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2003 Volvo XC70 problems

The most common problem on the 2003 Volvo XC70 is fuel and propulsion system, typically around 124,718 miles. It has 1.3 times the complaints of a typical XC70 model year.

Typical year1.3x the typical complaints
Year score
61/100
Owner complaints
24
Recalls
4
Service bulletins
175
Worst area
Fuel system
Fuel economy
19mpg

The worst 2003 Volvo XC70 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Fuel system
    6
  • Transmission
    5
  • Airbags
    4
  • Electrical
    4
  • Suspension
    3
  • Brakes
    2
  • Body
    1
  • Lights
    1
  • Visibility
    1

Specific symptoms reported on the 2003 Volvo XC70

Fuel smell 5

Recalls 4

Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator moduleReported October 14, 2021 · 194,546 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volvo Cars USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2007 V70 and XC70 vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 14, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1‑888‑458‑1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10136.

Recall number 21V800000 · Recall details

Equipment: electrical: navigational system(global positioning system)Reported November 8, 2010 · 416 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units may overheat.
Risk
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.

Recall number 10V566000 · Recall details

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pumpReported December 18, 2009 · 158,733 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volvo is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 s80, model year 2001-2004 v70, s60, xc70 and model year 2003-2005 xc90 vehicles sold in or registered in the states of alabama, arizona, arkansas, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, kentucky, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new mexico, north carolina, oklahoma, south carolina, tennessee, texas, utah, virginia and the u.s. Territories. When exposed to certain environmental conditions (hot climate and temperature cycling) over time and in combination with varying fuel quality, the fuel pump can develop cracks in the fuel pump flange.
Risk
If the condition occurs vehicle owners may notice fuel smell and/or fuel leak which, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the fuel pump installed in the vehicle, and if necessary replace the fuel pump with a part of a modified design. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on january 15, 2010. Owners may contact volvo at 1‑800‑458‑1552.

Recall number 09V483000 · Recall details

Equipment: other: labelsReported August 1, 2003 · 220,407 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the second isofix guide was not installed in these vehicles and, in certain cases, the owner's manual isofix information is incorrect.
Risk
This does not meet the requirements of the standard.
Remedy
Owners will receive a letter/package consisting of the second isofix guide with installation instructions, and in certain cases, the corrected owner's manual may be provided. If the owner wants to take their vehicle to a volvo dealer for installation of the guide, it will be performed at no charge to the owner. Owner notification began on december 19, 2003. Owners should contact volvo at 1‑800‑458‑1552.

Recall number 03V284000 · Recall details

See all 4 recalls for the 2003 Volvo XC70

Technical service bulletins for the 2003 Volvo XC70 175

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 175 bulletins for the 2003 Volvo XC70

2003 Volvo XC70 fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
2.5L 5‑cyl4WD162319

What 2003 Volvo XC70 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Feb 1, 2016 · Fuel system · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo xc70. The contact stated that there was an abnormal strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The contact also stated that the vehicle would experience hesitation with starting and driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Dec 23, 2015 · Fuel system · 140,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo xc70. The contact stated that a strong fuel odor emitted inside and outside of the vehicle continuously however, there was no fuel visible on the ground. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and an independent mechanic, who both confirmed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 09v483000 (fuel system, gasoline). The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

Filed Dec 15, 2015 · Airbags · 170,000 miles · MD

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo xc70. When the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated continuously. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

Filed Jan 12, 2015 · Airbags · 170,000 miles · TN · crash · 1 injury

While driving down the road, a car was attempting to make a left-hand turn across four lanes of traffic. The person, apparently, did not see me and struck the side of my vehicle breaking the tire rod and doing extensive damage to the passenger front and back doors. The glove box was even difficult to open. In all of this, the passenger side airbag did not deploy. My son who is 14 and is 170 pounds was sitting in the passenger seat at the time. He is quite sore along his arm and neck. In 2012, I posted a complaint about the car having a dim problem and how the volvo mechanic said the dim problem could cause airbag problems, but after having the dim problem fixed, I was told the airbags should deploy. In 2012, I posted the following complaint with the federal safety agency and can be read online: "I was driving my 2003 volvo xc70 at the posted speed limit (55mph) when the dashboard suddenly went black and all of the gauges, including speedometer, tachometer, gas gauge, and clock stopped working. Every warning light lit up. The volvo dealer admitted they had seen this issue before. The cost to replace the dim was over $1400.00 and I had no choice but to pay it since I was not going to drive my car with no speedometer or gas gauge. The dim replacement is now only warranted for two years, so I may find myself in the exact same boat in the future if the new dim also fails. Researching this issue online, I found that this was a known problem, particularly for 2003 volvo models. After finding the federal safety agency website, I also found that someone else had recently reported the exact same problem and also noted that the dim failure could impact the proper operation of the airbag system...."

Filed Jun 9, 2014 · Fuel system · 169,000 miles · MD

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volvo xc70. The contact stated that the vehicle emitted a fuel odor. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repair. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 169,000.

Filed Dec 3, 2013 · Fuel system · 102,600 miles · NY

I purchased this 2003 volvo xc70 recently and a few weeks after driving it I noticed a bad smell of gas. I looked around and did not see anything leaking. I kept driving daily and smelled gas every single time the car was on. I became very concerned because I drive with my 6 year old daughter in the car. After some time I noticed that there was a gas leak coming from the passenger side rear and this became a very scary and dangerous situation. I automatically drove to the nearest mechanic shop and got the car looked at. The mechanic told me this is very dangerous and can not be driven because the car can catch fire or even explode. After some research and after hearing back from the mechanic I learned that there is a recall on the fuel pump on this model car and this is exactly the problem. I reached out to volvo and they tell me that my vehicle does not have a recall and that they will only pay for the part. I have plenty of pictures showing the defect in the fuel pump. I find this ridiculous since they know that this is an issue with these cars. My family and I could have died from being in this car god forbid and now I am stuck with this bill from the mechanic due to volvo's failure/defect. Volvo is known for having the safest cars in the world which is why I decided to purchase this car for my family, and now I am stuck with a bill for there defect and can not find help or answers.

Filed May 1, 2013 · Electrical · 115,105 miles · RI

I was driving on the highway when suddenly my gas gauge dropped below empty and all my gauges stopped working including the clock, blinkers, speedometer and the digital information computer panel that indicates how many miles left to a gallon, etc. This was quite dangerous as I could no longer see the speed of travel, how much gas I had left, the time nor could I use my blinkers to indicate lane changes. There was no warning or indication that the speedometer panel would just die out!

Filed Feb 21, 2012 · Electrical · 116,000 miles · NH

I was driving my 2003 volvo xc70 at the posted speed limit (55mph) when the dashboard suddenly went black and all of the gauges, including speedometer, tachometer, gas gauge, and clock stopped working. Every warning light lit up. The volvo dealer admitted they had seen this issue before. The cost to replace the dim was over $1400.00 and I had no choice but to pay it since I was not going to drive my car with no speedometer or gas gauge. The dim replacement is now only warranted for two years, so I may find myself in the exact same boat in the future if the new dim also fails. Researching this issue online, I found that this was a known problem, particularly for 2003 volvo models. After finding the federal safety agency website, I also found that someone else had recently reported the exact same problem and also noted that the dim failure could impact the proper operation of the airbag system. Clearly, this is a safety issue that is affecting more than just a few isolated volvo owners. Volvo should assume responsibility for this problem, issue a recall and pay for these repairs. The dim module is a computer part and its failure is obviously not the result of expected "wear and tear." instead, it appears to be a defective part that the manufacturer should replace to prevent accidents that can be caused by the sudden loss of the dashboard system and possible negative effect on the operation of the airbags. Please do what you can to have volvo address this problem. Thank you.

Filed Sep 27, 2011 · Transmission · 71,000 miles · MD

I purchased my (2003) volvo xc70 in late 2006 from I service it regularly and do routine maintenance checks. About a month ago the car began to jerk and hesitate. I took it to the dealer and was told I needed a new transmission for $5700. The car has 71000 miles on it.

Filed Jun 11, 2011 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · MA

2003 volvo xc70 transmission failure in car with 100,000k miles.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2003 Volvo XC70 before you buy

Compare the 2003 Volvo XC70

Other model years

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Questions about the 2003 Volvo XC70

Is the 2003 Volvo XC70 reliable?

Owners have filed 24 complaints about the 2003 Volvo XC70, 1.3 times a typical XC70 model year.

What is the 2003 Volvo XC70 year score?

The 2003 Volvo XC70 scores 61 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Volvo XC70: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2003 Volvo XC70?

Fuel and propulsion system, with 6 complaints, typically around 124,718 miles. Next is transmission (5).

How many recalls does the 2003 Volvo XC70 have?

4 recalls, covering air bags, equipment and fuel system, gasoline.

Was there a recall on the 2003 Volvo XC70 fuel system?

Yes, 1 recall: 09V483000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Volvo XC70 have the most fuel system problems?

The Volvo XC70 model years with the most fuel system complaints are 2004 (33 complaints) and 2008 (13 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2003 Volvo XC70 get?

Official estimates for the 2003 Volvo XC70 range from 19 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.5L 5-cyl, 4WD) gets 16 city and 23 highway.

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