Volvo S70

volvomax · May 2005

A remote off ebay might work. Then again it might not.
Dealer would have to program. S70 remotes aren't that much. Your better off getting a new one than getting one off ebay and finding out its defective, or broken or can't be reprogrammed.

Paint jobs cost as much as you want them to. A really good one can set you back $2-4,000.

bowmanza · May 2005

I am having a few problems with my car. First, when parking one day my car rubbed, pretty gently- just a small amount, on a curd outside of the local panera and incidently caused the plastic baricade just under the fan just behind the front bumper to come loose and eventually fall off. I seriously only rubbed it, but it was definitely enough to break the the hole which the screw went threw. So what do I do.... Where can I buy one, does any one know how much it costs.

Second, I was locking the door and my girl on the inside of the car opened the door as the lock was locking. Then, even with the door unlocked her FR door wouldn't open. I had to open it from the inside. Then I hit the key lock a few times and now it opens, but it doesn't lock. I lock could be up or down and the door will not lock.Any ideas... any trouble shooting thing I can do. Or did she inadvertently break the lock. Dear, this is agrevating. And I would like to know if any one has dealt with this and how much it costs... again. Thank you guys so much you have been a big help in the past

qbrozen · May 2005

sorry, but no idea on the lock problem.

for the plastic, are you talking about the shield under the motor? that's all i can think of on mine that you may be referring to. It runs from just behind the front lip to just behind the oil pan. The whole thing is held up by four 10-mm bolts. If this is the one you are referring to (or, it really doesn't matter what it is for my suggestion), why not just get a nut and bolt with washers and secure it to whatever is left to grab on to? I mean, if you just ripped part of the plastic, there is probably enough left that a big washer couldn't cure, right? Either that or I am totally failing to understand what piece you are referring to.

bowmanza · May 2005

I believe your right about the shield. I think it goes all the way back to the pan, oil pan that is. The problem is, as i see it, that the holes that would have secured to those 10mm bolts have busted. So now the holes form a U shape. Now I could try and crank it down, but i am worried with it not beig secure that it will just come off again.

qbrozen · May 2005

So did the whole shield actually come off? Or is just part of it hanging down at this point?

I'm sure you could find some way to secure it. it is just plastic, after all. I can't imagine what a dealership would charge for it, but I can't imagine it would be worth it. Just a guess.

bowmanza · May 2005

Yeah.... well i will call a repair guy. But i totally agree, I may have to rig a way to get it up there. Hmm, we'll just have to see. Thanks

lancerfixer · May 2005

iPd makes some pretty slick aluminum replacement pans, probably for cheaper than the dealer would charge for a plastic one.

qbrozen · May 2005

oh, that's right. i completely forgot about that. heck of an idea.

and you'd think i'd come up with that since anytime something breaks on mine, I use that oppurtunity to upgrade aftermarket.

tbroderick · May 2005

This seems to be a common issue. I have been having the problem with my 99V70, how much do they charge for the antenna ring?

clana · May 2005

tbroderick, the antenna ring they replaced for me under my limited extended warranty last June. I don't know what it would have cost otherwise. They have just last week replaced the immobilizer and that was about $300 which included three new keys. Service Manager admits he can't guarantee this will fix the problem. I suspect this will be an ongoing situation with this immobilizer/antenna ring failing every year or so. Hope I'm wrong. good luck.

gthokie · May 2005

I have a squeak/rattle in my front left strut. I can't tell if it is the actual strut or the strut mount. I have three questions:
1. Does anyone have a suggestion of how to tell which it is, strut vs. mount?
2. If I replace the strut should I also replace the mount?
3. If I replace one strut, should I replace both the left and right?

Any other advise is welcomed. Thanks.

dguillot · May 2005

At about 75,000 mile I brought my S70 for a basic maintenance to the dealer (Oil change and LUBE). After receiving the car back the AC started blowing warm air. brought it back to the dealer and the AC was blowing cold and could not reproduce the problem. Since then I have found what causes the problem to occur and how to keep it up and running.

The symptoms are:
1.When braking really quick the AC cooling decreases, one can smell the evaporation moisture, until it is not blowing cool..
2. When traveling at a consitant rate without any sudden decrease in RPMs the AC blow cold and doesn't loose the cool air.
3. When sitting still for a while, such as at a signal light, the AC is blowing cold when accelerating the AC then decreases the cool blowing air to an outside temp air.
4. I have found that if I keep the RPMs at 1000 or above while stopping and/or sitting still, then the AC will blow cool even when duplicating the above conditions.

It seems that as long as there is a load of 1000 RPM+, the conditions that cause it to stop blowing cool doesn't affect the AC.

Has anyone else experienced this issue or can deduce what might be a possible cause. I would like to get as much info as possible before taking it in for repair..

Thanks in advance

qbrozen · May 2005

i would go ahead and do both left and right struts and mounts. Labor is the big cost with replacing either, so might as well only incur the labor once.

fchin · June 2005

I just purchase 98' Volvo GLT, with 120,000 miles. Former owner used regular oil.
Can you change from regular oil to synthetic oil with no adverse effect to engine?

fchin · June 2005

Which should be used? synthectic or regular engine oil? I just purchase 98' S70 GLT with turbo. It has 120,000miles. Owner used regular Mobil oil. Also, any ideas on how to fix heated seats?
Thanks

volvomax · June 2005

I think most people will tell you not to change the oil type at this point.

harvey108 · June 2005

Regarding your hitting the curb a little bit and it causing the plastic shield under the front part of the car to get disconnected, we have the same issue... twice it has become disconnected. Let me know how you solved the problem

qbrozen · June 2005

and i'm one of those people volvomax mentioned. Don't change to synthetic this late in the car's life.

How to fix heated seats? Well.... what's wrong with them? Are they uncomfortable? Too hot? Wrong color? They have a cut or split in them? Are they not working when you flip the switch? Is the light on the switch coming on? I could go on and on. Need a bit more info to try to help.

dtac · June 2005

I've had this problem and fixed it with my S70. It's likely the front spring spacer.. you should replace both spring spacers and struts. An experienced Volvo Mechanic can do this.

Hope this helps

fchin · June 2005

Thank you qbrozen and volvomax. I also got the same advice from my mechanic concerning not to switch. The heated seats works after all. Another question, Do I have to let my 2.4 GLT engine idle after I turn it off because it is turbo (in order to cool properly?) or has manufacturer fixed this problem? Thanks.

danzee · June 2005

Switch has been recalled - hope you saved the reciept - Volvo must re-imburse you !

qbrozen · June 2005

Well, to start with, its not a "problem." Its an inherent design in most turbos that they use engine oil for cooling purposes, and shutting down the engine too soon after running at high boost will allow oil to sit in the hot turbo and basically cook.

So, yes, you have to allow the turbo to cool a bit before shutting engine off. However, this does not necessarily mean you have to sit still with the engine idling. Its only really necessary if you, for instance, come off the highway and park within a minute. If you are driving slowly and at low RPMs on sidestreets for several minutes before arriving at your destination, this will suffice, especially with the GLT since this does not run at the boost that the T5 does. Basically, just don't drive hard and shut down the engine right away. If you do drive hard and come to a stop, let the car idle for about 45 secs or so before turning off.

volvomax · June 2005

turbo idling is not a "problem" to be corrected.

It is a byproduct of turbo design and physics.

That being said, an S70 turbo doesn't need to be idled unless you have just completed some high speed long distance use. Then it is a good idea.
Simple commuting doesn't require idling.

tensail3 · June 2005

I just purchased a S70 GLT 2000 with 32k miles from Carmax. I'm having two issues that Carmax can't repair.

First is my headlight warning light is on. All lights seem to be working however the light stays on. I have played with the trunk light switch and the light does go off however after a few bumps it comes back on. Any suggestions?

Next is my ETS light and the studdering. It's only happended once and I went to mid grade gas and hopefully it will not happen again. Any one seen this?

Lastly the ride seems bumpy compared to my old nissan pathfinder...and the whole car creaks when I get out of it? On speed bumps the car is painful. Should it be this way?

Thanks and hopefully this forum still has readers.

qbrozen · June 2005

Are you worried that we all disappeared since the last post just 2 days ago? lol.

So you are referring to the lightbulb warning light, right? (since it tells you when any of the exterior lights are out, it wouldn't be just for headlights) ... I'm asking because I'm not familiar with 2000 and it might be different than my '98 (which just has the one warning light for all exterior lights). Anyway... I'm not sure why your trunk light should affect this at all. Are you sure one of the taillights isn't going on and off intermittently? I have this problem quite often and a tap on the trunk lid will make the light come back on and, therefore, turn off the dash warning light.

As far as the ride goes ... well... have you test driven any other S70s? How does it compare to those? It really shouldn't need it yet, but maybe new shocks and struts are in order. Who knows? Maybe someone REALLY heavy drove it all the time on very rough roads and wore it out prematurely.

tensail3 · June 2005

Thanks I will try that for the headlight warning light...however that is just quirky...not really expected for a luxury car.

The ETS light or the electronic throttle system light went on again today and this time with the check engine light...the car is only a month old! I'm raising heck with carmax and thank gosh I have a bumper to bumper for 100k miles. When the ets light goes on the car studders and if you read the manual it says to turn off the ignition and if the light still comes on driving performance will be affected. You're telling me...

The bumpy ride is more than the other S70s I drove. Maybe the previous owners were heavy...and maybe never got out of the house thus the 32k miles on a 2000.

Anyway, I will see where this goes...

venturer · June 2005

[Next is my ETS light and the studdering. It's only happended once and I went to mid grade gas and hopefully it will not happen again. Any one seen this?]

Yes, I'm having this problem. It has been to the shop and they can't seem to locate
a specific problem. The guess has been fuse relays and computer.
Has a change in gas grade made any difference in the performance or studdering?

Thanks for your time and consideration.

fchin · June 2005

Thank you Volvomax and qbrozen. Once again, you two seemed to be very knowledgeable as well as helpful. Any suggestions for what brand of tires I should buy. Presently, I have Dunlaps A-2 Sport. They seemed to handled the road well. I will need to replace 2. The rear ones are in great shape.

volvomax · June 2005

Ask six people on tires and you'll get 6 different answers.
Can't go wrong w/ Michelins but they are pricey.
Continentals are ok.
Falkens and Kumho's are probably the least expensive.
If you already have Dunlpos and aren't getting 4 new tires then stick w/ the Dunlops.

qbrozen · June 2005

glad to help. Plenty of knowledgable volvo lovers out there (we are a dedicated bunch), but, for some reason, Vmax and I seem to be 2 of the very few who try to hold the volvo flag around here (lancerfixer is another one that i can remember off the top of my head). Its a tough job, but someone's gotta do it.

agree with volvomax. if only replacing 2, its a good idea to match the 2 you are keeping.

If you decide to replace 4, I found the Continental ContiExtremes to be a great tire for a great price.

fchin · June 2005

Yep, it seems that Volvomax and qbrozen make a great team in answering my questions. I will give you a "rest" until I run into more questions.

romo1 · June 2005

Does anyone know how and where to get the ABS control unit for $180? 1999 S-70 with tracs

qbrozen · June 2005

yup. just looked it up the other day for someone else.
Seems I mispoke. Price on the site says $130.

here is the gentleman who fixed mine:
http://home.earthlink.net/~vicrocha/

volvomaster · June 2005

Dear sir i am a volvo master mechanic here in ct ,in regards to your questions first the ligths . This system has bulb itegredy sensor and is very sensitive the first thing you need to check is to see if you have a headlight out . If not we move to the rear of vehicle even though the rear lights all seem to be working you can have one that is partialy burnt ,so you remove all bulbs in rear if any of the bulbs have dark marks on them replace them it may be a lot to replace i have replaced all of them in the past just to fix this problem. If problem still persists you may have a bulb integredy sensor that is bad very easy to replace it is located in the left rear of trunk . It is about 4inches by 4 inches and is probably red or blue. Your ets light is a little more severe then that this is a very commin problem the manufacture knows this and will not stand behind problem . However the problem is the throttle unit ,it has a malfuntion and needs to be replaced the dealer will probably tell you it needs a download ,that is unfortunatly only going to fix problem for a short while. The real fix is to replace unit the down side to this is it is expensive to repair the parts are probabily around 500.00 and another 300-500 to install it depending on which dealer you go to . I know this because i have repaired probabily 1000 of these. If you have any more questions you can e-mail me at vanrynwigg@aol.com ps i was a master volvo tech for 14 yaers and i know my prouduct!

pat · June 2005

That's great information - thanks! Tell you what, though, if folks have questions for you, let's discuss them right here instead of in email. That way all of our community will have access to the information whenever they might need it, now and in the future.

You may be interested in joining some of the discussions on our Maintenance & Repair board - your expertise would be most welcome there.

Welcome to our Forums - have fun!

romo1 · June 2005

thankyou for the valuable info. regarding the abs module repair. hopefully he can fix mine, and some friends as well. thanks again.

carforson · June 2005

I am looking at a '99 s70 and detected the same problem you describe when turning right -- what did you eventually find?
Also i have found a lot of wind noise from passenger side window -- appears to bow -- ever heard of this?

qbrozen · June 2005

for that noise, did you check out this message, too?
qbrozen, "Volvo S70" #654, 7 Feb 2005 10:50 am

I'm not understanding your second problem. It bows? When closed? In an S70? If its moving at all while driving and while the window is closed, then it sounds like the window seal is missing or rotted in some way. You should get no movement at all when closed all the way.

socalvolvodvr · June 2005

I have a 1999 S70. It's in great shape, and has given me no major mechanical problems at 94000 miles. Bought it back in 2002 used with about 38k miles on it and loved it ever since.
However, the dash has become lose and makes noise on anything but the smooth asphalt (from a slight rattle to and annoying squeak). The lose dash is something I noticed a few months after I bought the car (though it was only minor at the time), but in the past year it has progressively gotten worse to the point where it is at now.
I found one poster that sounds like they might have had a similar problem ( #634 ). So I'm wondering if the only way to fix this problem is like the dealer told the other poster, "that the whole dash has to be replaced"? Any input is appreciated. Thank you.

I hope this is the right place to get some answers, because I've asked around at a couple of Volvo dealers and no one has given me a decent answer.

qbrozen · June 2005

this is something i'd definitely try to fix myself. Mine hasn't become so bad that I want to go through the effort, but when it is squeaking, I can push the dash towards the front of the car (i push on the ledge above the guage cluster) and the squeak stops. SO, at some point, I plan on trying to either get some grease into where the dash meets the front of the car by the windshield, OR stick some shims in there. Whatever works. I think its just something you gotta play around with. Replacing the dash makes no sense to me at all. The only reason that might work is because they are putting the new dash in tight. Why not just tighten the old one?

socalvolvodvr · June 2005

From what I've been told by one rep at a dealer and what the other owner in #634 said, there are clips clips on the back of the dash that have broken. I was hoping that this is something that could be replaced or refitted, but certainly its not worth the cost of replacing the entire dashboard. I've thought about buying a haynes manual to see what I'm up against. However shiming it with some sort of padded material seems like it will be the simplest fix. I'm 99% sure that no amount of grease would fix my problem. As always any more information on the subject is appreciated.

volvomax · June 2005

There isn't a permanent fix short of replacing the dash.
The clips are part of the dash itself.
I certainly wouldn't attempt it myself.

rottenapple · July 2005

Hi there! I have a '99 S70 w/ 62k and my a/c and fans were not turning on. I just took it to a garage where they "shocked" the system with all kinds of diagnostic tests. The A/C and fans work now, but the garage said that I would need to replace the control head soon. Does this sound right, and am I going to have spend a lot of money?
Thanks for your help. I enjoy coming to this discussion.

lancerfixer · July 2005

When you first turn on your car, do you notice the LEDs on the climate control unit blinking for about 20 seconds or so? That's an indication of a fault in the system, and a dealer can correctly diagnose it (they seem to be pretty sensitive...mine's been blinking since I bought my '98 S70 a year ago and everything seems to work fine; I've ignored it thus far.)

In unrelated news, I've got the dreaded ABS/TRACS OFF lights...but only intermittently. I may be placing a call to Victor soon...

qbrozen · July 2005

I've got the dreaded ABS/TRACS OFF lights...but only intermittently. I may be placing a call to Victor soon...

LOL. Well, it was only a matter of time. I'm surprised it lasted this long.

by the way, mine has been working FLAWLESSLY since he fixed mine last year. (oopss... better find some wood to knock on)

lancerfixer · July 2005

Where'd you find the Torx bit?

qbrozen · July 2005

hehe. well, i was a brave soul and used the 6-sided 5/32 socket, as suggested on Victor's website. Luckily, the screws were not tight at all, so it wasn't a problem. Getting to them was a HUGE headache, though. I had to get the 2 lower ones from under the car and completely by feel since I couldn't see the unit from down there. (but this is supposedly an easier task on the non-turbo models.)

lancerfixer · July 2005

(but this is supposedly an easier task on the non-turbo models.)

Hah. I've got a GLT.

Thanks for the heads-up. I looked at Victor's website and it does look a good deal more involved than I thought. 'Tis ok, though: I like a challenge.

fchin · July 2005

Can anyone tell me what a mechanical and a hydraulic timing belt tensioner looks like in a 1998 S70 GLT sedan? I like to determine which one I have. There are no numbers. Thanks

qbrozen · July 2005

Although I've changed my belt, I really couldn't tell you. But, I'm pretty sure you can call the dealership with your VIN number and they can tell you which one you have ..... maybe. I seem to remember getting mixed opinions on this.

EDIT: oh, volvospeed has a pic of the hydraulic tensioner here and on page 3 of these instructions:
http://www.volvospeed.com/Repair/timingbelt2.php

Volvo S70

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles