NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Volvo XC70. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
THE NEW XENON HEADLIGHTS ON OUR VOLVO XC70 PROVIDE VERY POOR LIGHT IN LOW BEAM MODE WHEN GOING DOWN HILL. WE HAD A NEAR COLLISION DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE FAR ENOUGH AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHTS ARE UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY GOING DOWN HILL. WE HAVE CONTACTED VOLVO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, THEY STATE THAT THE LIGHTS MEET GOVERNMENT STANDARDS AND THERE IS NO ISSUE. *LA
FRONT SEAT DESIGN IS UNCOMFORTABLE AND PUSHES IN DRIVERS BACK AT A POINT THAT MAKES THE BACK HURT. I CANNOT DRIVE FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES DUE TO THE PAIN. THIS ALSO HAPPENS TO MY HUSBAND, WHO IS MUCH TALLER, SO I ASSUME IT IS HAPPENING TO MANY DRIVERS. THERE ARE THREE SECTIONS ON THE SEAT BACK, AND THE MIDDLE SECTION STICKS OUT AT THE POINT YOUR BACK WANTS TO STICK OUT, NOT GET PUSHED IN, MAKING IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THE DEALER LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SEAT.
I JUST PURCHASED A NEW C70 VOLVO AND I AM HAVING SOME PROBLEMS ALREADY. (1) THERE WAS A LITTLE SNOW ON THE GROUND FROM A SNOW DRIFT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CAR WAS SLIDING ALL OVER THE PLACE AS IF I WAS ON OIL AND AS THOUGH THE TIRES WERE NOT TOUCHING THE GROUND. SUBSEQUENTLY, I CALLED THE CORPORATE OFFCE 800.452.1552 AND THEY SAID THAT IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE 17 IN LOW PROFILE TIRES ON THE CAR WHICH TENDS TO GET ON TOP OF THE SNOW AND NOW SUGGESTS THAT I PURCHASE 15 IN SNOW TIRES. IS THIS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE RAIN AS WELL? I ALREADY SPENT $45,000! (2) BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE CONVERTIBLE TOP, I CAN'T SEE OUT OF THE BACK RIGHT SIDE. THE COMPANY TOLD ME TO READJUST MY MIRRORS AND SAID THAT THE VIEW IS LIMITED IN ALL CONVERTIBLES. I ALMOST HIT SOMETHING BACKING OUT OF A SPACE BECAUSE I COULDN'T SEE (ENTIRE AREA COVERED W/THE BLACKTOP MATERIAL). WHY CAN'T THEY INSERT A SMALL PLASTIC-LIKE WIDOW THERE? (3) THE BACK OF MY DRIVER'S SEAT KEEPS LOCKING UP WHEN I PULL IT FOWARD TOWARDS STEERING WHEEL. BY DOING SO, I CAN'T GET INTO THE CAR. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR NOT. IT HAPPENED 2 TIMES ALREADY AND ONCE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET BLOCKING TRAFFIC. (I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND MOVED THE SEAT BACK TO PUT SOMETHING IN THE BACK AND THAT'S WHEN IT GOT STOCK). SOMETIMES, THE SEAT MOTOR WORKS AND OTHER TIMES IT DOES NOT. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, THEY KEPT IT AN ADDITIONAL TWO DAYS BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROBLEM W/THE FRONT SEAT CONTROL MODULE AFFECTING THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT. THEY ASSURED ME THAT I WAS NOT GETTING A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. A SERVICE PESON TOLD ME THAT IT'S A REGULAR PROBLEM AND THAT DRIVERS JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO MOVE THE SEATS PROPERLY. CORPORATE TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NO RECALL AND THAT THE LOCAL LAWS WOULD DETERMINE IF VOLVO COULD BUY MY CAR BACK. DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT BEFORE NHTSA INVESTIGATES?*AK
FRONT SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS NON-ADJUSTABLE. I AM 5"0 AND NO MATTER HOW I ADJUST THE SEAT THE SHOULDER HARNESS IS ACROSS MY NECK. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IN A ACCIDENT. MY HUSBAND IS 5"10" AND HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. COMPLAINED TO DEALER AND THEY SAID JUST TO ADJUST SEAT. THAT IS NOT THE SOLUTION.
VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION CONDITION OCCURRED MOSTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE TO PARALLEL PARK. *TS *NLM
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT SEAT BELT PROBLEM. SHOULDER HARNESS WAS NOT ADJUSTABLE, AND THE STRAP CAME ACROSS THE DRIVER'S NECK. THE DRIVER WAS 5'2" TALL, AND THE SEAT WAS RAISED AS HIGH AS IT COULD GO. HOWEVER, THE SEAT BELT STILL CAME ACROSS THE NECK OF THE DRIVER. *AK *LA