NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1998–2013

Volvo C70 recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 10 recall campaigns and 195 owner complaints for the Volvo C70, covering model years 1998 to 2013. The 2000 model year drew the most complaints (26), and Structure is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Volvo C70 VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

10 recall campaigns on file
195 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
15 model years with data (1998–2013)

most complaints: 2000 (26 for that model year)
top component: Structure (46 complaints)
latest recall 11V508000 (reported Oct 18, 2011)

6 complaints reporting a crash (3.1%)
2 complaints reporting a fire (1.0%)
5 complaints reporting an injury (2.6%)
1 complaint reporting a death (0.5%)

Volvo C70 complaints by model year

15 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2000 model year has the most complaints: 26 of 195, or 13.3%. Next come 1999 (23) and 2012 (23). The fewest are for 2010, with 4 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Show the figures for all 15 model years

Volvo C70 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Volvo C70 complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
1998	7	0	0	0	0
1999	23	0	0	1	0
2000	26	2	0	1	0
2001	7	0	0	0	0
2002	5	0	0	0	0
2003	4	0	0	0	0
2004	15	1	0	1	0
2006	9	0	0	1	0
2007	17	0	0	0	0
2008	22	2	1	1	0
2009	10	0	0	0	0
2010	4	0	1	0	0
2011	12	1	0	0	1
2012	23	0	0	0	0
2013	11	0	0	0	0
All model years	195	6	2	5	1

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Volvo C70 components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Structure is the component named most often, in 46 complaints (23.6% of all 195), followed by Electrical System (38) and Vehicle Speed Control (18).

Components named most often in Volvo C70 complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Volvo C70 complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Structure	46	23.6%
Electrical System	38	19.5%
Unknown or Other	27	13.8%
Vehicle Speed Control	18	9.2%
Power Train	16	8.2%
Wheels	13	6.7%
Engine and Engine Cooling	11	5.6%
Air Bags	9	4.6%
Steering	9	4.6%
Tires	9	4.6%
Engine	7	3.6%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	6	3.1%
Equipment	5	2.6%
Latches/Locks/Linkages	5	2.6%
Service Brakes	5	2.6%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Volvo C70 recalls

10 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name C70, newest first. The 10 campaigns cover model years 1998 to 2012. The 1998 and 2007 model years appear in the most campaigns (4 each).

10 recall campaigns

Volvo C70 recall campaigns covering each model year
Decade	Years ending in 0	Years ending in 1	Years ending in 2	Years ending in 3	Years ending in 4	Years ending in 5	Years ending in 6	Years ending in 7	Years ending in 8	Years ending in 9
1990s									1998: 4 campaigns	1999: 3 campaigns
2000s	2000: 3 campaigns	2001: 2 campaigns	2002: 1 campaign	2003: no campaigns	2004: no campaigns	2005: no campaigns	2006: 2 campaigns	2007: 4 campaigns	2008: 3 campaigns	2009: 3 campaigns
2010s	2010: 2 campaigns	2011: 1 campaign	2012: 1 campaign

Highlighted: the model years with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 11V508000
Reported Oct 18, 2011
Equipment › Other › Labels
Model years 2006–2012
Volvo is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 C70 vehicles manufactured from November 15, 2005, through July 31, 2011, and model year 2011-2012 S60 vehicles manufactured from July 14, 2010, through April 16, 2011, that were equipped with optional accessory spare tire kit. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number. 110, "tire selection and rims." These vehicles do not contain the correct information for vehicles equipped with the optional accessory spare tire and wheel kit.
Consequence:
A misprinted label could lead to improper tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Volvo will notify owners and dealers will inspect the vehicle and install the label as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on February 23, 2012. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-201-768-7300.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 10V566000
Reported Nov 8, 2010
Equipment › Electrical › Navigational System(Global Positioning System)
Model years 2006–2010
Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units may overheat.
Consequence:
An overheated battery could lead to a fire.
Remedy:
Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the PCB. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on November 18, 2010. Owners may contact garmin at 866-957-1981 or visit garmin's website at www.garmin.com/nuvibatterypcbrecall.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 08V329000
Reported Jul 23, 2008
Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Hose, Piping, and Connections
Model years 2008–2009
Volvo is recalling MY 2008-2009 vehicles. A section of the power steering return line hose was not properly vulcanized (cured) and does not meet specifications. If the power steering return hose fails, a sudden rupture of the hose can occur.
Consequence:
This can result in a rapid drainage of the power steering fluid in the system and a complete loss of power assistance, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect and replace the steering return line hose assembly free of charge. The recall began on August 13, 2008. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 08V101000
Reported Mar 5, 2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Model year 2007
Volvo is recalling 1,114 MY 2007 C30, C70, S40, and V50 passenger vehicles. A soft anodized layer in the master cylinder may trigger early wear on a rubber seal that can result in internal leakage of brake fluid. If affected, the driver may experience reduced brake performance when applying and maintaining force of the brake pedal.
Consequence:
The capacity to brake will gradually deteriorate forcing the driver to use a higher than expected force on the brake pedal when compared to an intact brake system. The deterioration can eventually result in complete loss of the brake system functionality increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect the master cylinder. The brake master cylinder and brake fluid reservoir will be replaced and certain brake lines cleaned free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2008. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 07V218000
Reported May 23, 2007
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Model year 2007
On certain passenger vehicles, an incorrect temporary assembly instruction resulted in an incorrect assembly of the left door handle bowden cable attachment.
Consequence:
This incorrect assembly may result in the left door not meeting certain legal requirements at a certain crash scenario.
Remedy:
Dealers will adjust the left door bowden cable by removing an existing cable tie and placing the bowden cable in its designated position free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2007. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 06V441000
Reported Nov 15, 2006
Vehicle Speed Control
Model years 1999–2002
On certain passenger vehicles, a combination of throttle positioning sensor irregularities, a dirty throttle housing, and/or inefficient software calibration may cause a warning lamp to light and the subsequent onset of limp home modes.
Consequence:
This resulted in a high number of vehicles going into the limp home mode without need.
Remedy:
Dealers will install the current software upgrade onto the involved vehicles. The recall began on December 29, 2006. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 04V504000
Reported Oct 21, 2004
Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch
Model years 1998–2000
On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, over an extended period of time, the headlight switch may cease to function.
Consequence:
The head lights may not operate properly which could result in intermittent or no headlight function. This could impair a driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
On vehicles with an original OEM switch, dealers will replace the headlight switch. All other vehicles will be inspected to determine if the switch has een damaged and replace only if necessary. The recall began on January 24, 2005. Owners should contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 00V405000
Reported Dec 6, 2000
Exterior Lighting › Turn Signal
Model years 1998–2001
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. There could be inadequate contact between the bulb and socket which could cause the front turn signal not to function as designed.
Consequence:
This would fail to warn an approaching driver that the vehicle is turning and could lead to a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the left and right front turn signal bulb and socket.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V236000
Reported Aug 30, 1999
Air Bags › Frontal
Model year 1998
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The frontal passenger air bag may be overly sensitive to certain electrostatic discharge.
Consequence:
This could possibly cause an inadvertent deployment.
Remedy:
Dealers will install an additional ground wire in the passenger side to assure sufficient grounding.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V235000
Reported Aug 30, 1999
Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch
Model year 1998
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Operation of the headlight switch, over an extended period of time, can result in inconsistent operation of the switch.
Consequence:
Driver's could experience a loss of visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the headlight switch.
Filed by Volvo Car USA, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Volvo C70 questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Volvo C70 have?

NHTSA lists 10 vehicle recall campaigns for the Volvo C70, covering model years 1998 to 2013. The most recent, 11V508000, was reported on October 18, 2011 and is filed under “Equipment”. The 1998 and 2007 model years are covered by the most campaigns (4 each).

Which Volvo C70 model year has the most complaints?

The 2000 model year, with 26 of the 195 complaints in NHTSA’s file (13.3%). The next are 1999 (23) and 2012 (23). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Volvo C70 complaint?

Structure is the component named most often: 46 complaints, or 23.6% of all 195. Electrical System (38) and Vehicle Speed Control (18) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Volvo C70?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Volvo dealer.

How many Volvo C70 complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 195 complaints, 6 report a crash, 2 a fire, 5 at least one injury and 1 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Volvo models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Volvo VIN decoder with every Volvo model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Volvo XC90 2003–2025 · 35 recalls · 1,521 complaints
Volvo S60 2000–2025 · 40 recalls · 1,264 complaints
Volvo S80 1999–2016 · 27 recalls · 954 complaints
Volvo V70 1996–2016 · 22 recalls · 933 complaints
Volvo XC60 2009–2025 · 36 recalls · 647 complaints
Volvo S70 1995–2002 · 6 recalls · 593 complaints
Volvo S40 2000–2011 · 12 recalls · 491 complaints
Volvo XC70 2001–2016 · 19 recalls · 417 complaints

All Volvo models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.

Volvo C70 complaints by model year

Most-reported Volvo C70 components

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

Volvo C70 recalls

Equipment › Other › Labels

Equipment › Electrical › Navigational System(Global Positioning System)

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist › Hose, Piping, and Connections

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch

Vehicle Speed Control

Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch

Exterior Lighting › Turn Signal

Air Bags › Frontal