Most common 2004 Volvo V70 problems
Share of the 83 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 →
2004 Volvo V70 recalls (5)
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.
Engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pressure sensor located on the left end of the fuel rail May, at times, transmit incorrect signal regarding the fuel pressure to the engine control module.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pressure sensor free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2007. Owners May contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
Steering › Linkages
On certain passenger vehicles, the front control arms May not have been manufactured correctly and, as a result, the stud and nut that secure the arm to the spindle May lose their initial axial tension. Under certain driving conditions, the steering May become less responsive and the driver May experience steering wheel play.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new type of nut. Owner notification began on February 16, 2004. Owners should contact Volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552.
What 2004 Volvo V70 owners say
Engine & cooling all 26 →
I was driving at about 35 MPH. When I slowed down to make a 90 degree right turn, without warning the engine and power steering went off as I was turning. I had to manually steer the car and luckily did not crash because there was no car in the opposite lane. I pulled over to the side of the road, restarted the car, and received no error message. I took the car to the local Volvo dealer where they could find nothing wrong and deny this is a recall issue.
Driving on freeway at 60 MPH, vehicle motor quit- dash lights came on-was able to move to shoulder-where vehicle restarted in neutral then died again- since vehicle has died very often after driving with absoulutly no warning-very very dangerous- was told drive by wire problem- eltronic throttle control, electronic fuel regulator, pedal and or throttle sensors-any number of electric sensor problem--all of this is "drive by wire" unsafe design
Fuel & propulsion system all 20 →
When we first purchased the car we drove it for about a week before it started surging forward and stalling a lot. My fianc and I would have to pull over, park the car, have to turn the key three times before starting. Would have to repeat process every 5 minutes. So we took it to paramount Volvo of hickory, ended up taking it there for service. Dropped it off with a max full tank of gas as well, along with personal items we left in the car. It takes then about 4 or 5 days before calling us back with diagnostics, so we end up paying almost 1,600$ to get the timing chain replaced, new hoses put on, fuel pump replacement, and the fuel injectors. We pick it up, and our gas is almost on empty....and a few items were missing out of our vehicle as well. I know they have to test drive it after servicing the vehicle, it seemed like they took it on a joy ride all over hickory. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Volvo V70. While driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle decelerated and came to a complete stop. The contact mentioned that the steering wheel was difficult to steer and the engine light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The failure recurred six times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel pressure sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 07V226000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. Ma 10/5 updated 11/27/2017
Electrical system
I was driving at about 35 MPH. When I slowed down to make a 90 degree right turn, without warning the engine and power steering went off as I was turning. I had to manually steer the car and luckily did not crash because there was no car in the opposite lane. I pulled over to the side of the road, restarted the car, and received no error message. I took the car to the local Volvo dealer where they could find nothing wrong and deny this is a recall issue.
Pulled into a parking spot on the street, put the car in park, but was unable to turn the key to turn the car off. It took me almost 20 minutes of jiggling the key around and spraying wd40 into the ignition cylinder before being able to very slowly get the key to turn enough to turn the car off. I am not a weak person and was honestly afraid that the amount of pressure I was applying was going to cause the key to break off in the ignition. I immediately took the car to the nearest Volvo dealer (cherry hill, nj) and since this happened on a Sunday morning, I had to leave the keys with an explanation of the problem on a dropbox form. When I called the service dept today, they told me that they would have to custom order a replacement part from sweden and that it could be a week before my car is repaired. …
2004 Volvo V70 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 5-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
| 2.4L 5-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| 2.5L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.5L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.3L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 2.3L 5-cyl turbo | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 2.5L 5-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Volvo V70 a good car?
Based on 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 V70 rates avoid: 3.0× 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 2004 Volvo V70?
The engine & cooling — 26 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (20) and electrical system (12).
How many recalls does the 2004 Volvo V70 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2004 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 2004 Volvo V70 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 19% 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.