If you are new to these Volvos, here is a quick bullet list of issues specific to this car that can cause some damages.
Before dis/reconnect battery, read this. Your climate control can get damaged if not following a precise sequence. This seems to be reasonable frequent as I get emails from people here and there.
Flush or do the simpler drain+fill (exchange 1/2) your automatic transmission fluid every 30k (not in Volvo's maint schedule). This is the weak point on this car. Read this.
Don't put ATF in your power steering system as indicated in your owner's manual. Pre 2005 owner's manuals are wrong. It is a synthetic hydraulic fluid. Read this.
Before you have a non Volvo specialist service your transmission. Read this.
Before topping off or replacing coolant. Read this.
Even experienced DIYer make this mistake often when doing brakes *cough cough*. I see it quite often. Read this.
Hopefully, these few quick items specific to this vehicle help you to avoid damaging your car. Otherwise, have a nice look and see what are some of the other common problems I've encountered.
Its been a few year since we've owned our 2 P2 generation (01-07 V70/XC70, 01-09 S60) Volvo wagons. But I read many people still consult this site. Thus, going to try to go through it to update all contents and make sure no dead links haha.
Our first wagon wagon was a 2001 V70 T5 which was purchased at 46k miles in 2003. We sold it in 4/2012 after 9 years at 133k miles. Our other one is a 2001 XC70 also purchased used at 2005 with 52k miles. It was sold on 4/2014 at 123k miles. We have moved onto higher gas mileage vehicles. Now we no longer own any Volvos. I have helped maintain a friend's daughter's 2002 V70XC for a few years but that is now also sold. Also a friend's 93 850 that is also now sold. And fixed up a 2000 V70XC for a single mom in 2015. Friend's 2002 V70 before moving onto a 2009 XC90 V8.
I have done much of the debugging and maintenance on the 2 wagons I owned. This site is to capture the common problems I've encountered and tips I found from various sources on the internet. So take a look on the topics and see what maybe of interest to you :)
Still very much involved with Volvos these days. Still participate on volvoxc's XC70 (V70XC) forum and seems to find Volvos to checkout on craigslist periodically. Still own my Volvo diagnostic setup (VIDA/DiCE).
Definitely review the "READ THIS FIRST..." section at the top of this page to quickly familiarize yourself with a couple of weak points on this car.
Maybe us Volvo owners end up buying similar cars. Here are my other cars and I'm also doing all maintenance on them (Haven't visited a shop in years other than warranty covered repairs haha) If you have questions on a similar vehicle, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll tell you what I've done, tools to get, and which forums to hang out at.
Gen2 and Gen3 Prius
Flush brakes
ATF, Coolant, Belt, Engine/Cabin Air filter
Cleaning the Gen3's very complex EGR system
2013 Tesla Model S (low maintenance until 8 year unlimited mile warranty honeymoon is over)
cabin air filter + wiper blades. Still waiting for factory diag tool (tech told me its ethernet! figures from silicon valley haha)
(notes 2020) 7 years on, problem areas are creeping up
17" screen. Built-in NAND flash worn due to over zealous software logging.
Need to upgrade to LTE. 3G cellular about to be obsoleted.
Drive unit uses coolant to cool electric motor rotor through a shaft. 10k RPM at 100mph. No seal can keep coolant out. Coolant leak collateral damage including damaging motor windings, shorting the high voltage inverter, trashing the $400/each ceramic non conductive ball bearings. Tesla replacement $6k-$11k. Gory details https://sites.google.com/view/teslaldu
Battery pack has multiple failure sources. $25k replacement when a single (1/7000) internal battery cells fail. Poor longevity with battery sub module repairs. $5k for failed contactors
VW MK4 (1.8T and 2.0 engine 01m transmission). European car so lots went wrong and therefore I know a lot haha. I did the following on this car
Cam Chain Tensioner
Starter
Torque Converter + Seal (had to pull tranny)
Sunroof drain
Alternator
Struts and shocks
Valve body harness
TCM replacement
Have done most typical maintenance items (all filter and fluid changes, plugs, coils etc)
Gen1 Prius
did a steering rack replacement on this thing
resolve a catalytic convert inefficiency (code P0420) by extending downstream O2
Audi B7 (2.0T FSI)
PVC boost circuit embedded in plastic valve cover. Cracked and sucks in a bunch of oil.
Rear cam chain, Cam fuel injection follower
Audi B8 (2.0T)
Common rapid oil consumption ~100k miles from clogged oil ring drain holes
2006 Toyota Corolla
Gen4 Chrysler Town and Country/Caravan
SRS light
EVAP leak
Valve cover leak
Tranny relearn after ATF. Some poor shifts after simple ATF change
2000 V70XC
Jammed lock steering wheel
2003 Honda Odyssey (front calipers)
2008 Camry Hybrid
2004 Honda Accord / Element
Leaky door vapor barrier (common)
Valve adjustment
2007 Honda Civic
06-07 had some issues with cracked engine blocks. Yikes.
2009 Toyota Corolla
2003 Mercedes E320
ATF flush
PCV reseal
water pump
Transmission mount
Control arm
Parasitic drain (dead siren unit)
Gen1 CRV
valve adjust
ATF
Tranny solenoid cleaning
Motor mount
Rear diff fluid
Jammed door lock
Burnt out D shift light
Toyota = Mini VCI + Techstream
VW = VCDS Lite