Car Problem DataNHTSA records

Volvo XC70

Owners filed 418 complaints across 16 model years of the Volvo XC70. The 2004 drew the most (101).

Model years16
Complaints418
Recalls56
Fires7
Deaths0

Which Volvo XC70 years should you avoid?

Going by 418 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Volvo XC70 years to avoid are 2004.

  • 2004101 complaints, 2.7× a typical XC70 year, most often about the fuel and propulsion system.

How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →

Every Volvo XC70 model year compared

Complaints per year
YearComplaintsRelative volumeRecallsFiresCrashesMost reportedStatus
20167
2——EngineRoutine
20156
1——EngineRoutine
20142
2——Fuel/Propulsion SystemRoutine
20139
2—2Visibility/WiperRoutine
201214
2——Visibility/WiperRoutine
201115
3—1Latches/Locks/LinkagesRoutine
201015
51—WheelsRoutine
200915
5——WheelsRoutine
200839
812Fuel System, GasolineRoutine
200725
2——Electrical SystemRoutine
200618
3——SuspensionRoutine
200527
3—2Power Train › Automatic TransmissionRoutine
2004Avoid101
432Fuel/Propulsion SystemRoutine
200324
5—1Power Train › Automatic TransmissionRoutine
200235
41—Power Train › Automatic TransmissionRoutine
200166
511Power Train › Automatic TransmissionRoutine

Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.