Volvo XC70 problems, reliability and years to avoid
If you are considering buying a used Volvo XC70, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 3 known faults for this model, 2 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Is the Volvo XC70 reliable?
The Volvo XC70 has 3 known faults in our database across 2 generations, 2 of them rated high severity. The most serious are engine (the EGR system on Volvo's 2.0 four-cylinder diesel clogs with soot) and engine (belt-drive failure on the five-cylinder diesel can wreck the engine). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
That is a count of the faults we hold, not a reliability score. Popular cars get written about more, and a newer generation has had less time to show its faults.
Which Volvo XC70 years should you avoid?
No year is a write-off on its own. What matters is which serious faults a given year and engine can have, and whether the car in front of you has had them fixed.
Mk1, 2000 to 2007
No faults on record yet
Mk2, 2007 to 20162 high severity
3 known faults, the serious ones in the engine
Years and engines with a serious known fault
2014 to 2019, 2.0 four-cylinder diesel (VEA / Drive-E: D2, D3, D4 and D5, 1969cc), fitted from 2014. Not the 1.6 D2 or the five-cylinder diesels sold in the V40 and XC70 before it: the EGR system on Volvo's 2.0 four-cylinder diesel clogs with soot
2001 to 2015, Five-cylinder diesel: 2.4 D5 and 2.4D, plus the D3 and D4 versions of the same engine (2.0 or 2.4) sold until about 2014: belt-drive failure on the five-cylinder diesel can wreck the engine
Each one is set out in full below, with the symptoms, the typical mileage and a rough repair cost.
Generation 1 of 13 known faults · 7 owner reports · 2 good notes
Volvo XC70 Mk2 (2007 to 2016) problems
Engine/EmissionsHigh severity📝 Editorial
Belt-drive failure on the five-cylinder diesel can wreck the engine. On earlier cars the timing belt tensioners and idler pulleys may give out ahead of the planned belt change and throw the belt, with many failures around 65,000 miles. On S80, V70, XC70 and XC60 builds from 2007 to 2010 the auxiliary belt tensioner was recalled in the UK, because a failed tensioner or belt can get into the timing belt. Owners have had the auxiliary belt snap at 46,790 miles on a 2011 V70 D3, and a newly fitted one come off and wrap round the lower timing belt pulleys on a 50,000-mile 2011 XC60.
Typical symptoms
squeal or chirp from the belts, especially from cold
battery or power steering warning if the auxiliary belt comes off
engine stops suddenly and will not restart
Affected vehicles
Engines:
Five-cylinder diesel: 2.4 D5 and 2.4D, plus the D3 and D4 versions of the same engine (2.0 or 2.4) sold until about 2014
Typical mileage:
46000-65000 miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
Engine/EmissionsMedium severity📝 Editorial
Fuel injected to burn off the particulate filter can get past the pistons into the sump, so the oil level creeps up and the oil is thinned with diesel. Volvo issued a service bulletin in 2010 for D5 engines with a filter: new engine software to use less fuel during regeneration, and draining the oil back to the middle of the dipstick. A 2010 V70 D3 covering only around 7,300 miles annually needed 0.5 litres of oil taken out after a service warning, and a 2015 V70 D4 had diesel found in its oil after regenerating, with the oil changed free.
Typical symptoms
oil level above the maximum mark on the dipstick
engine oil that smells of diesel
engine service or check warning on the dash
Affected vehicles
Engines:
Diesels with a particulate filter: the five cylinder D5, D3 and D4 (2.4 and 2.0), and the later four cylinder 2.0 D4 (VEA)
Typical mileage:
unknown miles
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Engine/EmissionsHigh severity📝 Editorial
The EGR system on Volvo's 2.0 four-cylinder diesel clogs with soot, and a weak EGR cooler is a known part of it. In 2019 Volvo recalled around 70,000 UK cars with this engine built from 2014, the V40, S90 and XC70 among them, because the soot build-up can make the plastic inlet manifold melt and, at worst, catch fire. V40 owners have reported EGR valves gummed up with carbon at about 40,000 miles, EGR valve, cooler and pipework replaced under warranty with a redesigned system, and smoke from the engine at 62,000 miles blamed on a leaking head gasket that was more likely the EGR cooler.
Typical symptoms
engine warning light
a burning or unusual smell while driving
loss of power or limp mode
engine cutting out
Affected vehicles
Engines:
2.0 four-cylinder diesel (VEA / Drive-E: D2, D3, D4 and D5, 1969cc), fitted from 2014. Not the 1.6 D2 or the five-cylinder diesels sold in the V40 and XC70 before it
Typical mileage:
unknown miles
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What owners report on the Mk2
7 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Gearbox and clutch · November 2018A 2012 XC70 with 83,000 miles had quieter transmission whining after tyre replacement, and smoother gear changes following a Polestar software upgrade.
Gearbox and clutch · September 2018The Geartronic transmission of an 83,000-mile 2012 XC70 D5 developed whining noises and jerky lower gear changes, possibly due to uneven tyre tread depth.
Gearbox and clutch · May 2018A 2009 Volvo XC70 suffered a failed rear differential because a seal failed, causing the system to run dry.
Suspension and steering · May 2018A 2010 Volvo XC70 had its steering module, power steering pump, and reservoir replaced, but the steering remained intermittently heavy.
Gearbox and clutch · December 2017A 2009 XC70 with 101,000 miles experienced the rear-wheel drive crabbing during tight, slow turns, which was resolved by a Haldex clutch oil and filter change.
Gearbox and clutch · June 2016The automatic transmission and alternator failed on a 2014 Volvo XC70 at 34,000 miles, both replaced under warranty.
Gearbox and clutch · November 2014A Volvo XC70 used for towing suffered a faulty electrical connection and high pressure in its Haldex unit at 48,000 miles.
What owners like about the Mk2
2 notes
The Volvo XC70 came with Pirelli Scorpion tyres as standard, offering excellent grip and performance in various conditions.
The D5 engine, with either manual or automatic transmission, can restart a 2,100kg towing weight on a 12% incline.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 10 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Volvo XC70 advert and we check it in seconds.
An overdue cambelt is the most expensive thing a seller can fail to mention on a used XC70. These are the figures UK specialists work to.
Timing belt (cambelt)Belt
2.4 D5, D5
96,000 miles or 8 years, whichever comes first
Volvo's scheduled change for the five-cylinder diesel was 96,000 miles or 8 years on earlier cars; later cars are commonly quoted at 108,000 miles or 10 years, and the shorter scheduled figure is used here. Tensioners and idler pulleys can fail before the scheduled change and throw the belt, and one widely repeated recommendation is to renew the timing belt, tensioner, pulleys and water pump at 60,000 miles or 4 years. Also check when the auxiliary belt and tensioner were changed: on 2007 to 2010 V70 builds that tensioner was recalled in the UK because a failed belt can foul the timing belt.
Always confirm against the vehicle handbook. Intervals vary by engine, and several manufacturers revised theirs after failures in service.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: October 2026
Volvo XC70 buying questions
What are the most common Volvo XC70 problems?
Three stand out. Engine: the EGR system on Volvo's 2.0 four-cylinder diesel clogs with soot. Engine: belt-drive failure on the five-cylinder diesel can wreck the engine (typically 46000 to 65000 miles). Engine: fuel injected to burn off the particulate filter can get past the pistons into the sump. The full list above is grouped by generation, with typical mileage and a rough repair cost for each.
Which Volvo XC70 years should I avoid?
No Volvo XC70 year is a write-off, but the Mk2 (2007 to 2016) carries the most serious faults: engine. The Mk1 (2000 to 2007) has none rated high severity. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Volvo XC70?
Ask the seller about the engine faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for engine warning light, squeal or chirp from the belts, especially from cold and oil level above the maximum mark on the dipstick. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against all 3 known faults before you travel. Check a Volvo XC70 advert →
What is the real MPG of a Volvo XC70?
Owners report 37.1 mpg on average across the Volvo XC70 engines with data, about 83% of the official combined figure. The gap between official and real-world economy varies a lot by engine, so the Real MPG page lists every engine and generation separately, from 252 owner submissions. Volvo XC70 Real MPG by engine →
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Volvo XC70 owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.