Most common 2001 Volvo XC70 problems
Share of the 66 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo XC70 complaints by model year
Best XC70 years: 2014, 2015, 2013. Years to avoid: 2004, 2001, 2002, 2008. Compare all years →
2001 Volvo XC70 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.
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2001 Volvo XC70:
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 XC70 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 21 →
I had experienced some instances of a delay in response by the throttle in my 2001 XC70 for several months. Most times it was following an exit from a freeway and the subsequent attempted acceleration after stop was very hesitant and felt as if the clutch was slipping. I had an etm diagnostic run in May of 2007 at barrier motors Volvo in bellevue wa. And they found nothing wrong but said they could not get the car to repeat the problem. I had also experienced some infrequent instances of extra acceleration with minimal gas pedal pressure during the same time. On January 7, 2008 I was in line approaching a round-about and after the second slow move forward, I had no more than touched the gas pedal than my car surged forward into the rear of the van in front of me. I was only able to get my foot poised over the break pedal before impact. …
Had a transmission software update that solved a neutral shift problem, where the trans would lurch into gear from a stop. Now the transmission slips as I drive, especially when turning a corner. If I accelerate normally, the vehicle revs then clunks into gear. The dealer on the trans shops say the trans needs to be replaced. Now, I have 183000 miles on the car and bought it, hoping it would be a reliable car...I was so wrong! I purchased the car for $16,000 five years ago with 64K on it. I now have about $12,000 in repairs into this car. Needless to say I am nowhere near happy or satisfied. This is, by far the worst vehicle I've ever owned. It is like a money pit. I just wish a company like Volvo, that once had a great reputation, would own up to the junk they are putting out and make some recalls. At this point, I will never purchase a Volvo again and am spreading the word. …
Speed control & acceleration
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Volvo XC70. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle independently stopped. The vehicle was able to restart; however, it shook violently. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (mitchell Volvo cars of simsbury 384 hopmeadow street, simsbury, ct 06070) where it was diagnosed that the throttle module needed an update. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle module failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer sent an electrical specialist to the local dealer to properly diagnose the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Our 01 Volvo v-70 xc had been acting a little off, kind of surging a little while at highway speeds, dealer couldn't find a problem.. So we tried to ignore it. One day a few months ago my wife (8 mo. Pregnant) took the car to the city. Along the way, she was going up a hill on a two-lane highway, when the car started loosing power and finally just quitting right there on the road....no shoulder...cars whizzing by. By the time I got there, the car started fine, so I switched her vehicle and she continued on. Upon calling the dealer, I was informed that I'd probably need to have the "etm throttle" replaced. Car stalled out two more times before we were able to get it to dealer. $900 later, the car works fine now. Upon looking into this problem, it sounds like it's happening to all the volvos like ours! This can be a very dangerous problem! …
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Volvo XC70. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle independently stopped. The vehicle was able to restart; however, it shook violently. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer (mitchell Volvo cars of simsbury 384 hopmeadow street, simsbury, ct 06070) where it was diagnosed that the throttle module needed an update. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle module failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer sent an electrical specialist to the local dealer to properly diagnose the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
My car is a Volvo 2001 AWD xcv70 and it was stalling and loosing RPM while traveling at highway speeds, running very rough and accelerating without pressing on the accelerator, for example when at a stand still in traffic. The dealer said that the electronic throttle module (etm) needed to be replaced and that the part was $1,000 plus. They said that the cause was my failure to use premium gas. It was not until after I gave them the go ahead to fix it that I discovered all the other complaints. This morning I found out that they have already installed the new part and are road testing it to see if any of the other diagnostic failures have cleared up. The other kicker is that I had already taken the car to a non-Volvo mechanic that diagnosed the problem as a mass air sensor, oxygen sensor and heat control sensor. Those repairs, totaling 650, did not correct the problem. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Volvo XC70 a good car?
Based on 66 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 XC70 rates avoid: 3.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the XC70 at the same age. It is one of the XC70 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 XC70?
The transmission & drivetrain — 21 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the speed control & acceleration (15) and engine & cooling (12).
How many recalls does the 2001 Volvo XC70 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2001 Volvo XC70, 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 XC70?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2015 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004, 2001, 2002 and 2008. See the full Volvo XC70 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Volvo XC70 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 8% 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.