Volvo AWD S70 Forum

I own a '99 S70 AWD with 123k miles, and was just wondering what is the

reliability like for this model/year all-wheel-drive system???

ive heard some horror stories about all-wheel-drive systems on S70's going south!

PLEASE HELP

I also have a 99 S70 AWD. Purchased this car about a year ago with 120K on it. At about 138K I noticed a rather abrupt jerking feeling when I turned the steering wheel hard to the left or right (thought the whole drive train was locking up). Long story short, there is a component that connects the rear drive shaft to the rear differential called a Viscosity Coupling (VC). This is a mechanical unit filled with friction disks and silicone that senses when the front differential is loosing traction and redirects torque to the rear differential. Overall a pretty reliable AWD system - but when there are problems they get expensive. A replacement VC runs about $1,600 from the dealer plus three hours labor to install. I have not found anyone that can refurbish or rebuild one.

The good news is most on this board agree that no serious harm is done if you just keep driving the car. Others have recommended removing the rear drive shaft altogether and just convert over to FWD....

I am now at 148K and it is annoying but no big deal. car drives great with this one exception and feels good on the road.. Plan to drive it till it dies...

PS . This board is a great resource and can help with almost anything that comes up...

Oliver
Over a million Volvo miles and still smiling :-)

thats good to hear.

mine has no issues like that whatsoever, (knock on wood!)

When was the last time you flushed the tranny or the bevel gear oil? If you like to play in the snow and ice by sliding your car around until it hits clear pavement, beware, the gears do not like sudden torque.

Klaus
--
Common sense trumps a PhD

i do have the tranny fluid done ever 30k but i have never heard of the bevel gear.

what does that do? and when should i have the bevel gear fluid done??

The bevel gear is the transfer case, using 4wd lingo. It sits directly behind the tranny and connects the propeller shaft to the FWD. The fluid should be flushed as often as the tranny. It is not tranny fluid.

Klaus
--
Common sense trumps a PhD

ok thank you. i dont think i have ever changed that, but nothing has happend abnormally yet with driving.

any major consequences, if i havet changed the bevel fluid this far, that could happen if they havent happend already?

The gear oil gets old and burned, loosing its effectiveness. It is purely mechanical, but when it fails it will overheat and boil over. Volvo shops are now familiar with drilling out one of the bolt holes to make a drain.

Klaus
--
Common sense trumps a PhD

ok im going to look into this asap!

thank you!