Used car guide

2009 Volvo C70: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 Volvo C70s, from 735 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

735MOT tests in 2025
56%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
5,800typical miles a year
3.5×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 Volvo C70s than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints3.5× usual
    Volvo C70
    18.4% All 2009 cars
    5.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 10.7%, against 2.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Individual direction indicators2.2× usual
    Volvo C70
    6.4% All 2009 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.4%, against 1.2% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

By area

The share of 2009 Volvo C70 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    47% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Tyres
    40% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    35% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Brakes
    29% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    18% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    9% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2010668Tyres 38%
2008891Suspension 45%
20071,017Suspension 46%
2006866Suspension 46%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 Volvo C70s registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score