Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 1999.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 S70 | 164 | 3 |
| 1999 S70 | 205 | 4 |
| 1998 S70 | 215 | 4 |
| 1997 S70 | 4 | 0 |
| 1996 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 0 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Vehicle speed control146
- Electrical system112
- Engine and engine cooling83
- Service brakes, hydraulic74
- Exterior lighting51
- Fuel system, gasoline35
- Structure30
- Air bags29
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 22 S70 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 14 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10 | 4 |
| 1999 | 3 | 3 |
| 1998 | 9 | 7 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
Fuel consumption by year
Official Canadian test results for 3 model years, best variant per year. Combined consumption ranges from 10.9–11.4 L/100 km.
| Year | Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | S70 · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 12.6 | 8.9 | 10.9 |
| 1999 | S70 · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 12.7 | 9.0 | 11.0 |
| 1998 | S70 · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 13.4 | 8.9 | 11.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
In New Zealand
31 S70 cars are on the New Zealand register; 61% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 | 10 | 2 | 8 |
| 1999 | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| 1998 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 1997 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
1,061 S70 cars are on Dutch roads; 11% arrived later as imports. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 177 | — |
| 1999 | 256 | — |
| 1998 | 360 | — |
| 1997 | 268 | €37,093 |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
1,465 S70 cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 97% petrol, 3% diesel. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 462 | 336,000 km |
| 1999 | 317 | 351,000 km |
| 1998 | 394 | 355,000 km |
| 1997 | 292 | 356,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
In the United Kingdom
342 S70 cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | — |
| 2008 | 2 | — |
| 2007 | 1 | — |
| 2005 | 1 | — |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 |
| 2000 | 6 | 5 |
| 1999 | 65 | 84 |
| 1998 | 138 | 172 |
| 1997 | 127 | 230 |
| 1996 | 0 | 1 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
372 S70 cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 71% passed first time, against 64% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 184 | 76% |
| 1997 | 188 | 66% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | S70 | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 13.2% | 11.8% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.0% | 16.0% |
| Suspension | 8.3% | 12.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 8.1% | 9.5% |
| Tyres | 5.1% | 3.8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.8% | 7.2% |
| Visibility | 4.6% | 6.6% |
| Steering | 4.3% | 3.4% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
4 new Volvo S70 cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2011, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2011 the largest markets were United Kingdom (1).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | — |
| 2010 | 3 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Recalls
6 campaigns cover the S70.
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.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY CEASE TO FUNCTION.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THERE COULD BE INADEQUATE CONTACT BETWEEN THE BULB AND SOCKET WHICH COULD CAUSE THE FRONT TURN SIGNAL NOT TO FUNCTION AS DESIGNED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONTAL PASSENGER AIR BAG MAY BE OVERLY SENSITIVE TO CERTAIN ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. OPERATION OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, CAN RESULT IN INCONSISTENT OPERATION OF THE SWITCH.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SEDANS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY." THE FUEL FILTER BRACKET CONFIGURATION MARGINS ARE INSUFFICIENT.
NHTSA recalls