Most common 2001 Volvo V70 problems
Share of the 221 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo V70 complaints by model year
Best V70 years: 2008, 2009, 2010. Years to avoid: 1998, 2001, 1999, 2000, 2004. Compare all years →
2001 Volvo V70 recalls (8)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volvo Cars USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2007 V70 and XC70 vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 14, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552.
Equipment › Electrical › Navigational system(global positioning system)
Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units May overheat.
Remedy: Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Volvo is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 s80, model year 2001-2004 v70, s60, xc70 and model year 2003-2005 xc90 vehicles sold in or registered in the states of alabama, arizona, arkansas, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, kentucky, louisiana, mississippi, nevada, new Mexico, north carolina, oklahoma, south carolina,…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel pump installed in the vehicle, and if necessary replace the fuel pump with a part of a modified design. This service will be performed free of charge.
Vehicle speed control
On certain passenger vehicles, a combination of throttle positioning sensor irregularities, a dirty throttle housing, and/or inefficient software calibration May cause a warning lamp to light and the subsequent onset of limp home modes.
Remedy: Dealers will install the current software upgrade onto the involved vehicles. The recall began on December 29, 2006. Owners May contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Fan
On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, under certain operating conditions, some electric cooling fans May overheat potentially causing heat damage and, in rare instances, a fire in the engine compartment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the cooling fan. The recall began on November 29, 2004. Customers should contact Volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the second isofix guide was not installed in these vehicles and, in certain cases, the owner's manual isofix information is incorrect.
Remedy: Owners will receive a letter/package consisting of the second isofix guide with installation instructions, and in certain cases, the corrected owner's manual May be provided.
Show 2 more recalls
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: sedans and wagons. The rear outboard seat belt anchorage bolts May have been incorrectly tightened.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the anchorage bolts and tighten to the correct torque level. Owner notification began May 7, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: wagons. The bolted joint, used for attaching the bracket that is part of the installation hardware for the isofix-type child restraint, May have been incorrectly tightened.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the anchorage bolts and tighten to the correct torque level. Owner notification began May 7, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2001 Volvo V70:
Throttle control malfunction
Pe05-041 was opened on July, 26, 2005, based on 136 consumer complaints to odi alleging throttle control malfunctions in the subject vehicles.odi has now received 591 complaints of etm failures which allege symptoms with potential safety related consequences.these include allegations of engine stall, vehicle surging forward without accelerator input, vehicle hesitation upon acceleration and sudden and unexpected…
Throttle control malfunction
On November 14, 2006 Volvo submitted a defect information report to NHTSA concerning etm failures in model year (my) 1999 through 2001 Volvo models (not including the s40 and v40), my 2002 s60 and v70 with naturally aspirated engines and my 2002 v70s.according to Volvo, ?a combination of throttle positioning sensor irregularities, a dirty throttle housing and/or inefficient software calibration May cause a warning…
What 2001 Volvo V70 owners say
Speed control & acceleration all 61 →
I have Volvo V70 t5 wagon with reduced performance and unexpected acceleration and reduction of acceleration. The vehicle stopped on traffic and I was almost rear ended. The vehicle accelerated while entering the garage and causing damage to the body of the vehicle. Additionally, the climate control in the car stopped working. My dealer ed schmidt Volvo in perrysburg,ohio now saids that I need to replace my throottle module ($1300) and the processor for the climate control ($1400). The vehicle is only three thousand miles beyond warranty. I have a dangerous lemon in my hands and there is nothing I can do. I thank god that my young children where not near the garage when the car accelearted out of control. Please feel free to contact me. This car should not be on the road in its present condition.
Dt: the contact stated vehicle surged forward after placing it into gear. She tried to stop the vehicle by applying the brakes, but they would not work. She lost control of the vehicle and struck a pole. The vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the problem. Updated 11/29/2005 - the few weeks prior to this accident the vehicle had a computer problem and the passenger door, window and turn signal were inoperative. These problems were fixed by the dealer.
Transmission & drivetrain all 45 →
There is a known safety issue with this 2001 Volvo V70 xc AWD transmission and it needs to be addressed asap. Volvo and the NHTSA both know about this ongoing problem and refuse to fix the problem. The transmistion slips bad and stops working and loses power and the dealers states the computer updates will fix the problem as even told bye the dealer its a known issue that Volvo refuses to rectify unfortunately. But this is a safty issue at this point there are so many complaints and I want to know why nothing is being done after all these years ? I want a rebuilt or new safe transmission installed at the cost of Volvo for not fixing the ongoing problems they knew about back in 2001 and there complete wrong maintenance on the transmission stating not to change the fluid until 90K. I believe the NHTSA has many complaints in refrance to this same issue why is nothing being done ?
When I am driving in 5th gear the transmission will drop into 4th gear, at that time I loose 1st, 3rd and 5th gears I can shift between 4th and 2nd. The shift is very hard and causes a jerk and clunking noise. I have to stop and shut off the vehicle. I turn the car immediately back on and all the gears are functional. I'm not sure why there's so many complaints about this issue yet no action has been taken to fix this problem
Fuel & propulsion system all 31 →
First time, was in a drive through & just took off, hopped the curb, and hit talk box. Next 2 times were stopped quickly by me putting in neutral. Last time was just leaving parking space, and car jumped curb and I stopped 4 ft. From brick wall. Have had it tested 2-3 times by mechanics w/o success.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Volvo V70. While operating the vehicle, the odor of fuel was present inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the top of the fuel tank was leaking and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer (maple hill Volvo in kalamazoo, mi) were notified of the failure. The contact was informed by the dealer that the vehicle was previously inspected per NHTSA campaign number: 09V483000 (fuel system, gasoline), but the failure still occurred. The failure mileage was 160,000.
2001 Volvo V70 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.4L 5-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.4L 5-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 25 / 21 |
| 2.3L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.4L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.4L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Volvo V70 a good car?
Based on 221 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 V70 rates avoid: 8.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the V70 at the same age. It is one of the V70 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Volvo V70?
The speed control & acceleration — 61 complaints, 28% of all complaints for this model year, most often about cruise control. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (45) and fuel & propulsion system (31).
How many recalls does the 2001 Volvo V70 have?
There are 8 recalls for the 2001 Volvo V70, the most recent from October 14, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volvo V70?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2009 and 2010. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1998, 2001, 1999, 2000 and 2004. See the full Volvo V70 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Volvo V70 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 82,000 miles; 17% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.