2004 Volvo XC70 5-cylinder gas, low-pressure turbo
Summary:
Nearly a great car, but lousy dealer/mfr. support
Faults:
Premature spring failure (both left-side springs have broken, due to rusting/pitting at bottom end of spring coil). Volvo variously claims this is either unusual or normal (dealer had tons of springs in stock, so they must be selling).
Crack in rear axle/differential housing mounts where the assembly bolts up to the body frame. Volvo claims they have never seen this problem and wanted over $5500 to replace rear axle housing (car has never been driven off road) ; my independent mechanic told me he has seen two other cars with similar cracks.
Recently (2010) car developed the Volvo "check engine" light problem - various emissions control components develop leaks, leading to codes that cause the light to come on. In the process of checking through the possibilities, but expect this will lead back to the dealer for "software upgrades," "air sensor plate servicing" and other non fixes.
General Comments:
Great car in many respects.
Adequate power, good comfort, decent handling (this is not an off-road vehicle!).
Great headlight system - car has the Xenon system, much better than the old halogen bulbs that burn out constantly.
Electrics are reasonably reliable - many complaints about tail light problems stem from using wrong bulbs.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 2nd February, 2011
29th May 2007, 13:34
Many modern auto models make an uncomfortable noise when windows are opened a certain amount when driving at highway speeds. Teh noise is like a rhythmic thumping. I've noticed this in several cars, including a Jeep Liberty and Toyota Echo.
One solution to avoid this is to turn on the air, be it only fan fresh air or heated or cooled. This causes a positive pressure in the cabin and reduces or eliminates this noise problem. I would try this in your Volvo.