What breaks most · 1998 to 2013 model years
Volvo C70 problems by year
Owners have filed 195 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Volvo C70 across model years 1998 to 2013. Three years stand out: 2000 for electrical system complaints, 1999 for engine and cooling complaints and 2012 for body and structure complaints. The quietest years are 2003, 2010 and 2002.
- Years to check closely: 2000, 1999, 2012
- Fewest complaints: 2003, 2010, 2002
- Complaints on file
- 1951998 to 2013, all trims
- Worst year
- 200026 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 62 fires · 5 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 65kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 31Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 4 | Brakes (hydraulic) (2) | |
| 23 | 0 | 3 | Engine and cooling (5) | |
| 26 | 2 | 4 | Electrical system (12) | |
| 7 | 0 | 3 | Speed control and throttle (4) | |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (2) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 15 | 1 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (4) | |
| 9 | 0 | 2 | Wheels (4) | |
| 17 | 0 | 4 | Body and structure (8) | |
| 22 | 2 | 3 | Body and structure (10) | |
| 10 | 0 | 3 | Body and structure (4) | |
| 4 | 0 | 2 | Unknown or other (1) | |
| 12 | 1 | 1 | Body and structure (5) | |
| 23 | 0 | 1 | Unknown or other (11) | |
| 11 | 0 | 0 | Body and structure (5) |
What fails on the 2000 Volvo C70
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 46% |
12 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2000 Volvo C70 |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 19% |
5 | 1 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2000 Volvo C70 |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 15% |
4 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2000 Volvo C70 |
| Wheels | 8% |
2 | 1 | — |
| Tires | 8% |
2 | 0 | — |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop visibility parts for the 2000 Volvo C70 |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2000 Volvo C70 |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 4% |
1 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2000 Volvo C70 |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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While driving the vehicles' components , which is operated by the electrical system will go out intermittently without warning. The dealership has serviced the vehicle several times for this problem, but they can't find anything wrong. Problem still continues. Ph
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The vehicle is not accelerating. The ets light is on. The ets module was replaced, but vehicle's performance is still poor. *ak
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The drivers side door keeps opening while driving. I see recalls for other volvo models but not mine. This is very concerning when driving on the highway
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Volvo C70 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2000, 1999, 2012 carry the most filings on the Volvo C70. The 2000 alone has 26 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Volvo C70 problem?
On the 2000 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 12 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Volvo C70 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Volvo C70 complaints that include mileage is about 65,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.