Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Volvo V70 problems

Owners filed 106 complaints about the 2002 Volvo V70 with NHTSA between Mar 2002 and May 2023. The most-cited component is power train (29).

Complaints
106
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train29
  2. Vehicle speed control16
  3. Fuel/propulsion system11
  4. Exterior lighting9
  5. Fuel system, gasoline8
  6. Air bags7
  7. Electrical system7
  8. Engine and engine cooling6
  9. Seat belts4
  10. Tires4
  11. Visibility4
  12. Suspension3
  13. Engine2
  14. Seats2

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 Nov 12, 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
20024
20038
20049
20056
20062
20077
20082
20097
20109
201114
20126
20133
20149
20153
20164
20174
20182
20192
20201
20212
20221
20231

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

Power train

29 reports1 crash
“MY TRANSMISSION IS JERKING BETWEEN REVERSE AND DRIVE. THE CAR HESITATES AND THEN SLAMS FORWARD. I HAVE READ ALL OVER THE INTERNET WHERE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 24, 2015Power trainODI 10690309

Vehicle speed control

16 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“In April 2021 I drove my newly acquired Volvo V70 wagon from Mississippi to my home in RI. Once I reached in and around NYC, the car began to surge forward as I applied the brakes at stop lights/signs. This became most pronounced at the GW Bridge Toll area, in high slow-moving traffic. Several times the car almost got out of control as the brakes were barely enough to stop the car from ramming into other vehicles. Cars and huge trucks were honking their horns as I broke, swerved, smoke clouds from high idling in neutral, and peeling rubber as I moved forward from standing still. I was trapped as there is no place to pull over to the sides to a breakdown lane. It eventually stopped surging but has threatened to do it in RI. I asked the mechanic about it when I had to get the car inspected. He basically said he would have to see the vehicle when it was happening. I am just funding out about Recall information and filing a report. I really want to have any necessary repairs made because the car performs well otherwise...AND I am hoping to give the car for my daughter to use as she starts her new job, but want to make sure it is safe first. I feel I would know how…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 23, 2021Vehicle speed controlODI 11437917

Fuel/propulsion system

11 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO XC70. -THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES, THEN IT RUNS. -UNKNOWN CAUSE -THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN ONE OF THE VISITS TO THE DEALER ( 3 YEARS AGO ) UNIVERSITY VOLVO, 7716 N TRYON ST, CHARLOTTE, NC 28262, WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 09V483000 ( FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE ). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED THIS LAST TIME. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 5, 2019Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11253352

Exterior lighting

9 reports1 fire1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO V70. WHILE DRIVING, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE, WHICH INCLUDED THE HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND TURN SIGNALS. THE "POSITION LIGHT FAILURE, STOP LIGHT AND MULTIPLE BULBS FAILURE" MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS HAD BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL LIGHT SOCKETS WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2017Exterior lightingFire reportedODI 10991399

Fuel system, gasoline

8 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO V70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE GAS CAP AND THE VEHICLE BUT FOUND NO FUEL LEAKS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL ODOR WAS NOT OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2020Fuel system, gasolineODI 11331072

Air bags

7 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2002 Volvo XC70. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V800000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2023Air bagsODI 11524017
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026

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