Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Volvo S-Class problems
Owners filed 251 complaints about the 1998 Volvo S-Class with NHTSA between Jul 1997 and Sep 2018. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (69).
Complaints
251
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
15
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
21
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic69
- Exterior lighting32
- Electrical system30
- Engine and engine cooling21
- Structure17
- Air bags15
- Service brakes, air14
- Vehicle speed control12
- Tires11
- Power train11
- Latches/locks/linkages11
- Suspension11
- Equipment10
- Visibility9
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
6
13
55
23
20
39
37
13
19
7
4
2
0
2
2
0
0
1
4
0
2
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 6 |
| 1998 | 13 |
| 1999 | 55 |
| 2000 | 23 |
| 2001 | 20 |
| 2002 | 39 |
| 2003 | 37 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 19 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes, hydraulic
69 reports1 crash
“I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO S70 WHICH HAS ABS/TRAC LIGHT PROBLEMS. I'VE BEEN HAVING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THIS WHERE THE INDICATOR LIGHTS COME ON AND THE ABS WILL SOMETIMES PULSATE AND IT MAKES A TERRIBLE NOISE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHEN THE ABS INDICATOR IS ON, I DON'T HAVE ABS BRAKES. IT APPEARS FROM THE VOLVO BRICKBOARD THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY (BESIDES THE FACT THAT IT IS SCARY WHEN THE BRAKES START GOING) AND THINK VOLVO SHOULD MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. IT APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE ONLY ON THIS YEAR/MAKE. *TR”
Exterior lighting
32 reports3 related recalls
“THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE DIM I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS WITH BRIGHTER BULBS AND THEY ARE STILL DIM I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH THE FOG LIGHTS ON ALL THE TIME IN ORDER TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.”
Electrical system
30 reports1 fire
“I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED DECEMBER 16 2016 KNOWING IT NEEDED A LOT OF WORK. I HAVE SINCE GOTTEN ALL THE REPAIRS DONE ON JAN 4TH 2017. I NOW NEED TO GET THE CAR EMISSION TESTED AFTER DRIVING 200 MILES THE READINESS MONITORS ARE STILL NOT SET AND HAVE SINCE REPAIRED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND STILL CAN NOT GET AN EMISSIONS TEST. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
21 reports
“UPON ACCELERATING UP THE HILL OF MY STREET, TODAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2011, MY CAR, A 1998 VOLVO S70 , SPED UP, UNNATURALLY, CLOSE TO THE TOP . I HAD JUST DRIVEN OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, AS I BACK INTO IT ALWAYS, AND PROCEEDED UP THE HILL. AS USUAL, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DOWN AS THE CAR APPROACHED A STEEPER PORTION OF THE HILL. WHEN BRAKING FOR THE STOP SIGN AT THE TOP, I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RACING. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP FULLY AT THE STOP SIGN, AND AFTER GOING AROUND THE CORNER TO THE RIGHT, I PULLED THE FLOOR MAT AWAY FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MY LEFT FOOT WAS NOW FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AS WELL AS MY RIGHT FOOT QUICKLY PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL , ALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE GAS PEDAL UNSTUCK, WHICH IT DIDN'T. IT JUST MADE THE CAR ENGINE CONTINUOUSLY RACE EVEN MORE. THE RPM'S INCREASED ALSO THE MORE THAT THE ENGINE RACED. UNABLE TO FULLY STOP AT THE NEXT SUBSEQUENT 2 STOP SIGNS, ON A STRAIGHT AWAY, AND MY LEFT FOOT TO THE FLOOR WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL, I FINALLY DECIDED TO PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE RACING AT WHAT SEEMED A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED BY EVIDENCE OF THOSE RPM'S. I CONTINUED TO PUMP THE GAS PEDAL,WITH THE CAR IN…”
Structure
17 reports
“FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HINGE FAILED LOCKING DOOR INTO AN OPEN POSITION AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO CAR FRAME. WAS INFORMED BY MY MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A TYPICAL VOLVO PROBLEM. THE FAILURE CAN NOT BE FIXED WITHOUT MAJOR BODY WORK. THIS FAILURE CAUSED A WRIST STRAIN WHEN DOOR FAILED TO CLOSE. *JB”
Air bags
15 reports10 crashes1 related recall
“THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS HIT ON THE SIDE. CONTACTED VOLVO AND ASKED TO INSPECT. THEIR ANSWER WAS THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK. I ASKED FOR A REPORT WITH ALL THE ENGINEERING DATA AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS TO SHOW WHY IT WAS OK, NO RESPONSE, HAVE ASKED TWICE. THEY SAY EVERYTHING IS OK. I THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THEY ARE HIDING THE TRUTH. THE SIDE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED TO GIVE EXTRA PROTECTION. I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR ANSWER AND I DO NEED YOU HELP. *AK *SCC *JB”
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.