Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Volvo C-Class problems

Owners filed 31 complaints about the 1999 Volvo C-Class with NHTSA between Jun 2000 and Jul 2014. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (9).

Complaints
31
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. Vehicle speed control9
  2. Electrical system6
  3. Engine and engine cooling5
  4. Power train2
  5. Structure2
  6. Equipment2
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic2
  8. Fuel system, gasoline2
  9. Tires2
  10. Service brakes, electric1
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  12. Seat belts1
  13. Fuel system, other1
  14. Air bags1

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 29, 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
20002
20011
20020
20032
20042
200515
20063
20070
20081
20090
20102
20110
20120
20131
20142

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

Vehicle speed control

9 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO C70. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, THE ETS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 20 MPH INDEPENDENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 177,000....UPDATED 05/22/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIMP MODE AFFECTS THE BREAKING SYSTEM, IT'S DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES. UPDATED 06/505/2013 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2013Vehicle speed controlODI 10500650

Electrical system

6 reports1 crash
“THE CAR REDUCED THE SPEED AND NOW IT STOPPED RUNNING BECAUSE THE ETM IS NOT WORKING. I CONTACTED VOLVO AND THEY SAID THAT THE WARRANTY IS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN OVER 10 YEARS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A PREVIOUS OWNER IN OCTOBER 2013 AND THEREFORE I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. NOW THEY WANT ME TO PAY APPROXIMATELY $900 TO FIX IT. THEY SAID THE WARRANTY STARTED FROM THE DAY THE FIRST CAR WAS BOUGHT WHICH WAS AUGUST 25, 1999 BUT IN MY OPINION IT SHOULD BE FROM THE FIRST TIME THERE WAS A PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED WITH THE ETM THAT CAUSED VOLVO TO RECALL AND BUY THE CARS BACK. VOLVO MADE APPROXIMATELY 300,000 CARS AND REPAIRED AND BOUGHT BACK AROUND 165,000 CARS. THIS MEANS THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE ENCOUNTERING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY VOLVO THAT THE CAR I CURRENTLY OWN THE SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED IN NORTH CAROLINA. AS I SEE IT THEY NEGLECTED TO CHANGE THE THROTTLE IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THIS CAR CAN CAUSE MY FAMILY TO GET IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THE REGIONAL MANAGER INDICATED THAT THE CAR COULD NOT BE FIXED AND THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE LABOR AND THE PARTS. THEY ARE OFFERING TO GIVE ME A DISCOUNT ON THE REPAIRS BUT I FEEL THEY NEED TO…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 15, 2014Electrical systemODI 10610765

Engine and engine cooling

5 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN FEBRUARY 2005 THE ENGINE SURGED WHILE IDLING AT STOP SIGNS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ELECTRIC THROTTLE MODULE. IN 2002 AND ON JULY 25, 2005 THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. UPON INSPECTION THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE ENGINE MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, ON JANUARY 20, 2005 THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT. UPON INSPECTION THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE DRIVE SHAFT BECAUSE IT HAD WEAKENED. ALL THE PROBLEMS OCCURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 13, 2006Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10150128

Power train

2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO C70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY REDUCED SPEED WITH NO WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND TO BE REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 20, 2014Power trainODI 10604702

Structure

2 reports
“CONVERTIBLE TOP BACK BAR STRUCTURE CRACKED IN HALF AND TOP WILL NOT OPERATE(CLOSE OR OPEN) NOW. WHILE THE TOP BROKE, AS I WAS OPENING IT, IT ALSO FELL ON THE SENSOR FOR THE LOCK AND BROKE THAT ALSO. THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR THIS PROBLEM, THE ONLY FIX IS ORDERING A NEW BAR AT THE COST OF $1500, WHICH I DON'T HAVE. NOW I HAVE A CAR THAT I CANT DRIVE OR REPAIR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2010Structure, EquipmentODI 10336885

Equipment

2 reports
“I WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO FIND OUT THAT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. SO I GOT OUT THE FACTORY JACK THAT CAME WITH THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO LIFT UP THE CAR. THE JACK THAT CAME WITH THE CAR ARE "SCISSOR-TYPE" AND HAS ONLY BEEN USED TWICE. SO, THE CAR WAS LIFTED ON ONE SIDE AND I PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF THE FRONT TIRE. ALL OF THE SUDDEN, THE JACK GAVE WAY AND THE CAR CAME DOWN. LUCKILY THE FRONT TIRE WAS HALFWAY IN THE WHEEL-WELL, SO THE CAR JUST SETTLED ON THE TIRE WITH THE ROTOR PUSHING AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE RIM (I NOTICED SCRATCHES INSIDE THE RIM AFTER I REMOVED THE TIRE). WELL, I TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT THE JACK AND SAW THAT THE BIG, LONG SCREW BROKE IN HALF. I JUST COULDN'T IMAGINE THAT THE JACK VOLVO GIVES OUT WITH THEIR CARS WOULD SIMPLY BREAK, ESPECIALLY IF EVERYTHING WAS DONE PROPERLY. THE CAR WAS EMPTY, SO WEIGHT COULDN'T BE AN ISSUE. THERE WAS SOME LOWER BODY PANEL DAMAGE FROM THE JACK WHEN IT BROKE. ALSO, MY FINGERS GOT BRUISED AND SCRATCHED UP A BIT FROM THE IMPACT OF THE CAR FALLING ON THE FRONT TIRE THAT I WAS REMOVING AT THE TIME. *NLM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 20, 2003EquipmentODI 10019032
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

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