Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Volvo C-Class problems

Owners filed 8 complaints about the 1998 Volvo C-Class with NHTSA between Dec 2002 and Jun 2011. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (2).

Complaints
8
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  2. Steering1
  3. Structure1
  4. Vehicle speed control1
  5. Engine and engine cooling1
  6. Electrical system1
  7. Latches/locks/linkages1
  8. Tires1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20021
20032
20040
20052
20062
20070
20080
20090
20100
20111

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

2 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED, THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LAMPS ILLUMINATED. THIS HAS BEEN A REGULAR OCCURRENCE FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ABS MODULE NEEDED REPLACED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2006Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10149196

Steering

1 report
“CAR HAS BEEN AT A RECOGNIZED AUTO REPAIR FACILITY AND HAS BEEN HAVING MAINTENANCE WORK PERFORMED. IT WAS SEEN THAT THE CAR HAD SUFFERED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING RACK WITH THE HOUSING FRACTURING, AND ALL OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID BEING LOST. THERE WAS NO IMPACT AND THE HOUSING APPEARS CRYSTALLINE AT THE BREAK. THERE WAS NO IMPACT CAUSING THIS DAMAGE, WHICH HAD THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD HAVE HAD SEVERE CONSEQUENCES”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 25, 2011SteeringODI 10409750

Structure

1 report
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOORS SUDDENLY BECAME INOPERABLE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE ALSO FAILED. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THIS COULD LEAD TO ENTRAPMENT IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE DOORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2006StructureODI 10159993

Vehicle speed control

1 report
“DT: CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT 45 MPH. . THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 8-12 MONTHS AGO. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED. CONTACT HAD NOT REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. ALSO, LOST POWER STEERING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT TOOK ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS FOR THE VEHICLE TO START AGAIN. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2005Vehicle speed controlODI 10131950

Engine and engine cooling

1 report1 crash
“I BOUGHT MY 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE IN JAN 1999. ON MAY 20, 1999 AT APPROX 11:45 PM, I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT-HAND LANE ON RT.175-W IN COLUMBIA, MD, APPROX. 1 MILE FROM MY HOME. STOPPED AT RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AT DOBBIN RD/RT.175 INTERSECTION. NO OTHER CARS. LIGHT TURNED GREEN. PROCEEDED FORWARD. I WAS ACCELERATING FORWARD THEN RPMS DROPPED. I PRESSED ON THE PEDAL AND HAD NO RESPONSE. THE HEADLIGHTS FADED OUT AND THE RPMS DROPPED TO 5 MPH. NO CARS AROUND ME, I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT INTO PARK AND TRIED TO RESTART IT TWICE. NOTHING HAPPENED ?? NO SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. THEN A CAR PASSED ME ON THE RIGHT. I SAW HEADLIGHTS OF A CAR APPROX. 200 FEET BEHIND ME IN THE SAME LANE. I SAID OUT LOUD, "PLEASE DON'T HIT ME. GET IN THE OTHER LANE. PLEASE DON'T HIT ME." THAT IS THE LAST THING I REMEMBER UNTIL WAKING UP IN SHOCK TRAUMA EMERGENCY ROOM AT U OF MD MEDICAL CENTER IN BALTIMORE, MD LYING ON A GURNEY - 2 POLICEMEN AT MY FEET AND MY PARENTS ON MY LEFT. SOMEWHAT AWARE THAT I HAD A NECK BRACE ON, BUT MORE CONCERNED AT THE TIME THAT MY HEAD WAS KILLING ME. I HAD A LARGE GASH IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD THAT REQUIRED 8 STAPLES. I FRACTURED…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2005Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemCrash reportedODI 10131042

Electrical system

1 report1 crash
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.