Total Complaints
2 filings
VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE · model year
1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE
2 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998VOLVOC70 CONVERTIBLE carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 C70 CONVERTIBLE is engine and engine cooling with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 28 investigation files overlapping the 1998 C70 CONVERTIBLE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050802CrashENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I BOUGHT MY 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE IN JAN 1999. ON MAY 20, 1999 AT APPROX 11:45 PM, I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT-HAND LANE ON RT.175-W IN COLUMBIA, MD, APPROX. 1 MILE FROM MY HOME. STOPPED AT RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AT DOBBIN RD/RT.175 INTERSECTION. NO OTHER CARS. LIGHT TURNED GREEN. PROCEEDED FORWARD. I WAS ACCELERATING FORWARD THEN RPMS DROPPED. I PRESSED ON THE PEDAL AND HAD NO RESPONSE. THE HEADLIGHTS FADED OUT AND THE RPMS DROPPED TO 5 MPH. NO CARS AROUND ME, I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT INTO PARK AND TRIED TO RESTART IT TWICE. NOTHING HAPPENED ?? NO SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. THEN A CAR PASSED ME ON THE RIGHT. I SAW HEADLIGHTS OF A CAR APPROX. 200 FEET BEHIND ME IN THE SAME LANE. I SAID OUT LOUD, "PLEASE DON'T HIT ME. GET IN THE OTHER LANE. PLEASE DON'T HIT ME." THAT IS THE LAST THING I REMEMBER UNTIL WAKING UP IN SHOCK TRAUMA EMERGENCY ROOM AT U OF MD MEDICAL CENTER IN BALTIMORE, MD LYING ON A GURNEY - 2 POLICEMEN AT MY FEET AND MY PARENTS ON MY LEFT. SO
20050802CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I BOUGHT MY 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE IN JAN 1999. ON MAY 20, 1999 AT APPROX 11:45 PM, I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT-HAND LANE ON RT.175-W IN COLUMBIA, MD, APPROX. 1 MILE FROM MY HOME. STOPPED AT RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AT DOBBIN RD/RT.175 INTERSECTION. NO OTHER CARS. LIGHT TURNED GREEN. PROCEEDED FORWARD. I WAS ACCELERATING FORWARD THEN RPMS DROPPED. I PRESSED ON THE PEDAL AND HAD NO RESPONSE. THE HEADLIGHTS FADED OUT AND THE RPMS DROPPED TO 5 MPH. NO CARS AROUND ME, I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT INTO PARK AND TRIED TO RESTART IT TWICE. NOTHING HAPPENED ?? NO SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. THEN A CAR PASSED ME ON THE RIGHT. I SAW HEADLIGHTS OF A CAR APPROX. 200 FEET BEHIND ME IN THE SAME LANE. I SAID OUT LOUD, "PLEASE DON'T HIT ME. GET IN THE OTHER LANE. PLEASE DON'T HIT ME." THAT IS THE LAST THING I REMEMBER UNTIL WAKING UP IN SHOCK TRAUMA EMERGENCY ROOM AT U OF MD MEDICAL CENTER IN BALTIMORE, MD LYING ON A GURNEY - 2 POLICEMEN AT MY FEET AND MY PARENTS ON MY LEFT. SO
Compare 1998VOLVOC70 CONVERTIBLE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE have?▼
The 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE has 2 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1998 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.