Volvo V70XC engine failure problems

Filed Jan 27, 2009 · Engine, Transmission · 82,000 miles · WI

Our 2000 volvo xc70 stationwagon experienced sluggish speed on a wednesday - it did not like to accelerate. It was also going through oil, which the volvo dealership said was "normal" for a car of this age - it only had 80,000 miles on it. On thursday, the car would not start (it was very cold). We took the car to the repair shop and they found that it has oil pump problem that does not get oil into the engine. We therefore need a new engine. He also noted issues with the drive train.

Filed Feb 17, 2008 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 85,000 miles · 00 · fire

Purchased car in dec 2006. Within few months, began to notice the car would lose speed on highway and drop to a speed anywhere between 60-80km/hr. Black smoke rolled out exhaust. Took car to dealership (where previous owners maintained car). Several filters, seals, replaced. Few months later the same problem continued. Returned to dealership and told car needed catalytic converter. After being told the cost, dealership called back to say under emissions warranty. $1200 part was covered but I paid labor/other parts. Dealer was asked on both occasions to complete service due. Failed to complete these as requested. Problems continued. This time the dealership told me that ets was gone causing the car to go into limp mode. Repairs done at a cost of all $2600.00. Less than a year, same problem occurred. The oil light came on (though there was oil in the car). The car was towed two hours back home . When I took the car to a different independent garage they (like two others before) told me to volvo. Went back to volvo but not before I had to pull over and be towed again. The engine began smoking, the car shook violently, the oil light (which volvo had less than two weeks before said was fine) came on...the report back from volvo is that the ets is gone again but also that the engine required replacing ($6000 job). This was more than two months ago and my car still sits at volvo waiting for resolve. I strongly believe the ongoing issues are directly related to the need for a new engine and that volvo was negligent in their responsibility (repeatedly) to make the necessary repairs. Not only am I out the $20 000.00 to purchase the car only two years ago, I am out about $6000 for repairs already completed and am now being told it will be another $6000 to fix this problem.

Filed Apr 24, 2007 · Engine · 120,000 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 volvo v70xc. While driving 45 MPH the serpentine belt detached and the engine shut off without any warning lights illuminating. However, after the failure occurred, all of the lights on the dashboard illuminated. The vehicle was towed, and the mechanic stated that when the timing belt detached the pistons stopped moving on one side , and on the other side the pistons continued to move although the engine shut off. The cost to replace the engine was $6,000. The contact stated that regular maintenance checks were always performed on the vehicle as authorized by the volvo dealer. The manufacturer was aware of the failure. The current and failure mileages were 120,000.

Filed Jan 18, 2006 · Electrical, Engine · 59,000 miles · CA

I have a volvo v70 xc, awd, 1998. I brought the car to a volvo dealer, smythe volvo, for a routine repair of clunking noise I heard. They said it was due to a strut problem, but also found several un-related repair items. All together, they spent two days on repair and charged me $1700 for it. On the same night that I got the car back, the engine died on the freeway without any warning before, during, and after the incidence. I almost got killed on the freeway. I was able to slide it out of the freeway ramp and had the car towed back to the dealer. On the 3rd day, the dealer said it was an engine sensor failure but had no explanation of why there was no warning signal to user, and why they couldn't pick up any sign from the prior two days of repair. If what they said was true, there is a very serious safety issue here that could impact the lives of millions of drivers out there. Please clarify for me if this issue was known to the federal safety agency and what volvo as a company should do or have done about it. I'm afraid to drive the car under the circumstances and would like to see this issue got answered quickly.

Filed Aug 12, 2005 · Electrical · CA

I would like to add my name to the number of people complaining about their volvo's engine stalling repeatedly without warning. I believe this might be from the unit that regulates the amount of air into the vehicles engine. I purchased my 2000 volvo v70xc from santa monica volvo in october 2001 and it is still under warranty. Over the last year and a half my engine has stalled over 20 times while driving without any warning. Several times this occurred while I was driving 65 miles an hour on a freeway that almost resulted in serious car accidents. Sometimes I can restart the car immediately, other times the car has to sit for a while, but four times I had to have the car towed. The first time the engine died on july 5, 2004 I had the car towed to a volvo repair shop in valencia, california. The next morning the repair shop called and told me the car started for them without any problems. So I drove to santa monica volvo on july 7, 2004 and their service department replaced the battery. Two months later (september 1, 2004) when the cars engine died again while I was driving, the car was towed to santa monica volvo and the service department told me that nothing was wrong with my car. I told the service department that I did not want the car back until they found what was wrong with it. The service representative then spoke to a manager and called me back to say that my alternator was putting out low voltage and they replaced it. Then on june 30th my volvo lost all power again while I was driving and wouldn't start. The car was towed back to santa monica volvo where I was told they needed to do a throttle body cleaning and then replace the mass air flow meter for a total of $708. I bought my volvo for safety reasons and I have never felt more unsafe driving a car. I sincerely hope that your investigation leads to a recall of my volvo. It is the biggest lemon that I have ever owned! *jb *sc

Filed Aug 2, 2005 · Engine · IN

We own a 2000 volvo v70 xc wagon. It was purchased new. In the last 4 months we have had the car into the volvo garage (tom wood) to have it fixed for rough running and failure to start. The first time we were charged over $600 to replace the etm and a cleaning. It did not help fix the problem. We then tried an independent foreign car garage. They cleaned the throttle body but again the problem persists. We now have the car back in the volvo garage because in addition to rough running, it now fails to start on a random basis. I read today about your preliminary investigation into this problem - your file number pe05041. I can only say that this is a real, and serious, problem. While we have been lucky that the engine failure did not happen at speed, it has caused major inconvenience, unproductive costs, and significant loss of time. Please pursue this investigation with all haste. Thank you.

Filed Dec 21, 2004 · Engine · 138,600 miles · VT

After a change of oil at the dealership I drove 168 miles. When I tried to start the car the oil warning light went on. I tried to check the oil level and a burst of oil came out of the stick pit. I had the car towed back to the dealer. *ak we waited three weeks for a part to replace the turbo, but the mechanic couldn't find oil pressure. Now they are asking for 2,700 dollars to open the engine and see what is the problem or 6 thousand to replace the engine. I had the warning light on two times before, first time I paid to replace some sealers, the second time they couldn't find the problem. (I complained about having to add oil) their answer was that after 100,000 miles is considered normal.

Filed Dec 8, 2004 · Engine · 108,000 miles · OH

While pulling onto an exit ramp at 45 MPH there was an overheating smell in the cabin of the vehicle, followed by the vehicle stalling. Vehicle was towed to an auto repair shop from the exit ramp the following day. The engine severely overheated, the expansion tank and engine cover melted, and the radiator was leaking at the side tank. Radiator looked like it was defective. The entire engine was replaced. Consumer indicated that this failure was related to cooling fan recall 04v451000, but the VIN is not included.*ak...........

Filed Oct 21, 2004 · Fuel system · 52,000 miles · WA

1. Defective throttle body caused engine to shut-off on freeway. 2. Engine died. Had to "limp" back into dealer for replacement. 3. New part installed. Old part available. If manufacturer has a "dealer only" repair policy, then there should be notice given to prospective purchasers that vehicle can only be repaired at dealer. Notice should be in form of warning decal in engine compartment or some other conspicuous place. "dealer only" repair policy should be discourage because of lengthy towing when vehicles breakdown outside major cities, I.e. The west. Customer should not be required to learn after a breakdown that the vehicle must be towed hundreds of miles to a dealer for repairs. Currently such vehicles must be towed past large towns/small cities back to a major urban area to a dealer that can fix the vehicle. Mfr. Should be required to conspiciously disclose such a requirement. This information is currently concealed by mfr. By omission. Requiring conspicous disclosure would encourage mfr. To design, mfr. And sell vehicles that can be fixed within a reasonable distance of where they break down.

Filed Jun 2, 2003 · Engine · CA

Coming down a hill in valley center ca. The timing belt on my volvo xc 1998, VIN # [xxx], broke causing the engine to destruct and loss of hydraulics to power the brakes and steering, nearly veered into a canyon. The owners manual recommends replacement of the timing belt at 70,000 miles. The volvo has 61,000 miles and was very well maintained at an authorized volvo dealer in houston texas. There was almost a major cash both rear end and frontal when the car almost crossed over the highway. Contacted volvo of n. America and was told car was out of warranty and I bought it "as is" and they are not to blame. I now have to replace the engine because of extensive damage. Thank god my family was not in the car or my wife was not driving the car, this could have caused a fatality if it was the freeway or if by luck the car did not go over the canyon wall. I had only owned the car for two weeks. It was inspected before it came to me from texas and was shipped not driven.*ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).