99 volvo XC70 crosscountry wagon

Does anybody know about the reliability of the cross country ?

"David Waite" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Does anybody know about the reliability of the cross country ?

The electrical system was less reliable than typical. Over 15% of owners
had problems. This problem was on all V70s through the 2000 model. It
was fixed in the 2001 redesign.

In general the 1998 and 1999 model years were the least reliable for the
V70XC. The 2001 was a big improvement.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to (E-Mail Removed)
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA, USA
Owned '67,'68,'71,'74,'79,'81,'87,'93,'95 & '02 Volvos.
The '67,'74,'79,'87,'95 and '02 through European Delivery.
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/volvo.html

Also, make sure the tires are rotated at every scheduled service.

If you have a warranty and there are any problems with the transfer case,
the FIRST thing the dealer mechanics do is measure the circumference of the
tires. If more than 5% diff, then any warranty claim is invalid......

Transfer case is a weak link and VERY expensive to replace.

Best,

Ross
"Stephen M. Henning" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newsighash-(E-Mail Removed)...
> "David Waite" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> > Does anybody know about the reliability of the cross country ?
>
> The electrical system was less reliable than typical. Over 15% of owners
> had problems. This problem was on all V70s through the 2000 model. It
> was fixed in the 2001 redesign.
>
> In general the 1998 and 1999 model years were the least reliable for the
> V70XC. The 2001 was a big improvement.
>
> --
> Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to (E-Mail Removed)
> Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA, USA
> Owned '67,'68,'71,'74,'79,'81,'87,'93,'95 & '02 Volvos.
> The '67,'74,'79,'87,'95 and '02 through European Delivery.
> http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/volvo.html

If one is buying a V70xc from that era, how do we accurately
recognise the "2001" model with the improvements and avoid it's
predecessor??

Thanks,

Jim

| > V70XC. The 2001 was a big improvement.

Pre 2001 the 70 was just an improved 850, post 2001 the 70 is a redesign based
on S60.

Cheers, Peter.

"Jim Kelly" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:400b0dd1$0$14483$(E-Mail Removed) u...
: If one is buying a V70xc from that era, how do we accurately
: recognise the "2001" model with the improvements and avoid it's
: predecessor??
:
: Thanks,
:
: Jim
:
: | > V70XC. The 2001 was a big improvement.
:

Peter Milnes wrote:
>
> Pre 2001 the 70 was just an improved 850, post 2001 the 70 is a redesign based
> on S60.
>
> Cheers, Peter.
>
> "Jim Kelly" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:400b0dd1$0$14483$(E-Mail Removed) u...
> : If one is buying a V70xc from that era, how do we accurately
> : recognise the "2001" model with the improvements and avoid it's
> : predecessor??
> :
> : Thanks,
> :
> : Jim
> :
> : | > V70XC. The 2001 was a big improvement.
> :

Note that the more advanced (and so far less troublesome) AWD system did
not appear immediately on the "new" body V70. It wasn't until the 2003
models.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

Ouch! . . . So to be sure to get the reliable AWD one has to avoid
all cross country models up to and including 2002!!!

Is it fair to say that the introduction of the new AWD system
coincided with the introduction of the badge name "XC70"?

Is there a way to recognise the AWD mechanicals to be sure that it
is the "new" type?

A new motor snuck in during 2003 . . . the 2.5L . . . with
considerably more torque (285 up 12% to 320nm). Are these proving to
be a significant improvement, reliable, etc? My current 850-T5 has
better KW specs and it seems odd to buy a heavier vehicle with less
power!

Curiously, I haven't seen any differences with the '2004' models??

Cheers,

Jim Kelly.



"Mike F" <"mikef2316()"@allsttream.nett> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
| Peter Milnes wrote:
| >
| > Pre 2001 the 70 was just an improved 850, post 2001 the 70 is a
redesign based
| > on S60.
| >
| > Cheers, Peter.
| >
| > "Jim Kelly" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message
| > news:400b0dd1$0$14483$(E-Mail Removed) u...
| > : If one is buying a V70xc from that era, how do we accurately
| > : recognise the "2001" model with the improvements and avoid
it's
| > : predecessor??
| > :
| > : Thanks,
| > :
| > : Jim
| > :
| > : | > V70XC. The 2001 was a big improvement.
| > :
|
| Note that the more advanced (and so far less troublesome) AWD
system did
| not appear immediately on the "new" body V70. It wasn't until the
2003
| models.
|
| --
| Mike F.
| Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.
|
| NOTE: new address!!
| Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me
directly.
| (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

Beginning with the 2003 Model Year, the Cross Country a/k/a the XC70 has
the Haldex AWD which is much better (reliability-wise) than the previously
used AWD with viscous coupling. Search Google Groups for prior discussions
in this NG regarding Haldex.

Sandy

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 12:48:57 +1100, "Jim Kelly"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Ouch! . . . So to be sure to get the reliable AWD one has to avoid
>all cross country models up to and including 2002!!!
>
>Is it fair to say that the introduction of the new AWD system
>coincided with the introduction of the badge name "XC70"?
>
>Is there a way to recognise the AWD mechanicals to be sure that it
>is the "new" type?
>
>A new motor snuck in during 2003 . . . the 2.5L . . . with
>considerably more torque (285 up 12% to 320nm). Are these proving to
>be a significant improvement, reliable, etc? My current 850-T5 has
>better KW specs and it seems odd to buy a heavier vehicle with less
>power!
>
>Curiously, I haven't seen any differences with the '2004' models??
>
>Cheers,
>
>Jim Kelly.
>
>
>
>"Mike F" <"mikef2316()"@allsttream.nett> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>| Peter Milnes wrote:
>| >
>| > Pre 2001 the 70 was just an improved 850, post 2001 the 70 is a
>redesign based
>| > on S60.
>| >
>| > Cheers, Peter.
>| >
>| > "Jim Kelly" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
>message
>| > news:400b0dd1$0$14483$(E-Mail Removed) u...
>| > : If one is buying a V70xc from that era, how do we accurately
>| > : recognise the "2001" model with the improvements and avoid
>it's
>| > : predecessor??
>| > :
>| > : Thanks,
>| > :
>| > : Jim
>| > :
>| > : | > V70XC. The 2001 was a big improvement.
>| > :
>|
>| Note that the more advanced (and so far less troublesome) AWD
>system did
>| not appear immediately on the "new" body V70. It wasn't until the
>2003
>| models.
>|
>| --
>| Mike F.
>| Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.
>|
>| NOTE: new address!!
>| Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me
>directly.
>| (But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> Beginning with the 2003 Model Year, the Cross Country a/k/a the XC70 has
> the Haldex AWD which is much better (reliability-wise) than the previously
> used AWD with viscous coupling. Search Google Groups for prior discussions
> in this NG regarding Haldex.

The Haldex is strictly a performance enhancement. There were no
reliability issues with the viscous coupling. In fact it is one of the
most reliable systems in existance since there are no valves or switches
to go bad. It has a long history of reliability. The Haldex system is
newer and unproven.

Haldex historically made automatic brake adjustors. It has expanded
into other hydraulic fields, but the Haldex AWD system is a new field
for it and is relatively unproven.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to (E-Mail Removed)
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA, USA
Owned '67,'68,'71,'74,'79,'81,'87,'93,'95 & '02 Volvos.
The '67,'74,'79,'87,'95 and '02 through European Delivery.
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/volvo.html

"Stephen M. Henning" wrote:
>
> (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>
> > Beginning with the 2003 Model Year, the Cross Country a/k/a the XC70 has
> > the Haldex AWD which is much better (reliability-wise) than the previously
> > used AWD with viscous coupling. Search Google Groups for prior discussions
> > in this NG regarding Haldex.
>
> The Haldex is strictly a performance enhancement. There were no
> reliability issues with the viscous coupling. In fact it is one of the
> most reliable systems in existance since there are no valves or switches
> to go bad. It has a long history of reliability. The Haldex system is
> newer and unproven.
>
> Haldex historically made automatic brake adjustors. It has expanded
> into other hydraulic fields, but the Haldex AWD system is a new field
> for it and is relatively unproven.
>
> --
> Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to (E-Mail Removed)
> Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA, USA
> Owned '67,'68,'71,'74,'79,'81,'87,'93,'95 & '02 Volvos.
> The '67,'74,'79,'87,'95 and '02 through European Delivery.
> http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/volvo.html

There is a reliability issue with the viscous coupling in the sense that
if tires sizes are too different (this includes one new tire and 3 half
worn) front to rear, then the driveshaft is loaded. After a short
period of time, this overheats the oil in the angle gear, which causes
the angle gear to fail. This includes use of the spare tire. The
Haldex system can be (and is) programmed to ignore this kind of tire
size differential.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

NOTE: new address!!
Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)