AI Damage1998 Volvo 700: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Volvo 700 filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 33% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 33% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 33% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (33% of all).
- Wheels: 1 complaints (33% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 3 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Had heard noises prior, and then noticed smoke. Pulled to side of road , and saw flames coming from wheel area. Extinguished the flames.
Turbo return line unsealed and leaking oil. Dealer wanted to replace entire turbo; shouldn't happen to a car, esp. A volvo, that's only three years old with 56k miles on it. Dealer did a temporary fix but eventually will ahve to replace turbo way before its time to do so.
The rear brake rotors warped at 4000 miles and were replaced and new discs were installed. At 20000 miles the exact same problem happened again. The local dealer told me that volvo is replacing the rear braking system on a case by case basis. Please share this information with everyone . Thanks.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 17,150 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 47% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 700 has 2 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 3, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Volvo 700?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes, wheels. Total complaints: 3. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (33%), smoke, burning smell, fire (33%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Volvo 700?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Volvo 700 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.