Volvo S70

burnsmr4 · September 2002

Hmmm...they keep going on and off pretty randomly since I had the 70K mile service -- the TRACS and ABS warning lights. I'm calling the mechanic today to see if he has other suggestions. It's not consistent enough to call it a failure. I'm wondering if he knocked something loose.

[ Hint to Edmunds.com -- don't steal users' "hint" formats for your own. ;-P ]

;-) burnsmr4 ;-)

pat · September 2002

;-P yourself! LOL!

:-D

burnsmr4 · September 2002

Pat,

As funny as our humorous conversation about a threaded discussion board vs. this mess (sorry -- I'm angry) is, it's no longer a laughing matter for me.

I did, indeed, try and visit the two discussions you mentioned. I either lagged out (on a T1 connection) or ended up in that software discussion with nearly 1200 gripes/complaints about passwords. I dared not throw in some meaningful suggestions on the Town Hall's obsolete software there, for fear that "Duh...what's my password and an HTML page?" questions would drown out my cries for sanity.

PLEASE -- GET EVERYONE AT EDMUNDS.COM TOGETHER TO READ THIS POST!

You guys absolutely MUST switch to something easier to read/navigate/search than this WebX stuff. I tried to post a NEW discussion for my suggestions, after the above failures, only to learn that I had to categorize the post by make and model year. WHAT?! That makes no sense -- I was in the news and views section where the software discussion was listed. :-\ That doesn't fall under...um...a make and model year...unless we refer to the Model-T body style this discussion software represents. :-\

I mentioned this over in the Forester area before, and I heard from a lot of people that wanted something easier to navigate. Something that allowed them to jump to the discussions that mattered most to them -- the Edmunds.com individual customers. Something that permitted cross-topic keyword searching on a usable, functional level.

ANYTHING is better than having to scroll back 20 messages at a time in a sea of 1500 to find 2 references to a 1998 S70 ABS controller question...and spending 2 hours doing it. As much as you allow for minute searches within your new and used vehicle listings, certainly you guys can understand the benefits of switching to a system that allows the same sort of accuracy in the Town Hall. :-\

Please -- get your cubicle comrades, find a nearby manager, and whip him/her over the head in a beating session after making him/her read this, insisting that he make a threaded discussion board an Edmunds.com Town Hall reality. A threaded discussion board could easily solve all the problems listed above and more, as well as simplify the organization nightmares that some of you hosts have to be experiencing under this system. I can't belive that none of you goes home at night mumbling "Scroll up 20 messages; scroll down 20 messages" over and over again in a drooling, almost catatonic state.

That's it -- it's up to a daring host in the S70 area to come to mine and, perhaps, several thousand other users' mental rescue before we leave the Town Hall collectively in a numbed mental state and drive our cars off nearby precipices a la lemmings.

burnsmr4

jodar96 · September 2002

I would like to buy a used S-70. A 97-99 model.
I appreciate some comments about trouble areas, and what to watch for in a used S-70.

What is the high maintenance item in this 5 cylinder engine?
Does it use a timing belt or a chain? How durable is the leather? What is the HWY mpg?
I drove a rental S-70 several years ago, and liked the driving position, seat comfort, and the overall layout.

It appears that you can get these for $8 to $11K on E-bay.

qbrozen · October 2002

Well, as you may or may not have realized by now, there is no such thing as a '97 S-70. You'd be looking at the 850 from that year.

It is a timing belt in all those years. The suggested replacement time is 70K miles.

The highway mileage depends, obviously, on your model choice. I have a '98 T5 and get about 26-27 mpg on the highway (a bit better than listed here on Edmunds). If you went with a base model, I would expect that should climb to around 30. The GLT would surely fall somewhere between those two.

How durable is the leather? Tough one. Take care of it and I'm sure it will last a long time. I do have one complaint on mine, though, and that is the leather has started to pull away from the door panels. This happened this summer due to some extreme temperatures and what I presume is the glue giving way. The leather is still fine, however, and its not a big problem. I'll just have to have it fixed one of these days.

High Maintenance item is a question I can't answer as I haven't had any maintenance issues to date. I do my own oil changes (dealer charges $50 and i don't trust anyone else to do it properly as the T5 takes 7 quarts). So I guess you might consider that to be rather high. In the dealer's defense, they also need to reset that pesky service light that comes on each time you need an oil change. I just ignore the light, personally, and change the oil as needed according to the miles.

jodar96 · October 2002

Thanks for your comments. Sorry. I should have known that S-70 started in 98. I am tracking
MB E320 96-98, BMW 528i 97-99, and S-70 98-99 all at the same time, and got Volvo's first year of
S-70 confused with BMW's first year of 528i!

How many miles do you have on yours? Checking the massages on this board either people have way too much problem or not at all with their S-70. The swings are more with S-70's than 528i's or E320's.

Does anyone know if there is anyway to check each car's VIN# through a dealer to find out how much warranty/no-warranty work is done on a vehicle. I think Carfax and checking VIN# through authorized dealers are thre best ways to determine a car's past history.

qbrozen · October 2002

Always wondered that myself. I don't see why a dealer shouldn't be able to pull up a service history on a car. They certainly are able to do so each time you bring your own car in and they can look to see what you have had done in the past. Whether or not they will actually do it for you on a car you are buying is a different story.

I have 55K miles on mine now. Bought it with 30K a little over a year ago. I've had zero problems with it and still have 20K miles left on the certified warranty, so I'm not worried. The thing I noticed with most peoples' complaints is that they were issues I would not have a problem with. Most of them center around the lights. That was a service bulletin and either have been fixed or will be fixed on a certified used vehicle. I read a few complaints about rattles. I've had no such problems. I'm really not so picky about the little things. A car is something to be used and it gets used hard. I have no complaints about a little maintenance here and there. Now, if there were a slew of rantings about engines blowing up, turbos going bad, trannies giving out, etc. Then I wouldn't have bought one. Since that wasn't the case, I went for it. Have had no regrets thus far.

And, as I'm sure you've realized, the Volvo can be had for the lowest price out of the ones you are looking at (I also shopped MB and BMW). Not to mention (in T5 trim) its faster and (personal opinion) more comfortable.

clairen · October 2002

I am beginning to be scared off by all the reports of problems in the 98's.

Safety and reliability are the main issues to me as I am the mother of 2 small children.

I would be trading in a 95 accord - with which I have had NO probelms, just want something a little sportier and newer - and safer and the SUVs under consideration - Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and Sequoia are way too expensive for us right now.

thanks -

qbrozen · October 2002

I wouldn't exactly call the standard model "sporty." It's not a heck of a lot quicker than those sport-utes you're talking about. You might want to look at the GLT. Also makes a big difference at resale time.

volvomax · October 2002

Funny I always preferred the 98 S70 to the 99.
The steering was tighter in 98
The 98 was faster, you could specify the shifting program either Sport/Economy or Winter.
In 99 they went to the computer controlled tranny, not as quick on the uptake.

The dealer should be able to give you a complete history on any of their used Volvos. Assuming that the previous owners serviced the car at the dealership.

lurking44 · November 2002

I purchased my automatic 1998 Volvo S70 T-5 in July of 2001. I bought it with 40,000 miles, and since have put an additional 12,000 miles on it. I've been very happy with my purchase. Some of the things I love about my S70 are:
1. It's very comfortable and roomy. (I'm 6'3 225lbs, so it takes a good bit of interior room for me to consider a car comfy)
2. It gets decent gas mileage for a mid-size (on the large size of mid-sized) sedan. A lot better than most sport-utes.
3. It's been fairly reliable. I have had minor electrical gremlins (I already checked and all the maintanece bulletins were performed). But no major repairs have been needed.
4. I feel safe when I drive it.
5. It's really fast. The T-5 engine has a lot of power when the turbo kicks in.

Some negatives:
1. When the turbo kicks in, moderate torque steer is evident. (torque steer feels a little like the car is driving itself, the steering wheel gets harder to turn and feels different than normal crusing)
2. I currently need a few minor parts to repair some damage caused by hitting a racoon. The parts at my local Volvo dealer cost a fortune. (quoted $250 for one fog light and a tow hook cover, which is just a piece of black plastic)
3. Had to get the suspension lubed. There were lots of creaks and groans coming from the car after 1 winter. The lubing fixed 95% of them.
4. I have tan leather seats. They are hard to keep looking clean. (but they are comfortable)

As you can see, all the problems are minor. Don't be scared of a used S70. They are very good cars. In my opinion they are one of the most comfortable and safe cars on the road (even considering most of the new models out there). I average 21mpg in mostly city/suburban driving. If you have any other questions let me know. I'll check back sometime soon!

webm2k · November 2002

I just purchased a 1999 S70 STD and after reading some of the posting here I see that no matter what may be our own individual experiences with the car, we all love this particular model. I for one shopped for 2 1/2 months and looked at the MB's and the BMW's and found that this was a better car for the price. I have a few questions for the board:
1) My car also has both doors in the rear where the leather is beginning to get unglue, it seems that this is a common thing with this model.
2) I would like to know also what is the remaining warranty in the car, I am at 47,949 miles, and how would I know if the car holds an extended warranty.
3) When I turn I hear a click coming from the steering,I want to take it in to get it looked at by the dealer, but it sounds like CV joint noise.
4) How can I find out what the previous owner has done to the car at a Volvo dealer?
5)I have found a few ebay sites that sell Volvo parts and they seem to be greatly inexpensive, like wipper blades, oil filters, air fliters, wood trimming, headlights.
6) What type of gas is recommended for this type of engine?
I think I will leave some of my questions for later and try to get some feedback from the forum.
Thank God I found you folks, I think this is great, people helping people
Carlos
Miami Beach, FL

qbrozen · November 2002

Regular gas should be just fine for the standard model.

when it comes to things like oil filters, wiper blades, etc., its not a good idea to go cheap. Getting a good deal on good products is one thing, but don't buy noname brands or reconditioned stuff or whatever the hell else is available out there.

Where did you buy the car? If it wasn't from a volvo dealer, then you don't have the extended warranty. Best thing is probably to call a dealer and talk to them. See if they'll give you a history on the car, etc. Don't know how willing they will be without getting some business from you, but who knows. Maybe they'll just try to earn your repair business by helping you out now. Maybe bring it in for that clicking noise and go from there.

webm2k · December 2002

No gbrozen, I did not want to go cheap, I just wanted to know if there was a legit way to purchase Volvo stock parts for a better price than at the dealer where they really let you have it. I am taking the car in tomorrow Monday get the clicking noise taken care of and will do some preventive maintenance and obtain all of my cars info there, and then on my own I go. As long as I know what king of maintenance is needed on the car and by when (miles) then I can do either the work myself or go to a Volvo Certified Mech and not a Dealer.

qbrozen · December 2002

Only thing on these is that little annoying service light. Personally, I just choose to ignore mine (it goes out after the car is running for a few minutes). I have yet to invest in the reset tool. No matter what, its better than paying the dealer $50 for a lousy oil change just so they can reset the light. I never went out to find a private Volvo mechanic, though. Thought about it... just never did it. I'm just too paranoid about having anyone else touch my car. Just shows how much I love this S70, though.

amazon · December 2002

YOu can re-set this by yourself. I can't remember if it's in the manual, or not. I can find out for you otherwise.

The steering clicking is one of the main reasons I sold my S70. The dealer never figured out how to pemanently fix the problem. They said that I needed to lubricate the steering stops(?) at each oil change. There's no lubrication needed at oil changes on any volvo after MY 1966, other than the engine oil change itself, so this is a bunch of baloney. I also read in a Swedich news paper about a recall in Europe for this issue, but have seen or heard nothing over here.

qbrozen · December 2002

you can reset it yourself on many years.... as far as I know, the '98 isn't one of them, unfortunately. Not really sure about '99 or later years since I only researched the '98. I do remember the 850 had something about touching two contacts under the hood together. At one point, I did find one person who said you could do it on the '98 through some pattern with the key and I forget what else, but it didn't work. If you do find something, PLEASE, I'd LOVE to hear about it and give it a shot.

So far my steering wheel is silent. I've still got another 15K miles on my extended warranty so I'm hoping any annoying issues will turn up before my time is up.

needashave · December 2002

Hi folks. I live in Chicago and am in the market for a new car. I found one I like however the deal didn't close because of the trade value I was offered for my pristine, silver loaded 1998 S70 GLT. The dealer offered me $10,000. The edmunds trade in value is around $13,500. The dealer gave me the usual song and dance of how Volvo don't move. My response was that this was already built into the price, and its all about what the market will bear (I learned this in Econ 101!). What gives? Was wondering what everyone is experiencing regarding trade. Happy motoring.

qbrozen · December 2002

How many miles? What options?

In case you haven't already, post all the info (including color and state you live) on the Real World Trade-In Values board to get a professional number on your trade-in.

needashave · December 2002

Thanks for the tip regarding Real World Trade In. According to Terry, the car's worth about $11k on a trade. Not sure how Edmunds arrived at $13,500. It's amazing how cars depreciate. Good day.

webm2k · December 2002

1999 - 2000 Volvo Service Light Reset Procedures

S / V / C70 Models

Press and hold odometer reset button.

Turn ignition switch to "run" position.

After SRL flashes, release odometer reset button.

Turn ignition off, then back on to confirm reset accepted.

...have fun.

Does anyone have a spare S70 Owners Manual? I have misplaced mine. Please send email if so....

qbrozen · December 2002

that's the one i tried on my '98. No go. The one year there is no self-reset and I own it.

qbrozen · December 2002

wow. The market is just horrible. It was just this past summer I saw GLTs selling for around $16K. So being able to pick one up for $13,5 retail now is a pretty sharp decline in just 5-6 months.

I would hate to find out the value of my car.... so I'm just not going to ask Terry.

needashave · December 2002

Does this mean there is no self reset for 1998 S70s?

qbrozen · December 2002

As far as my research has told me, right, there is no self-reset for '98.

lurking44 · December 2002

I'm am absolutely sure (100% certain) there is no self-reset procedure for a 1998 Volvo S70. I have talked to many owners and a couple trusted mechanics. There isn't a way to do it yourself for the 1998 model year.

I've got a big trip coming up during Christmas time. Driving from DC to south Florida and back. This is by far the longest trip with my 1998 S70 T-5 yet. I'm hoping it all goes smoothly. It should be a lot of fun. Happy Holidays to all my fellow Volvo fans!

needashave · December 2002

I have a 98 S70 GLT. About 6 months the Tracs Off and ABS lights came on. When I turned off the ignition and restarted the car, the lights went out. The lights came back on several times after that, but sporatically. I took the car to the dealer for service and told them about the lights. They told me they did not find any faults recorded. The problem went away. Just last night, the lights came back on. This time, they are not resetting themselves and the lights are on everytime I start the car. Anyone else have this happen? Anyone know what might be going on?

kclark21 · December 2002

I'm considering a black S70 T-5 auto, with 55k miles, loaded (as T5's are), no visible scratches except for one on the back driver's side rim. Drives amazing and is just what I'm looking for.

Two questions: does the 2.3 turbo require premium fuel? i've read in another post that mid-grade is fine, is it?

Secondly, the Volvo place (not a dealer, but a volvo mechanic who has a bunch of Volvos for sale) is asking $17995 for it, which seems high, but there are virtually no other T5's in my area (Western Massachusetts).

Any thoughts to help me contemplate this purchase would be apprechiated. ~Kenneth Clark

volvomax · December 2002

Requires 91 octane fuel.
Price seems a bit high, especially if its not a certified car.

qbrozen · December 2002

Yeah, a tad high, but that IS just asking price.

I always run premium gas. I bought the T5 cause I really wanted a comfy car that performed, so why not give it every little advantage and treat it as best I can?

Actually, I've found that most T5s do come 2 ways. With or without the sport suspension. I also found that alot of people didn't realize this so "fully loaded" doesn't always mean just that. (belive it or not, i've also seen a t5 with cloth interior.... ugh!)

ellestee · December 2002

Hi folks. I'm looking at a 98 S70 with 84,000 miles in the San Francisco area. Owner is asking 10,500 for the car and I'm going to test drive it today. It has the leather interior, automatic trans, rear wing (cute), am/fm cassette and CD, power seat and a few other upgrades.

I like the looks of the car from photos emailed by the seller and ones I've seen driving around town, but after reading this site, I'm wondering if the car will have too many problems for me. It seems high miles for the year.

I'm going to ask for service records and have it checked by my mechanic if I decide it could be a car for me. Any other suggestions?

Thanks... L

genemcm · December 2002

I have had this car for four years (bought it one year used) and have been relatively pleased with it since most of the repairs occurred during the warranty. I have ,however, had four batteries in the last two years. I thought that it was the alternator but when I went to get my last battery replaced at Advanced Auto parts they tested the alternator before giving me a new battery since the old was under warranty. I went out yesterday after two days of non use and it is dead. I tried the obvious......left a light on or something but that doesn't appear to be it.

Anyone else have this problem. I hoped to keep this car a long time...run it in to the ground. Thanks in advance!

bizprofcc · January 2003

I had the same problem with my 98 S70. As it turns out, the problem was caused by the glove compartment door not latching properly. Even though the door was closed, unless it was pushed tight enough to "click" the light inside the glove compartment was staying on. This caused the battery to drain when the car sat idle for a few days.
Try pushing on the glove compartment door and see if it makes a clicking sound. If it does, then that is probably what is causing the problem.

qbrozen · January 2003

is this a base model? If so, that seems like high money for all those miles. You could get a low mileage one for just a couple grand more and it would be money well spent to get a couple more years of driving out of it. Just personal opinion, but I would never spend 5 figures on a car with those kinda miles.

jskho · January 2003

I am considering buying a CPO 99 S70 base 5sp with 31k miles. I think heated leather seats is the only option. Dealer is asking for $15k.
I am wondering what you think.
Also, does anyone know how options are packaged for model year 99? Is traction control available for 99?

qbrozen · January 2003

according to the info here on edmunds, traction control was an option in '99. I would assume its the same as the '98s, so I wouldn't get too excited about it. Its only a low-speed traction control and, frankly, it doesn't work. I've spun my wheel a number of times upon takeoff, so I've found myself laughing quite often at the TRACS overide button on my dash.

Anyway, if its a clean car, that's not a bad price. You sure it doesn't have a moonroof and CD player though? Heated leather seats and no CD just seems plain odd to me. But, in any case, stereo and alloy wheels can be fixed easily aftermarket. And I guess a lacking moonroof isn't a big tragedy. It shouldn't affect the resale too badly.

jskho · January 2003

Thanks for the info.
I am not sure about the option combo but no sunroof and alloys for sure. I wasn't able to get close to the car (lot fenced) and dealer website is usually inaccurate.
That's why I am wondering if options are available individual or in packages.
I think 5sp is the big hit to resale value rather than sunroof.

jskho · January 2003

Does anyone have experience with the certified pre-owned warranty? Is it bumper-to-bumper as in the new car warranty? Or are there items excluded?

qbrozen · January 2003

Its not as good as bumper to bumper, but slightly better than basic powertrain. It covers the obvious things like engine, transmission, electrical components, etc. But it also covers things like the power seats and windows. I have the list of what is covered and what is not. If you want down and dirty specifics, let me know and I could scan it and post it somewhere and provide the link. But maybe its on the volvo website. I haven't looked.

jskho · January 2003

Yes. That would be helpful if it is not too much trouble for you. Or I can email you my fax number if that is easier. I don't think it is on the Volvo website. Thanks once again.

qbrozen · January 2003

here it is.

you will probably be better off reading it by right-clicking the pic and saving it on your hard drive. Then you can open it and zoom in for easier viewing.

Speaking of the CPO, my S70 is in the shop today for its oil leak. My wife pointed out other problems as well, including the loose leather on the door panels (which I think I mentioned here earlier). Service person said that should be covered, as well. We'll see. I'll report back when I hear the results.

edit - ok. just checked that link after I posted. Says its not available. I hope that fixes itself soon. May just be a delay between my upload and when they allow it to be viewed. If it doesn't work, give me yer email and I'll send it to you.

utvol1 · January 2003

How do you reset the service light on a 2000 S70 Volvo? I change my own oil and on my previous 1994 Volvo 940 I could reset it from inside the car.

jskho · January 2003

Thanks a lot! It is very useful.
That would be great since interior upholstery is not listed as a covered item.

qbrozen · January 2003

glad to help.

Well, as I figured, the interior is not covered. They quoted $1300 to fix the door panels!! I, of course, declined that repair. When you can get whole new aftermarket leather seating for a grand for most cars, there is no way in hell I'd pay $1300 just for door inserts. I'll live with it for now and maybe have it done by an independent shop down the line somewhere.

Anyway, my oil leak turned out to be both oil return lines. Repaired under warranty. They even threw in a free loaner for my wife for the day and washed the car while they had it. That's great service. Certainly never had those perks when I bought a new Dodge truck.

qbrozen · January 2003

Did you try the procedure listed in post 440?

utvol1 · January 2003

qbrozen, Thanks for the info. Procedure listed on #440 worked.

djames42 · January 2003

For resetting your '98 S70... (in case you aren't familiar with where to buy one)

http://www.ipdusa.com/ProductsList.aspx?subSubCategoryID=590

Runs $178--not cheap, but the service light drives me nuts for the week or two it takes me to get to the dealer for my oil changes.

qbrozen · January 2003

there's that and there is also a software program you can get for your PC. I would probably opt for the program just because its kinda cool in that you can monitor your car as its running, etc. That can be found at obdii.com. Looks to be about $200.

But, still, my wife won't let me part with $200 or even $178 just to get that silly light to go away. I can live with it. Basically, if I ever have the money to burn, I'll spring for the software, or, if that never happens and I want to sell the car at some point (perish the thought!), I'll just bring it to the dealer for that final oil change.

webm2k · February 2003

gbrozen, I just went last week just before the warranty was going to expire (right at 49,950) and they said that it was a factory defect specially on the rear panels and fixed them all up for FREE, I think it would be good if you call the 1-800 Volvo service number and complaint.

webm2k · February 2003

...just this weekend my wife lost the second set of keys and keyless remote. Boy what a saga. I called the dealer today and to my heart attack surprise here is what a key and remote will cost you on a 1999 S70:

     THE KEY
$58.00 for the key core (special order laser cut and it takes 1 week to arrive)
$42.00 for the software
$78.00 labor to program
       $178.00 plus tax= $189.57

    THE KEYLESS REMOTE
$100.00 for the remote
$42.00 for the software
$78.00 labor to program
        $220.00 plus tax= $234.30
$423.87 for the key and one remote ...DONT KEEP YOUR EYES OFF THEM!

...I was able to talk the tech down for the second $78.00 for labor since he will be doing the work simultaneously for the key and the remote, so for the asking, I got a break and saved $78.00, but who has $345.87 to spare for a set of keys?

Volvo S70

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