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1998 Volvo V70 Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Serious

242 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.57 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious04V504000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch

THE HEAD LIGHTS MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY WHICH COULD RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR NO HEADLIGHT FUNCTION.

Remedy & full details

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. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 24, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY CEASE TO FUNCTION.

Serious99V236000

Air Bags:Frontal

THIS COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE AN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL GROUND WIRE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE TO ASSURE SUFFICIENT GROUNDING.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONTAL PASSENGER AIR BAG MAY BE OVERLY SENSITIVE TO CERTAIN ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE.

Serious99V235000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Switch

DRIVER'S COULD EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF VISIBILITY, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. OPERATION OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, CAN RESULT IN INCONSISTENT OPERATION OF THE SWITCH.

Serious00V405000

Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal

THIS WOULD FAIL TO WARN AN APPROACHING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE IS TURNING AND COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT TURN SIGNAL BULB AND SOCKET.

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.

Serious98V254000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe

CONTACT WITH THE TAILPIPE CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE LENGTH OF THE VEHICLE'S TAILPIPE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPAIR THE TAILPIPE.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: STATION WAGONS EQUIPPED WITH THIRD SEATS. USERS OF THE THIRD SEAT, WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, CAN COME IN CONTACT WITH THE TAILPIPE.

Complaint volume

242 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

20Crashes
9Fires
15Injuries
1Deaths

Across 242 complaints. Severity Index 0.57.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic…19 · 8%Exterior Lighting · Headl…11 · 5%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…10 · 4%Engine And Engine Cooling…7 · 3%Engine And Engine Cooling…7 · 3%Exterior Lighting · Turn …6Fuel System, Gasoline · S…6Tires6
  1. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 19 reports
  2. Exterior Lighting:Headlights — 11 reports
  3. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module — 10 reports
  4. Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe — 7 reports
  5. Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System — 7 reports
  6. Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal — 6 reports
  7. Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly — 6 reports
  8. Tires — 6 reports
  9. Air Bags:Frontal — 6 reports
  10. Unknown Or Other — 6 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999 (4) · 2000 (6) · 2001 (9) · 2002 (6) · 2003 (5) · 2004 (6) · 2005 (4) · 2006 (4) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (4) · 2009 (3) · 2010 (3)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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