Welcome to my C70 page. It would be great if you'd e-mail me (billshirey1@comcast.net) and let me know how you found this page, and whether you own a C70 or are thinking of buying one.
My daughter and her favorite car
After custom-ordering it from John Simpson at Northwest Volvo in September 1999, I received my C70 just before Christmas. The sound system is awesome! I wanted a car with similar safety features and controls as my wife's 1998 Volvo V70 Cross Country but with more style and a better audio system. I didn't need the power of the high-pressure turbocharged version of the C70. I ended up custom-ordering the low-turbo coupe with many of the features that were standard on the high-pressure coupe. I enjoy having a car you don't see very often on the road.
My car's characteristics:
| Engine | 2.4 Liter, 190 HP, 5 cylinder, low-pressure turbocharger | Transmission | Four-speed automatic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheels, Tires | 17 inch 5-spoke alloy wheels 225/45ZR17 Michelin Pilot SX tires |
Audio | SC-901 audio system with CD-3 changer and cassette deck. Dolby Pro Logic surround sound. 425 Watt amplifier. 10 Dynaudio speakers. |
| Safety features | Comfort and convenience | ||
| Color | Venetian Red Metallic (445) | ||
C70s were hand-built at the AutoNova Plant in Uddevalla, Sweden. Originally, the factory was jointly owned by Volvo and the Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) Group. It's safe to say the resulting cars aren't as reliable as the Toyotas we previously owned.
I'm glad it came with a four year warranty, because it had quite a few problems in its first two years. Since then it's been average. Here is a log of my car's unscheduled maintenance:
| Date Serviced | Odometer Reading | Symptom | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/19/1999 | 19 | It was unloaded from the truck on Friday night; I took possession Sunday afternoon. I probably didn't give them enough time for a thorough predelivery service. | |
| 2/16/2000 | 1,741 | Car frequently pulls left when braking. (Problem since delivery.) | Front and rear realignment. |
| 2/16/2000 | 1,741 | Power antenna noisy going up and down (Problem since delivery.) | Antenna replaced. |
| 2/16/2000 | 1,741 | Cupholder doesn't retract smoothly (Problem since delivery.) | Cupholder and armrest lid replaced. |
| 11/9/2000 | 9,528 | Driver's side dashboard speaker has worked intermittently for the past month. | Speaker replaced. |
| 11/9/2000 | 9,528 | "ETS" light has come on during commute two days in a row. | Engine Control Module replaced. |
| 12/28/2000 | 9,800 | Front right (passenger side) turn signal works intermittently. | socket and bulb replaced |
| 1/8/2001 | 10,550 | Front left (driver's side) turn signal works intermittently. | socket and bulb replaced (Note: service adviser said that Volvo is about to recall all 1998-2000 70-series cars to replace front turn signal sockets and bulbs with a more reliable design.) |
| 5/12/2001 | 14,140 | Driver's seat back is stuck in the forward position and seat is fully forward and won't move back. (Car not driveable.) | Towed to dealer. Broken cable replaced. |
| 12/8/2001 | 19,750 | Awful rattling noise when car starts, continues while car is running. | Pending replacement at next service, dealer disconnected right headlight wiper motor. |
| 8/1/2004 | 46,500 | Air conditioner doesn't seem to be operating at peak capacity. | Probable leak in evaporator. Live with it for the time being. (Note: Freon with diagnostic dye added July 2005. Cost: $197.90) |
| 8/1/2004 | 46,500 | At freeway speed, sunroof rattles when closed. | Repair would be too expensive, so live with it. |
| 9/16/2004 | 47,400 | Subtle power fluctuation at freeway speed, and ETS light came on. | Dealer replaced throttle module. Cost: Volvo refunded the repair cost in April 2006 as part of their Electronic Throttle Module Warranty Extension. |
| 10/1/2004 | 47,550 | Car won't start. Battery won't hold charge. | Alternator replaced; battery replaced. Cost: $830.04 |
| 2/15/2006 | 59,920 | Oil light comes on when car started cold. Stays on up to a minute. | Oil pickup tube seals and oil pan o-rings replaced. Cost: $354.50 |
| 2/15/2006 | 59,920 | Faint growling noise when turning or going up hills when cold. | Torque bushing replaced. Cost: $158.15 |
| 2/15/2006 | 59,920 | Auto-dim mirror doesn't seem to dim very much. | Dealer thinks it's fine. |
| 3/6/2006 | 60,000 | I emailed Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA) about the fact that the SC-901 CD changer won't reliably play high-density (700 MB; 80 minute) CD-R audio disks that have been burned on my computers. They play fine on the (much less expensive) SC-816 CD player in my wife's 1998 V70XC. | VCNA says there is nothing I can do about it except try the highest quality CDs and burn at the slowest possible speed. (Which I've tried, without success.) "This is not a fault but the way the player was intended." |
| 8/4/2006 | 63,824 | The fluid in the auto-dim mirror has formed a "bubble" and the mirror is not usable. | Auto-dim mirror replaced. Cost: $258.08 |
| 8/4/2006 | 63,824 | Air conditioner not cooling. | Recharged coolant with diagnostic dye. Cost: $184.85 |
| 7/18/2007 | 71,000 | The auto-dim mirror which was replaced last summer broke again in the same way. (Fails on hot day while sitting in parking lot.) | Auto-dim mirror replaced under replacement parts/service 0warranty. |
| 7/18/2007 | 71,000 | Air conditioner not cooling. | Leaking evaporator replaced. Cost: $1,427.40 |
| 7/18/2007 | 72,059 | Subtle throttle fluctuation at freeway speed. ETS light came on during in-city driving. | Faulty brake pedal position sensor replaced. Cost: $254.28 |
| 7/18/2007 | 72,059 | Cruise control does not engage, or spontaneously disengages after 1-10 seconds. Related to throttle problem? | Resolved by brake pedal position sensor replacement. |
| 4/18/2008 | 78,302 | Check Engine light | Replaced faulty boost pressure sensor. Cost: $260.34 |
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Some Volvo-related links:
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