What breaks most · 2001 to 2016 model years
Volvo XC70 problems by year
Owners have filed 417 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Volvo XC70 across model years 2001 to 2016. One year stands out: 2004 for fuel system complaints. The quietest years are 2014, 2013 and 2012.
- Years to check closely: 2004
- Fewest complaints: 2014, 2013, 2012
- Complaints on file
- 4172001 to 2016, all trims
- Worst year
- 2004101 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 107 fires · 9 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 80kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 56Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | 1 | 5 | Powertrain and transmission (21) | |
| 35 | 0 | 4 | Powertrain and transmission (14) | |
| 24 | 1 | 5 | Powertrain and transmission (5) | |
| 101 | 2 | 4 | Fuel system (24) | |
| 27 | 2 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (8) | |
| 18 | 0 | 3 | Suspension (6) | |
| 25 | 0 | 2 | Electrical system (7) | |
| 39 | 2 | 8 | Fuel system (9) | |
| 15 | 0 | 5 | Wheels (4) | |
| 15 | 0 | 5 | Wheels (4) | |
| 15 | 1 | 3 | Wheels (2) | |
| 14 | 0 | 2 | Wipers and visibility (5) | |
| 8 | 1 | 2 | Wipers and visibility (3) | |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | Wipers and visibility (1) | |
| 6 | 0 | 1 | Engine (3) | |
| 7 | 0 | 2 | Engine (2) |
What fails on the 2004 Volvo XC70
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 24% |
24 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2004 Volvo XC70 |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 16% |
16 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2004 Volvo XC70 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 14% |
14 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2004 Volvo XC70 |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 11% |
11 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 10% |
10 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2004 Volvo XC70 |
| Seats | 6% |
6 | 0 | — |
| Air bags | 6% |
6 | 2 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 3% |
3 | 0 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2004 Volvo XC70 |
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.
-
Fuel pump seal leak/ flange broke. Smelled gas, saw a puddle under the car. Upon fuel pump inspection a failed repair combined with original broken seal flange. We live in a state where the recall was not listed so our next step is to contact volvo.
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 XC70 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2004 carries the most filings on the Volvo XC70. The 2004 alone has 101 complaints, led by fuel system.
What is the most common Volvo XC70 problem?
On the 2004 model year, the most-reported component is fuel system with 24 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Volvo XC70 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Volvo XC70 complaints that include mileage is about 80,000 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.