Volvo S60 Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,267 owner complaints and 40 safety recalls on file for the Volvo S60, across 26 model years (1999–2025). The 2001 model year has the most complaints (223). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
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Volvo S60 years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical S60 year: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2001 S60: 223 complaints, 8 recalls
- 2004 S60: 198 complaints, 5 recalls
- 2002 S60: 186 complaints, 8 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Volvo S60 problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 225 | 20 | 5 |
| Engine problems | 195 | 20 | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 152 | 9 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 127 | 12 | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 123 | 18 | 17 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 92 | 14 | 4 |
| Power Train | 86 | 16 | 4 |
| Air Bags | 72 | 17 | 25 |
| Tires | 61 | 14 | 2 |
| Structure | 48 | 14 | 5 |
| Steering | 45 | 18 | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 42 | 17 | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 38 | 11 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 33 | 13 | 3 |
| Seats | 30 | 8 | 0 |
| Wheels | 27 | 15 | 2 |
| Fuel System, Other | 22 | 5 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 21 | 10 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 20 | 9 | 0 |
| Suspension | 19 | 7 | 1 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 18 | 7 | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| Visibility | 17 | 11 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 14 | 8 | 2 |
| Equipment | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| Child Seat | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Volvo S60 problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2012: engine (61)
- 2004: engine and engine cooling (63)
- 2003: electrical system (54)
- 2001: fuel system, gasoline (68)
All Volvo S60 model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 S60 | 0 | 2 | — | — | |
| 2024 S60 | 22 | 3 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2023 S60 | 3 | 6 | — | Back Over Prevention | |
| 2022 S60 | 15 | 4 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 S60 | 8 | 3 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2020 S60 | 11 | 4 | — | Service Brakes | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 S60 | 25 | 4 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2018 S60 | 4 | 1 | 5★ | Electrical System | |
| 2017 S60 | 17 | 5 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 S60 | 25 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2015 S60 | 58 | 2 | 5★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 S60 | 25 | 3 | 5★ | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2013 S60 | 87 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 S60 | 121 | 8 | 5★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2011 S60 | 5 | 6 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | |
| 2009 S60 | 7 | 3 | — | Air Bags | |
| 2008 S60 | 10 | 2 | — | Vehicle Speed Control | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2007 S60 | 21 | 2 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2006 S60 | 31 | 3 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2005 S60 | 44 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 S60 | 198 | 5 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2003 S60 | 120 | 6 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 S60 | 186 | 8 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 S60 | 223 | 8 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 S60 | 1 | 0 | — | Steering | |
| 1999 S60 | 0 | 0 | — | — |
More from Volvo: all Volvo models · Volvo VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Volvo S60 years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2001 (223), 2002 (186), 2003 (120), 2004 (198), 2005 (44), 2012 (121), 2013 (87), 2015 (58) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical S60 year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Volvo S60?
Electrical System, with 225 complaints across 20 model years.
How many recalls does the Volvo S60 have?
40 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.