Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Volvo V70, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train17
- Vehicle speed control12
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Exterior lighting7
- Air bags7
- Electrical system6
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Tires4
- Seat belts4
- Unknown or other3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 4 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 7 2002 V70 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 3 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2002 Volvo V70 failed the safety check 2.73% of the time — 36% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 159,868 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2002 Volvo V70 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.4 petrol (147 kW, 197 hp), 2.4 petrol (103 kW, 138 hp) and 2.4 petrol (125 kW, 168 hp), out of 9 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 petrol | 147 kW 197 hp | 1,120 |
| 2.4 petrol | 103 kW 138 hp | 784 |
| 2.4 petrol | 125 kW 168 hp | 522 |
| 2.4 diesel | 120 kW 161 hp | 157 |
| 2.3 petrol | 184 kW 247 hp | 127 |
| petrol | 154 kW 207 hp | 57 |
| 2.4 LPG | 103 kW 138 hp | 34 |
| 2.0 petrol | 132 kW 177 hp | 22 |
| 2.5 petrol | 154 kW 207 hp | 20 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
2,910 first registered in 2002 are on Dutch roads; 34% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €42,680.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde1,332
- Band onvoldoende profiel1,265
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt1,155
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)982
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen933
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld692
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm644
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af623
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,676 cars built in 2002 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,045 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 2,703 of these cars first registered in 2002 took their annual MOT test. 53% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2002 the figure was 58%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2002 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 26.8% | 20.8% |
| Brakes | 18.8% | 13.6% |
| Suspension | 13.5% | 15.8% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 10.9% | 9.7% |
| Tyres | 8.0% | 6.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.3% | 6.9% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
2,511 of these cars first registered in 2002 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 410,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
40 2002 cars are on the New Zealand register; 48% arrived as used imports, 53% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 7 variants: combined 11.0–12.5 L/100 km (about 19–21 mpg US), CO₂ 253–288 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| V70 Wagon · Station wagon: Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 12.5 | 9.3 | 11.0 |
| V70 Wagon · Station wagon: Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 12.7 | 9.1 | 11.1 |
| V70 T5 Wagon Turbo · Station wagon: Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 12.9 | 9.5 | 11.3 |
| V70 2.4T Wagon Turbo · Station wagon: Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 13.1 | 9.4 | 11.4 |
| V70 T5 Wagon Turbo · Station wagon: Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 13.4 | 9.9 | 11.8 |
| V70 AWD Wagon Turbo · Station wagon: Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 13.6 | 9.8 | 11.9 |
| V70 XC AWD Turbo · Sport utility vehicle · Premium gasoline | 14.2 | 10.5 | 12.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2002 Volvo V70.
| 2010396 8 Nov 2010 | Accessories On certain vehicles, there is a possibility of overheating issues of batteries in the Garmin nüvi® 760 when certain batteries manufactured within a limited date… |
| 2006311 14 Nov 2006 | Other On certain vehicles, a combination of throttle position sensor (TPS) irregularities, a dirty throttle housing, and/or inefficient software calibration, may caus… |
| 2006066 27 Mar 2006 | Seats And Restraints Certain Volvo 850, S40, V40, V50, V70, XC70 and XC90 equipped with integrated child booster cushions were incorrectly labelled during vehicle assembly. The lab… |
| 2004027 30 Jan 2004 | Lights And Instruments On certain vehicles, the relay controlling the left and right brake lights may fail. If this happens, the brake lights may be on constantly, even when the vehi… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
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, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, UTAH, VIRGINIA AND THE U.S. TERRITORIES. WHEN EXPOSED TO CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS (HOT CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE CYCLING) OVER TIME AND IN COMBINATION WITH VARYING FUEL QUALITY, THE FUEL PUMP CAN DEVELOP CRACKS IN THE FUEL PUMP FLANGE.
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 SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE REAR LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT RELAYS MAY NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY. THE HIGH POSITIONED BRAKE LIGHT AND ALL OTHER TAIL LIGHTS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volvo told its dealers about the 2002 Volvo V70: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635273 | SOME VEHICLES WITH THE AW55-50 GEARBOX MAY EXPERIENCE 2-3 UPSHIFT FLARE, SLIPPING, TACHOMETER NEEDLE JUMPING UP OR THE ENGINE RACING DURING A SHIFT. QUALITY UPGRADE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO MINIMIZE THIS CONDITION. *TT |
| 635265 | SOME NON TURBO ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE COLD START PERFORMANCE. *TT |
| 635263 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A B5244T3 LOW PRESSURE TURBO ENGINE, MAY RUN ROUGH AFTER COLD START, OR LONG CRANKING TIME. *TT |
| 635261 | CONCERNS WITH ROUGHT COLD START ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A B5234T3 HIGH-PRESSURE TURBO ENGINE. *TT |
| 635244 | SUBJECT REGARDING DVD NAVIGATION SYSTEM - ACCESSORIES BULLETIN. *TT |
| 635225 | SUBJECT REGARDING CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. *TT |
| 635192 | CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH THE AW55-50 TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE SW FID 83 LOADED BEFORE ROAD TESTED AS PART OF THE CUSTOMER PREPARATION SERVICE (CPS). *TT |
| 635173 | SERVICE BULLETIN INFORMATION REGARDING CLUTCH LINE REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 627836 | SUBJECT REGARDING ,SW FID 703, ROUGH COLD START, B5234T3 ENGINE. *YD |
| 626184 | INFORMATION REGARDING NAVIGATION SYSTEM MY02 DELAY. *YH |
| 11007925 | Information about valid Software partnumbers to order and download Software for "PDS" Pre-Delivery Service |
| 10249191 | This is a Technical Journal: 12V Battery Testing Method |
| 10241661 | COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADE C00009 DESCRIPTION. |
| 10241651 | Rubber cushion |
| 10219421 | Engine Control Module (EMS) Software (MSW) Information August 2022; Improvement List (Change Log) - US21+OBD22 (13L VGT, TC) And US17+OBD22 (11L) Emissions |
| 10213885 | The Deutronic DBL-1200 is an advanced battery maintainer/charger with the flexibility to be updated as products and repair methods evolve. |
| 10213883 | ICUP/Google Built-In Diagnostic Operations |
| 10213882 | Battery Charger/maintainer requirement |
| 10212892 | Shipping and Handling of Volvo Lithium-ion 48V Mild Hybrid Battery to Global Battery Solutions (GBS) |
| 10212891 | VIDA QR Scanner Mobile App |
| 10188881 | Volvo?s Warranty Department tracks Retailer warranty spending by utilizing the Warranty Retailer Counseling Process (WRCP). The WRCP is used to gauge individual retailer performance on objective measures over time. By setting clear performance expectations and parameters and assisting retailers in focusing on individual processes and procedures, all retailers are provided with adequate tools to help achieve the ultimate goal of qualifying for self-authorization status. |
| 10181041 | Mandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians to properly diagnose and repair Volvo cars. They are used in development of Volvo labor operations and repair methods, and promote safety and quality repairs in a timely manner. Tools are classified as mandatory because associated repairs and/or diagnostics cannot be completed properly without them. |
| 10179681 | This is a Service Manager Bulletin: Service 2.0 Software & Total Upgrade Reminder |
| 10178520 | This is a Service Manager Bulletin: Volvo Lithium-ion Hybrid Battery Packs shipping and handling to Volvo Reman |
| 10178516 | This is a Service Manager Bulletin: Volvo Lithium-ion Hybrid Battery Packs shipping and handling to Volvo Reman |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTION
THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation