Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Volvo S70

1181920212224»

Comments

  • milady1812milady1812 Member Posts: 1
    I'm looking at getting new tires for my 1999 S70 GLT. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm in Oklahoma so there's a lot of rain and occasionally a bit of snow and I'm looking for an all season sort of tire. Thanks for any help!
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    Continental DWS

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • delicatexandelicatexan Member Posts: 1
    My 1998 Volvo S70's A/C stops blowing cold air after about an hour. When I turn off the A/C and turn in back on 10 minutes later, the air is cold again. I took it in for servicing and had the freon checked, no leaks. The mechanic told me that the compressor may be failing, repair estimate $1100. Does this sound right? Could it be fixed without replacing the whole compressor?
  • willybeewillybee Member Posts: 4
    Just bought a 2000 S70 GLT on Long Island with a bit under 98,000 miles. Paid just less than $4000; I figured I'd put a few thousand into it, and still have a great car for a buncha years and another 100,000+ miles. After 400 miles, she really reminds me of my favorite all-weather Highway Beast, an '88 Eagle Premier (FWD), America's most misunderstood vehicle, 'cept my Eagle had even better seats, and a bigger trunk. And the rear windows went all the way down. :shades:
    Put a quarter-million miles on 'er, joke is: went through only two sets of tires and original brakes; heck the only time they touched pavement was in a parking lot. (Actually, six sets of tires)

    Here's where we're at with the New Beast:
    1. Timing Belt, Idler and Tensioning pulleys, and Water Pump scheduled for this week. Serpentine belt too, while they're in there.
    2. Brakes all around, including reman calipers and new hydraulic lines.
    3. Struts, mounts, bearing plates, spring seats, stabilizer linkages. Rear Shocks replaced.
    4. Oil change, of course.

    Unresolved, as yet, issues of priority: (HELP !!) :confuse:

    1. Headlights lousy. I mean like as bad as running at night with DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) only.
    Blindly spent $60 for 55w Xenon Bulbs to little avail, then found same on eBay for $10-20....
    Is it worth getting crazy and gettin' 100w bulbs with HID ballasts and stuff ??? HELP !!
    Hey, when the Turn Signals and Parking Lights put out more Lumen stuff than the Headlights, sumptin' ain't right. Bulbs seein' 12V engine off; 14V running.
    Disabled the DRL function wit da little screw on the Headlight Switch; that seems to help some, but not nearly enough. Lens and particularly reflectors a bit dull, but I've seen way worse that pump out mucho more light onto da road. Even at the Dealer's lot. :confuse:

    Researching aftermarket replacement headlight assemblies, I found one site that even had a decent installation video:
    How To Install Replace Headlight and Bulb 98-00 Volvo C70 S70 V70 1AAuto.com
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW1SA8e6aRw&feature=plcp

    Metallic coatings of plastic reflectors have evolved quite a bit over the last 12 years, so $350 OEM assemblies, even with the typically Glass Lenses, don't seem to be a prudent expenditure. Even $125-150 aftermarket and crashed-up car parts places (used to call dem "Junkyards") Imma not jumpin' at.
    Made the same era; same mediocre reflector coating.

    Learning to re-aim them myself; bought the 2000 Volvo Service manual on CD for twenty bucks, installed the .vmx viewer, but itsa wantin' me to be a Service Manager/Salesman instead of giving me schematics and diagrams and drawings and stuff. HELP !! :confuse:

    2. Engine sometimes surging a bit at 30-35 mph at minimal load/rpm's. Similar surge, and even hesitation at 5 mph and coming off the line gently. Like in a parking lot or from a Stoplight. ETS light (Electronic Throttle Sensor ??) came on for a bit once, then went out; the inexpensive code reader of the nice guy that I bought New Beast from showed no codes to be read/confused over. :confuse:
    First thought was perhaps intermittently clogged fuel filter ?? Don't even know where it is yet.
    Then, readin' through about 15% of these Posts, vacuum leak is added to my list, which also includes O2 sensor possibilities. HELP!! Is "MAF" some sort of Mixture: Air/Fuel chip ?? What's the Part # ?? Where is it ??

    3. Front Cup Holders are nearly worthless. Doesn't seem to be anyplace else to put one. Currently getting by with one designed to wedge between seats; got it between seat and center console; any other suggestions ???

    4. New tires all around at end of Summer. Original Michelins from Costco ?? Someone posted Continental DWS or GWS, but any other recommendations ?? Slightly bigger diameter or width ??

    Anything else I should put on my list of stuff schedule and to budget for ???

    THANKS !!
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    1. Look into Euro lenses. They are clear as opposed to the US hatchmarked versions. If you want more light then that, buy separate driving lights. I did that on my '98 and mounted them down in the foglight holes.

    2. ETM is a very very common failure on these. The one big weak point (along with the ABS module). You can get it rebuilt with solid state and much more reliable components, but it isn't exactly cheap. I believe around $500, IIRC.

    3. I dunno.

    4. I agree with continental DWS if you can afford it.

    If the aforementioned ABS module every goes south on you, there is a place that rebuilds them for far far cheaper than a replacement unit. So just keep that in mind.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • willybeewillybee Member Posts: 4
    Thank you kind folks for your replies. Some apparently regular contributor, a Klaus fellow, has also suggested that 2004 C70 lenses are clear, and will fit my dear Beast. I will look into both. The cross-hatched, fresnel effect lenses diffuse the damn beam so much that I can't even discern a cut-off line for aiming them.
    The damn reflectors are way worse than the dull (unburnished) side of aluminum foil in brightness.

    I'll look further, but somewhere in the postings are links to the places that rebuild both ETM and ABS modules....betcha this Klaus guy has them on speed dial, or on Bookmark bar of his browser !!

    BTW, I couldn't figure out what currency abbreviation IIRC bees; mebbe like a Royal Canadian second-series ?? Had to look it up !!

    Timing Belt, appurtenances, and Wa Wa pump are definitely the priority for this month's budget, with Serpentine belt squeezed in.

    If you're following, Mr. Klaus, I'd like your opinion on Tranny fluid flush. I've heard and read everything from, "Don't ever think of cracking the pan or plug; new fluid will curse the tranny" :confuse: , on through drain and replace half or one third per week or month and run it for the week or month.
    Decant to re-use the drained fluid ??? One guy, perhaps a heavy drug user, said to make sure to put back the gritty stuff for friction properties.
    Several different fluids have been held in reverence. One guy claimed gloatingly loving fastidiousness to doing it a quarter of capacity at a time. What up wit dat ?? Let da tranny brain acclimate gradually ???

    Haven't tried this new beast in slick wet or snow/ice yet, but I did love the degree of control that my Eagle's (had a Volvo-made engine) ZF-4 tranny gave. Better than driving a stick. Wonder if the "W" mode be the same ??

    Again, thanks to the Community that I've just stumbled into.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    It absolutely positively needs the trans fluid changed. No, I wouldn't "flush" it at this point, but definitely change it. I found with my T5 that it started acting a little funny at 60k miles. Fluid change fixed it. Then had to change every 30k after that.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • willybeewillybee Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for your kind advices.
    What worries me about tranny is the wild spectrum of advice. One of my five Chevys, my S-10 P/U, had Dealer Svc. (Drain, replace fluid, and filter) at 50k to stay within warranty. At 100k, done by a tranny shop Owned by a guy who eventually turned into a Meth addict and skipped town. Starting at 115k, three rebuilds (twice towed w/o drive shaft disconnect) and a new tranny got me through 160k and into 240k..........Different tranny shop (but Owner perhaps also a heavy Drug user) done tole me about making sure to put back some of the gritty fluid for friction property retention !!
    Actually, two Volvo Owners, whose vehicles I had looked to purchase, with 134k and 119k, told me about the "never touch the tranny fluid or crack the pan curse/hex" thing. They did concur with Timing Belt replacement, so I ditn' think they were completely bonkers on drugs.
    Culling through the bewildering madness, it seems to make sense to drain half or less when cold, to remove precipitated particles, but replace and run with what ?? Half decanted fluid/half fresh, or straight fresh? Fresh Factory fluid from Dealer, or Dextron III ???
    Is this procedure intended to wash out the hydraulic pressure sensors and lessen the necessity of replacing the filter ??

    Suspension and Brakes: Done.

    Timing Belt, appurtenances, Water Pump, and Serpentine Belt: Next Week

    Headlights, whatever the solution, end of August.

    Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires budgeted for September.
    T'will run 'bout $500 installed.

    Watched the little Throttle Body clean-out video last night; don't know if this will help, as I'm seeing Tach bounce at idle and low load 30 mph cruise only 5-10% of the time during a third of my trips.
    My Mechanic says he won't touch it, 'cause the Magnetti Merilli (sp?) ones have such problems that Volvo issued a recall advisory, and upon failure, will replace at up to 100,000k. (after begging or threatening; which one works best for a Second Owner that isn't an attractive woman ??)
    Anyone got contact info on the rebuild house handy ??

    Also saw a Cabin Air filter replacement video. Hey, two screws and twelve bucks ?? Even my alcohol-addled mind can handle that.

    Still hate the Cup Holders. Have found the part at crashed-up car joints for $11-$25 vs. OEM/Dealer $35-$55; I can't believe how many windshield wiper motors have apparently survived accidents protecting the people behind them.
    None of my extensive collection of re-usable beverage containers will fit properly. Work-around of buying new containers; one nice SS one that fits snugly has horrible thermal insulation properties; way worse than Dixie cups; hey that's why they were On Sale for $2.50 each. Just bought two nice 7" and 10" tall ones for $7 and $20, but they're Pepsi-can dia. narrow to the point where they'll flop out when Turbo kicks in.
    What, do I have to do, search for damn Metric coffee cups too ??

    Otherwise, startin' to love New Beast.

    Willybee
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    edited July 2012
    Those S-10s had faulty transmissions, so I wouldn't hold that up as a measuring stick.

    I think this whole business about transmission fluid not getting changed is a conspiracy by the dealers. :blush:

    Seriously, though, case in point is my BMW. BMW says lifetime fluid... never touch it. Oddly enough, however, I can buy the fluid and filter from them for just this purpose. hmmmm... Secondly, the manufacturer of the transmission, ZF, says it SHOULD be changed every 50k. Now, who would you believe? The company that built the transmission? Or the company who just bought it and put it in their car?

    I just did a real brief search to see if I could find aisin-warner's recommendations on this transmission, and I came across some interesting comments from a mechanic. take a read for yourself.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • willybeewillybee Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for your kind advices.
    What worries me about tranny is the wild spectrum of advice. One of my five Chevys, my S-10 P/U, had Dealer Svc. (Drain, replace fluid, and filter) at 50k to stay within warranty. At 100k, done by a tranny shop Owned by a guy who eventually turned into a Meth addict and skipped town. Starting at 115k, three rebuilds (twice towed w/o drive shaft disconnect) and a new tranny got me through 160k and into 240k..........Different tranny shop (but Owner perhaps also a heavy Drug user) done tole me about making sure to put back some of the gritty fluid for friction property retention !!
    Actually, two Volvo Owners, whose vehicles I had looked to purchase, with 134k and 119k, told me about the "never touch the tranny fluid or crack the pan curse/hex" thing. They did concur with Timing Belt replacement, so I ditn' think they were completely bonkers on drugs.
    Culling through the bewildering madness, it seems to make sense to drain half or less when cold, to remove precipitated particles, but replace and run with what ?? Half decanted fluid/half fresh, or straight fresh? Fresh Factory fluid from Dealer, or Dextron III ???
    Is this procedure intended to wash out the hydraulic pressure sensors and lessen the necessity of replacing the filter ??

    Suspension and Brakes: Done.

    Timing Belt, appurtenances, Water Pump, and Serpentine Belt: Next Week

    Headlights, whatever the solution, end of August.

    Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires budgeted for September.
    T'will run 'bout $500 installed.

    Watched the little Throttle Body clean-out video last night; don't know if this will help, as I'm seeing Tach bounce at idle and low load 30 mph cruise only 5-10% of the time during a third of my trips.
    My Mechanic says he won't touch it, 'cause the Magnetti Merilli (sp?) ones have such problems that Volvo issued a recall advisory, and upon failure, will replace at up to 100,000k. (after begging or threatening; which one works best for a Second Owner that isn't an attractive woman ??)
    Anyone got contact info on the rebuild house handy ??

    Also saw a Cabin Air filter replacement video. Hey, two screws and twelve bucks ?? Even my alcohol-addled mind can handle that.

    Still hate the Cup Holders. Have found the part at crashed-up car joints for $11-$25 vs. OEM/Dealer $35-$55; I can't believe how many windshield wiper motors have apparently survived accidents protecting the people behind them.
    None of my extensive collection of re-usable beverage containers will fit properly. Work-around of buying new containers; one nice SS one that fits snugly has horrible thermal insulation properties; way worse than Dixie cups; hey that's why they were On Sale for $2.50 each. Just bought two nice 7" and 10" tall ones for $7 and $20, but they're Pepsi-can dia. narrow to the point where they'll flop out when Turbo kicks in.
    What, do I have to do, search for damn Metric coffee cups too ??

    Otherwise, startin' to love New Beast.

    Willybee
  • legendsoflegendsof Member Posts: 1
    You are lucky. I'm going to pay $1774 for mine. They changed the expansion valve and the clutch as well. Mine is a 2000 model with low millage.
  • hammerjack67hammerjack67 Member Posts: 1
    Is their a kit to replace the electronic throttle body to cable operated? Has anyone broke the electronic throttle body down to find what cause the problem in the system, what does the manufacture has to say? :mad:
Sign In or Register to comment.