2012 Volvo S60 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jun 23, 2026 · 121 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other S60 years
Far more complaints than other years 4th of 26 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
5 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 121 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Volvo S60. That ranks 4th out of 26 S60 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (61 complaints, 50%), typically at around 85,250 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 13 injuries. There are 8 safety recalls covering this model year.

Volvo S60
Volvo S60 (3rd generation). Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Benespit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2012 Volvo S60 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine61 · ~85,250 mi
Electrical System17 · ~66,000 mi
Unknown or Other15 · ~75,000 mi
Seat Belts9 · ~71,430 mi
Steering8 · ~21,700 mi
Fuel/propulsion System7 · ~78,150 mi
Structure7 · ~71,430 mi
Air Bags6 · ~22,000 mi
Vehicle Speed Control6 · ~7,000 mi
Service Brakes5 · ~9,499 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine problems6150%85,250“oil pressure” (31%)$1,100
Electrical System1714%66,000——
Unknown or Other1512%75,000——
Seat Belts97%71,430——
Steering87%21,700——
Fuel/propulsion System76%78,150——
Structure76%71,430——
Air Bags65%22,000——
Vehicle Speed Control65%7,000——
Service Brakes54%9,499——
Power Train43%57,393——
Exterior Lighting32%———
Latches/locks/linkages32%150,000——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)22%47,593——
Forward Collision Avoidance22%126,436——
Visibility22%———
Visibility/wiper22%126,436——
Back Over Prevention11%———
Engine and Engine Cooling11%137,000——
Equipment11%41,000——
Equipment Adaptive/mobility11%5——
Fuel System, Gasoline11%79,000——
Seats11%———
Service Brakes, Hydraulic11%5——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2021, with 16 complaints
2011: 1201112012: 442013: 5201352014: 552015: 7201572016: 11112017: 8201782018: 12122019: 122019122020: 14142021: 162021162022: 882023: 7202372024: 772025: 1202512026: 33

n = 121 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2012 Volvo S60 recalls (8)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Seat belts:frontJun 30, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V378000 · 308,260 vehicles

Problem: Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2008-2016 V70 and XC70, 2007-2016 S80, 2011-2018 S60 and V60, 2016-2018 S60 Cross Country, 2014-2020 S60L, 2009-2015 S80L, 2009-2016 XC60 and 2015-2018 V60 Cross Country vehicles. The flexible steel cable that connects the seat belt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue over time, causing the seat belt to not secure the occupant in the event of a crash.

Risk: An unsecured occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt anchor cable for both front seats. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10029.

Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latchNov 26, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V849000 · 144,937 vehicles

Problem: Volvo Car of USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2011-2017 S60, S60I, V60, S60CC and V60CC vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.

Risk: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.

Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89978.

Engine and engine cooling:engineNov 22, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V592000 · 30,929 vehicles

Problem: Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 S60 vehicles manufactured June 22, 2010, through May 14, 2012, and equipped with 5-cylinder B5254T5 (VIN code 62) engines. In the affected vehicles, the vehicle may not alert the driver of a low oil pressure situation.

Risk: Without being warned of a low oil pressure situation, the driver may continue to drive the vehicle until it stalls, which increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software so that the driver is alerted should there be a low oil pressure situation, free of charge. The recall began on January 10, 2014. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this campaign is R29436.

Structure:bodyMar 14, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V101000 · 2,742 vehicles

Problem: Volvo is recalling certain model year 2012 s60 and xc60 passenger vehicles. An incorrect mixture of underbody coating and over-application can result in rigid, icicle-like areas hanging from vehicleâ’s undercarriage.

Risk: If this condition exists, the underbody coating may penetrate the fuels lines and cause fuel leakage, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicle undercarriage, and if excessive underbody coating is found in the fuel line area, it will be removed. If the inspection reveals that the fuel lines are damaged, they will be replaced. The safety recall began on april 25, 2012. Owners may contact volvo customer care center at 1-800-458-1552.

Electrical system:wiringFeb 28, 2012 · NHTSA campaign 12V075000 · 32,552 vehicles

Problem: Volvo is recalling certain model year 2012 s60, xc60, s80 and xc70 vehicles manufactured from may 16, 2011, through october 6, 2011. In these vehicles, the wire harness under the front seats may have not been attached properly to the seat frame. As a result, when the seats are moved to adjust the seating position, the wire harness may get pulled, causing it to disconnect.

Risk: In the event of crash, the front and/or side impact air bags may deploy improperly or not at all, increasing the risk of injury. Also, the lap belt pretensioner may not deploy.

Fix: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, secure the seat wire harness. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on april 12, 2012. Owners may contact volvo cars at 1-800-458-1552.

Equipment:other:labelsOct 18, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V508000 · 20,611 vehicles

Problem: Volvo is recalling certain model year 2006-2012 c70 vehicles manufactured from november 15, 2005, through july 31, 2011, and model year 2011-2012 s60 vehicles manufactured from july 14, 2010, through april 16, 2011, that were equipped with optional accessory spare tire kit. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles do not contain the correct information for vehicles equipped with the optional accessory spare tire and wheel kit.

Risk: A misprinted label could lead to improper tire inflation which could result in a tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volvo will notify owners and dealers will inspect the vehicle and install the label as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on february 23, 2012. Owners may contact volvo at 1-201-768-7300.

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsJun 6, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V311000 · 448 vehicles

Problem: Volvo is recalling certain model year 2012 s60 passenger cars manufactured from january 18, 2011, through january 28, 2011. The male part of the fuel line quick connector end shape was produced with dimensions out of specification, leading to excessive assembly force on the female connector assembly and the possibility that the locking function may not be engaged.

Risk: If a vehicle exhibits this condition, the fuel line quick connector may detach and the engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. The customer may also notice a fuel smell and leakage. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.

Fix: Volvo dealers will replace the fuel lines free of charge. The safety recall began on june 24, 2011. Owners may contact volvo at 1-201-768-7300.

Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pumpJun 1, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V303000 · 8,179 vehicles

Problem: Volvo is recalling certain model year 2012 s60 passenger cars manufactured from november 18, 2010, through may 5, 2011. The software for the fuel pump units may not be compatible with all fuel pumps and components resulting in insufficient fuel transfer in the pump unit.

Risk: Under certain driving conditions, there may be engine hesitation and possible engine stall even though the fuel gauge indicates up to 1/4 of the fuel is left in the tank. This condition increases the risk of a vehicle crash.

Fix: Volvo will notify owners and dealers will upgrade the engine control module software, free of charge. The safety recall began on july 1, 2011. Owners may contact volvo at 1-201-768-7300.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Brakes , and vacuum booster, speed control I experienced a sudden acceleration phenomenon and reached speeds of 100+ mph I manipulated the brakes and the gas in order to safe my life I eventually got my speeds down but it was too late I was ejected from the vehicle and nearly died my brakes…

Vehicle Speed Control · received Jun 23, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11746049

The driver's side seat airbag system failed. Specifically, diagnostic trouble code SRS-B002011 was retrieved, indicating a circuit short to ground in the left side airbag deployment control system. The technician found a broken clip on the airbag connector housing, causing an intermittent…

Air Bags · received Jun 7, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11742523

I experienced an engine issue that I believe is related to excessive oil consumption and the lack of an oil pressure light warning. The car was driven out of town when a noise was heard coming from the engine. A visual inspection of the engine revealed smoke coming from the engine department when…

Engine · received Apr 22, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11732954

Engine has failed and is unrepairable. The car has been maintained well according to the manufacturer’s guidelines with regular oil changes. It has only 94,875 miles. The mechanic said that there is probably a piston gasket failure leading to oil leak into the engine. This appears to have been…

Engine · received Feb 22, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11644323

At temperatures around 90* and higher the rear camera flickers and is unusable. This happens without any warning and when vehicle attempting to reverse.

Back Over Prevention · received Aug 14, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11608588

Other Volvo S60 years

← 2011 S60 · 2013 S60 →

See all Volvo S60 problems by year, every Volvo model, or the Volvo VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Volvo S60?

Owners most often report engine, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 61 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2012 Volvo S60?

Yes, 8 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2012 Volvo S60 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other S60 model years, the 2012 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.