I just purchased a 2001 Volvo V70 wagon, front wheel drive, for my wife. The car seems to be in perfect shape, except for a vibration problem. Whenever I am driving over 25 mph there is a vibration whenever you are pressing the gas pedal, let off the gas and it goes away. It is noticably increased when there is increased weight in the car, like the wife and kids. Also, it seems to decrease when turning right, increase when turning left at speeds above 25 mph. This leads me to beleive it may be something on the front passenger side. Any ideas?
Did You Buy From An Individual Or A Dealer ?
I’m just wondering if it’s always done this or has been for a long time. Were you able to find out ? It may not have bothered a previous owner enough to do anything about it.
I’m not sure the circumstances (accelerting above 25mph, etcetera ?), but Volvo does include some V-70 (and S60 & S80) vehicles from the 2001 model-year in a Technical Service Bulletin written for their technicians. “Resonance and vibration may be transmitted into the body of the vehicle from the catalytic converter and exhaust system.”
The fix is installation of a new-fangled Volvo converter mounting bracket.
Does this sound, I mean feel like it could be it ? I’ll bet a Volvo dealer could tell. Also, they should be able to tell if your vehicle is specifically one addressed in the TSB and could maybe inspect the car to see if any modification has been done or needs to be done and give you a price for parts/labor.
CSA
Much of the time vibration that is associated with acceleration is from a bad inner CV joint and/or an engine mount issue (loose, broken, worn). The more weight part even makes sense since more torque would be put on the halfshafts.
The exhaust issue is worth a look but I’d be surprised if this was something that is distinctively associated with acceleration.
Cigroller, You Could Be Right.
I was thinking the exhaust vibration made sense for the reason you cite. More weight, more torque required, more engine “roll”, exacerbating the exhaust clearance problem and therefore the vibration.
CSA
Bad CV joint(s) is first thing to check. Motor mounts need to be checked, they frequently go bad on Volvo’s. Check you bank account balance next.
See if you can find a good independant Volvo knowledgeable mechanic. You will get the opportunity to give him some business. Volvo dealer charges for repairs are just ridiculously high.
Thanks for the info guys, I will check into the exhaust thing. I purchased the vehicle from an individual, not a dealer, and they had not been driving the vehiscle for months. I suspected a cv joint, but the boots looked ok so I wasnt sure. Luckily we have a good volvo/saab mechanic here in northeast ohio, but I’m not sure they’re much cheaper than the dealer. Either way, I only paid a grand for the car, so I won’t feel bad dumping some money into it.
I am having a similar problem. I have a 2000 Volvo V70 XC. The driveshaft has bee removed, so it is only front wheel drive. I have a severe vibration at 40mph and above. I’ve balanced the tires, replaced the drivers front strut, left and right wheel bearings (the old ones were in good shape) and both lower control arms. I hoped all this would fix the problem but as I took the car out for a test drive today - same/same. I am more than a little frustrated! I hear no noise from the CV joints, no clicks or ticks. The only thing that I did notice was that in a sharp (hard, slow) turn I notice something. It feels like the wheel is out of round - egg shaped. Other things: the vibration is worse turning in one direction vice the other. While installing the bearings, there was no noticeable issue with the joints. The boots aren’t torn, I didn’t notice any play but they weren’t stiff or tight either. One last thing, I haven’t had the car long, bought it used and cheap. It has over 260,000 miles on it with associated quirks, but nothing I can’t live with. Does it look like it could be the axles? I’m stumped!
You balanced the tires/wheels, but have you really checked the tires for radial and lateral run-out? A square tire can be balanced 
Your description sounds like possibly just a bad (defective) tire.
Not always, but often, tires go out of round with age (not so much miles). What is the DOT date on the tires’ sidewalls?
At any rate, I’d check the tires for run-out if that hasn’t been done, already.
CSA
EDIT addition: Have you moved the front wheels to the rear (rear to front) in order to see if the vibration moves with the wheels/tires?
Yeah, I rotated the tires too. I know it’s not the tires. I was driving this car about 50 miles per day to work and back. There were times that this would stop and other times when the car was driving smoothly and it would start up. As with the other car at the start of this post, it only happens when there is power on the drive train, I let off the gas and the car is as smooth as a calm pond.
BTW, thanks for the quick reply!