Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Volvo V70 problems

Owners filed 4 complaints about the 2009 Volvo V70 with NHTSA between Sep 2009 and Jun 2014. The most-cited component is electrical system (1).

Complaints
4
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system1
  2. Air bags1
  3. Seats1
  4. Visibility1
  5. Structure1
  6. Tires1
  7. Steering1

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
20091
20100
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

Electrical system

1 report
“SRS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES, 4.5 YEARS AFTER PURCHASING VOLVO DIRECTLY FROM THE FACTORY IN SWEDEN. THE LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN TURNED OFF. THIS OCCURRED REGULARLY FOR 4 MONTHS UNTIL THE LIGHT REMAINED ON INDEFINITELY. WHEN I FINALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICING, THE ERROR CODE INDICATED A FAULTY OCCUPANT WEIGHT SENSOR (OWS) EMBEDDED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WILL NO LONGER DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE SENSOR WILL NO LONGER IDENTIFY A PASSENGER IN THE CAR. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS ALSO DISABLES THE DRIVER (PRIMARY) AIR BAG, AS WELL AS THE SIDE AIR BAGS. I CONTACTED VOLVO USA SHORTLY AFTER THE 5 YEAR MANUFACTURER WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY EMPHATICALLY CLAIMED THAT THIS EGREGIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WAS NO LONGER THEIR CONCERN. RESPECTFULLY, PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THIS FAULTY OWS THE CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO OPERATE AND THAT VOLVO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS ERROR. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 13, 2014Electrical system, Air bags, SeatsODI 10598019

Air bags

1 report

Seats

1 report

Visibility

1 report
“I HAVE A WINDSHIELD PROBLEM: THE SEAL THAT SECURES THE WINDSHIELD TO THE ROOF OF THE CAR HAS FAILED ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WAS FOUND DURING TROUBLESHOOTING A LEAK PROBLEM -- WATER WAS ENTERING THE CAR WHEN IT RAINED, LEAKING FROM THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR AND THE LIGHT ABOVE IT (NOTE - MY V70 WAGON DOES *NOT* HAVE A SUNROOF). UPON INSPECTION BY AN AUTO GLASS TECHNICIAN, THE WINDSHIELD EASILY LIFTED AWAY FROM THE CAR WHEN IT WAS PUSHED FROM INSIDE THE CABIN. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. WITHOUT A PROPER SEAL ON THE WINDSHIELD, THE ENTIRE STRUCTURAL DESIGN SAFETY OF THE CAR IS COMPROMISED. IF THE CAR WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY A FRONT-END COLLISION, THE WINDSHIELD WOULD NOT ABSORB ANY OF THE IMPACT AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO, RESULTING IN GREATER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND MAKING IT UNSAFE. I WAS ADVISED NOT TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT WAS REPAIRED. I LOOKED AT SOME ONLINE VOLVO FORUMS AND NOTED THAT OTHER VOLVO OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO STATED THAT HE HAS NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ON OTHER VOLVO VEHICLES, AND WAS REPLACING ABOUT 2 OR 3 A MONTH. HE BELIEVES IT IS A MANUFACTURING…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2014Visibility, StructureODI 10559598

Structure

1 report

Tires

1 report
“CPSC# I1320468A. 2009 VOLVO V70. CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING DEVICE. *LN THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ADDED AIR TO THE SUSPECTED TIRE AND THEN CONTINUED WITH HIS DRIVE. WHEN THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO HIS VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THE MESSAGE READ TIRES NEED TO BE FILLED NOW. THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. HE THEN NOTICED THE STEM HAD CRACKED APPROXIMATELY 1/4 INCH FROM THE END OF THE STEM ALLOWING THE INTERNAL STEM MECHANISM TO SLIDE PARTIALLY OUT, THUS RELEASING TIRE PRESSURE AT A GOOD RATE. THE FAILED TIRE STEM CORRODED IN APPEARANCE (AS THE OTHER THREE WERE). UPON CLOSE EXAMINATION, WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS, THE TIRE STEM WAS NEARLY CORRODED THROUGH THE WALL THICKNESS OF THE TIRE STEM AND DID NOT EXHIBIT MUCH IF ANY BRITTLE FAILURE APPEARANCE ANY INDICATION OF DISTORTION OR BENDING.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 19, 2013TiresODI 10504028
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.