is the one to have. '99 is still OK, but the electronic MAF in that one is problematic ... but a fix is available. '98 is also the lightest, which is a nice added benefit.

If I ever come across a preserved low mileage '98 T5, I'd have to grab it, I think.

jeff207 · February 2011

Exactly. A Volvo is not a Toyota or some other Asian cookie cutter. If you want to never have to do anything to it then get one of those.

The tradeoff of buying the Toyota in my opinion is:

1. A generic uninspired car. Looking like every other car out there.
2. A car that is not built like a tank (more likely to get totaled in accidents).
3. How many recalls are there out there for Toyotas lately?
4. Crappy seats. (Volvo has the best- I have owned a Jetta with Recaro seats and also a BMW 325i and Volvo still beats them).
5. Less than stellar handling (Volvos are great handling European cars-not every model but most of the newer ones).

If you take care of it, it will take care of you. I will never drive a Toyota or any other mass produced, uninspired cars. No matter what the reliability is, if it is not fun to drive then it is just a waste of time. This is just my opinion so take it or leave it.

pilotbrett11 · April 2011

Hey guys- any help would be appreciated.

Occasionally at low speeds (stopped at red lights, stop signs) when I step on the accelerator the car will stutter, like its choking. It has to be a misfire of some sort, I assume.

It will correct itself within 5 seconds and ONLY does it after the car isn't moving. Once it corrects itself the car run perfectly and smooth.

Any advice? I'm guessing plugs?

qbrozen · April 2011

year? model?

without knowing the answers to the above, I'm going to take a guess that you have a '99-'00 model and your MAF is going south.

pilotbrett11 · April 2011

1998 S70.

Thanks for the reply.

qbrozen · April 2011

ok, well then probably not a MAF problem. I doubt the plugs since you would have other issues as well. It could be something on the intake leaking or a vacuum issue.

You didn't tell me the model, so I don't know if turbo or not. If turbo, that gives you many more possible places for leaks.

On my '98, I one time had a plastic elbow connector inside the intake manifold crack. That caused a bit of a stumble at idle on occassion.

pilotbrett11 · April 2011

Ahh- Not the turbo. I'll take a look and see what I can find. Thanks.

mykids98volvo · July 2011

We purchased a 1998 volvo s70 for our daughter and it has been a really good little car. We recently put new tired on it and had it tuned up. We had the spark plugs and spark plug wires replaced. Not long after that we got an error P335 for the crankshaft position sensor. We have replaced this sensor and cleared out the code. The car ran much better, but then the check engine light came back on with the same code. Could this code trigger a different sensor?

jimv2011 · August 2011

1999 S 70 who know how hard it is to replace the fuel pump and is it something that can be done by a non mech also the ABS Mod for the S 70 is not as big a cost as you think you can buy complete and life time warr. $75.00 to $99.00 shiping inc. from a place call Reman in Ma. it only takes 4 small bolts and one plug and your done so do not pay the $750 to $1,600. they all want very easy to do anyone can do it

mydobie2 · August 2011

i have a 2000 volvo s70 that just started acting up...it has 198,000 on it. it will start for a few seconds...then sputter like crazy then die.... i tried the jumper on the fuel relay... no difference. i did get it running by gingerly spraying ether in it .... as long as i gave it a squirt...run fine...if i stopped... dead...no check engine light... looking at the fuel filter i see that a small hose has a crack...i did have a po442 or 443 code a while back...thought it was the gas cap...might be this hose ... but anyway.....helppppp

mydobie2 · August 2011

also when its sputtering.... the upshift light flashes....

jimv2011 · August 2011

could be two things... check your fuel pump... amd we had same problem with bad wire to comp. comp. will heat up and shut down car.
Jim

mykids98volvo · August 2011

My daughter's car had a similar problem and the code that popped up 443. We initially changed the crankshaft position sensor and still pulled the same code. We took it to the dealer and they said that the flywheel was rusty and the sensor could not sense the position of the flywheel. The dealer changed the flywheel (expensive) and the car runs fine now. It does not die or sputter or anything.

qbrozen · August 2011

When is the last time the MAF was changed (common failure point on this year)?

If no fuel is coming out of that cracked line, it isn't the problem.

mykids98volvo · August 2011

Do you get an error showing the crank shaft position sensor? My daughter's car would die at stoplights and we changed the crankshaft position sensor and that did not cure the problem. We ended up having to replace the flywheel because it was rusty and the sensor could not read it. After that it runs like a dream.

vivicavolvo · April 2012

Hi Fellas!

I am really in need of some sound advice (and from a real Volvo expert and not some guy at O'Reilly's who just wants to get in my pants...).

Ok- I bought my 2000 Volvo S70 SE last year as a way to eliminate car payments so I could pay off my student loans for awhile. It was either buy this junk or get on a pole... And mama didn't raise a pole dancer...

So here I am, one year later, with a car that is so tempramental I'm wondering which one of us is the real [non-permissible content removed] here. About 6 months ago the ABS and Check Engine lights would come on every now and again, but usually, they would just come on briefly. About two months ago they just stayed on. The car started to shake pretty bad if I was stalled at a light and would kinda jerk when I gave it some gas. I took it to my local dealership and there were a lot of signals that were coming back to them when they hooked it up to the computer, so they cleared it out so that they could identify exactly what was wrong. Two weeks later the ABS light and Check engine light came back on, and they explained that I needed a new ASB Control Module - which would cost me close to $2k. The damn car is only worth $3200. I googled ABS Control Module and got the idea to kinda wedge a piece of plastic between it and the box next to it (I got the idea from this website http://www.carinstructions.com/volvo-s70-v70-abs-module/). It was running much better for about two more weeks, but now my car is really acting PMS'y.

Now, the car barely wants to start, and really whines before it decides to actually ignite. I sometimes have to push the gas to rev it up a bit. Three times it has stopped while I was driving (like from a stop position) and just died in the middle of the intersection. I have to shut it off and start it again. Today - and this is the scary part- it seemed like it didn't want to brake when I hit the brakes and then I smelled a strong gas odor. She sputtered and sputtered until I put her in park and once it was in park I saw the gauge on the transmission thing go from 1 to 8 -- AND I WAS IN PARK WITH NO FEET ON ANY PEDALS! After I came back from my appointment, she started up fine. The trouble is, the damn car started shaking again just as I was pulling into my driveway. I called a buddy of mine who suggested it may be a throttle body issue - but from my research - that has nothing to do with the ABS stuff.

I know it sounds like my poor little car is a piece of $#!t, but it's mine -- and she's all I got. Until I get squared away with ole Sallie Mae, I really want to preserve her. I like my car and she looks pretty good -- but as you men know -- there are a lot of hot girls out here with messed up insides, and my poor Volvo is one of them.

PLEASE HELP!!! I just need to know what to expect or how I can do this myself. I'm a broke, recently graduated young woman and Im surrounded my incompetent men who know nothing about cars - especially Volvos. Any ideas are appreciated!!

qbrozen · April 2012

You have 2 different problems here. The ABS has NOTHING to do with how the car runs (quite likely, however, the shaking of the car corresponds to the ABS light because the ABS light is caused by cracks in the board of the module, which are opening up as the car shakes). And, yes, you need to replace the module. HOWEVER, you don't need to pay $2k. There is a gentleman who rebuilds them better than new for less than $200.

And... actually, while searching for that fellow, I came across this place. So $100 for the service. You do have to remove and mail it, but the instructions are right there on that site. You can drive the car without the module, BTW, you will have brakes, just not antilocks, so be careful.

Your buddy is on the right track on the poor running issue. The 2000 S70 has a notoriously bad MAF sensor (just like a notoriously bad ABS module). However, it also has a poorly designed ETM, which is quite a bit more expensive.

Where did you get the car diagnosed. Was it a volvo shop? It doesn't sound like it. Next time, you need to go to a volvo dealer or specialist. It takes very specific and expensive software to properly read all the codes on your car.

The first thing you can try is unhooking your battery for 30 mins. During that time, also unhook your MAF. If, upon rehooking up your battery and starting the car, it runs better, then you need a new MAF. Again, you can drive your car this way, but don't do it for long. It will run with an improper Air-Fuel mixture, causing poor mileage and poor conditions for your plugs, O2 sensors, and catalytics.

If it doesn't clear up, then you are very likely in need of an ETM. For a temporary fix, check out this video. And, just like the ABS module, there are places that will rebuild the ETM for far cheaper than replacing it (not to mention replacing it also requires a trip to the dealer to code the new unit to your car ... so avoid that and have yours rebuilt).

Kirstie_H · April 2012

Wow. I seriously wish these forums had a "like" or "thumbs up" option. Thanks for taking the time, q, to provide such comprehensive and money-saving advice!

qbrozen · April 2012

no problem. I just hope its enough.

vivica, the S70 really can be a great and reliable car. It has a couple of common problem areas, which I believe you are currently experiencing. Once those are sorted, it could last quite a while longer.

You didn't state how many miles it has, though. Please also be aware that you HAVE to change the timing belt and tensioner every 75k miles. The manual states you can go longer, but I wouldn't risk it. Like just about any modern car, it will destroy your engine if it breaks.

cjust · April 2012

volvo s70 1998 is it a turbo? How can i find out, i have been to 2 different mechanics and they don't know.
i need to replace the neutral safety switch but the parts are totally different on the turbo and non turbo models. I have a four door sedan , automatic.
thank you

qbrozen · April 2012

There are several ways:
1. the badge on the trunk.
2. the sticker under the hood.
3. look at the engine itself. Look at this pic of a turbo engine. The large black hose going over the top-right side of the engine comes from the turbo back to the intercooler. If you don't have that hose, you don't have a turbo. You can also look at the back of the engine where that hose begins and see the turbo down there.

Here is what appears to be a standard 2.4 non-turbo:

By the way, there are 2 possible turbo '98 S70s: a GLT, which is a light-pressure turbo 2.4 liter 5-cylinder, and a T5, which is a high-pressure turbo 2.3-liter. Your parts may be different between those, as well, so check that underhood sticker to see if its the 2.3 or 2.4.

Oh, and finally, FIND NEW MECHANICS!!! The fact that they can't tell is just.... WOW!!!

Volvo S70

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