Most common 1998 Volvo V70XC problems
Share of the 31 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo V70XC complaints by model year
Best V70XC years: 2004, 2003, 2002. Years to avoid: 2001, 2000, 1999. Compare all years →
1998 Volvo V70XC recalls (1)
Exterior lighting › Headlights › Switch
On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, over an extended period of time, the headlight switch May cease to function.
Remedy: On vehicles with an original OEM switch, dealers will replace the headlight switch. All other vehicles will be inspected to determine if the switch has een damaged and replace only if necessary.
What 1998 Volvo V70XC owners say
Brakes
Intermittent outage of ABS control module (tracs off/ABS warning lights on). Dealer states the brakes will still work with the lights on/faulty part. However, I don't feel "safe" in the car and feel the part is faulty and should be recalled by manufacturer. Brakes have since hesitated on two occasions while stopping. There were no brakes for a split second and then the brakes slowly (2-3 seconds) regained power and control of the car. Numerous other owners have encountered the same problem as the dealer (superior Volvo) stated this is a common problem for this model.
Failure of ABS control unit on 1998 Volvo xc70 automobile. According to dealers, it is a common failure and happens all the time. It renders the traction control and ABS system as not-working and it is an intermittent problem that causes the tracs and ABS systems to fail without any warning.
Engine & cooling
Idling in a lot the car cut out, drove it to the Volvo dealer to check, nothing found to be wrong. Several months later, the power diminished while driving, took it to a mechanic who checked everything and could find no problem, but heard for the first time....there could be an air mix problem...with no check engine light, can't really know. Drove the car back to va. From mass. Where problem started and had no further problems until April or May of this year (2005) when turning into my driveway, the engine totally cut out. I had it towed to don beyer Volvo in falls church, va, where no problem could be found. I insisted they keep the car until they found the problem, and was given a loaner. The service rep. Said he would drive the car to see if he could replicate the situation. They kept the car for 2-3 weeks with no success. I picked the car up with a friend, who drove it off the lot. …
I have a Volvo v70 xc, AWD, 1998. I brought the car to a Volvo dealer, smythe Volvo, for a routine repair of clunking noise I heard. They said it was due to a strut problem, but also found several un-related repair items. All together, they spent two days on repair and charged me $1700 for it. On the same night that I got the car back, the engine died on the freeway without any warning before, during, and after the incidence. I almost got killed on the freeway. I was able to slide it out of the freeway ramp and had the car towed back to the dealer. On the 3rd day, the dealer said it was an engine sensor failure but had no explanation of why there was no warning signal to user, and why they couldn't pick up any sign from the prior two days of repair. If what they said was true, there is a very serious safety issue here that could impact the lives of millions of drivers out there. …
Transmission & drivetrain
The complaint that I have with my 98 v70 xc AWD is with a recent tire rotation with my oil change a week after it started to sound as if my muffler was dragging and it also sounded like rear tires are dragging. My mechanic think it May possibly be the drive shaft and from the internet what I've this seems to be a consistent problem. I would like to know why isn't Volvo taking accountability to fix this problem. The more I also keep reading on my year, make and model of my vehicle it should be recalled just fro the number of ongoing issues it has especially if Volvo would like to stand by it's customers.
65,000 miles - transmission failure on a regularly dealer serviced vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Volvo V70XC a good car?
Based on 31 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 V70XC rates average: 37% fewer complaints than a typical year of the V70XC at the same age. 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 1998 Volvo V70XC?
The brakes — 8 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the engine & cooling (6) and transmission & drivetrain (4).
How many recalls does the 1998 Volvo V70XC have?
There is 1 recall for the 1998 Volvo V70XC, the most recent from October 21, 2004 (switch). 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 V70XC?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 2003 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 2000 and 1999. See the full Volvo V70XC years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Volvo V70XC problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 83,000 miles; 0% 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.