2002 Volvo S60 Problems: Fuel system (177 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2002 Volvo S60 is Fuel system (37% of 177 owner reports). There are 9 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Fuel system — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 177 complaints · 9 recalls
What problems show up on the 2002 Volvo S60?
65 of 177 filings named Fuel system (37% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Electrical (22 reports).
There are 9 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Brakes, Fuel system, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2001 has 219 reports on file; this year has 177. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Fuel system 65 complaints · 36.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 3
- Fires 3
- Injuries 6
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 65 | 36.7% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 22 | 12.4% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 15 | 8.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 12 | 6.8% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 11 | 6.2% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Tires (TIRES) | 9 | 5.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 8 | 4.5% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 5 | 2.8% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 4 | 2.3% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 88 | 49.7% | 1 crashes · 2 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 03V284000 was reported 466 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 03V305000 was reported 486 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 07V152000 was reported 604 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 09V483000 was reported 1,592 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 10V566000 was reported 3,122 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 20V681000 was reported 3,464 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V766000 was reported 3,794 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2003-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2003-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2003-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2003-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2004-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2004-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2004-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2004-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2005-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2005-Q3 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2005-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2006-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2006-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2006-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2006-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2007-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2007-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2007-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2008-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2008-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2008-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2008-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2009-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2009-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2009-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2009-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2010-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2010-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2010-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2011-Q1 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2011-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2011-Q3 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2011-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2012-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2013-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2013-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 03V284000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 03V305000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 06V441000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 07E023000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 07V152000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 09V483000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 10V566000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V681000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V766000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE05041 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA05021 |
Safety Recalls (9)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Brakes, Fuel system, and Airbags.
-
Recall campaign 03V284000
Safety recall 03V284000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
- Remedy:
- OWNERS WILL RECEIVE A LETTER/PACKAGE CONSISTING OF THE SECOND ISOFIX GUIDE WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, AND IN CERTAIN CASES, THE CORRECTED OWNER'S MANUAL MAY BE PROVIDED. IF THE OWNER WANTS TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLE TO A VOLVO DEALER FOR INSTALLATION OF THE GUIDE, IT WILL BE PERFORMED AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 19, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
-
Recall campaign 03V305000
Safety recall 03V305000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
- Remedy:
- OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECTED LABEL. IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES, A DEALER CAN INSTALL THE LABEL FOR THEM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 8, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
-
Recall campaign 06V441000
Safety recall 06V441000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES GOING INTO THE LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CURRENT SOFTWARE UPGRADE ONTO THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
-
Recall campaign 07E023000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN RESULT IN POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
- Remedy:
- CARDONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE ANY DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDERS. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING APRIL 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT CARDONE AT 1-800-777-4780.
-
Recall campaign 07V152000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 10, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
-
Recall campaign 09V483000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- IF THE CONDITION OCCURS VEHICLE OWNERS MAY NOTICE FUEL SMELL AND/OR FUEL LEAK WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
- Remedy:
- DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE, AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP WITH A PART OF A MODIFIED DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
-
Recall campaign 10V566000
Safety recall 10V566000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
- Remedy:
- VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW BATTERY AND A SPACER WILL BE INSERTED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY NEXT TO THE PCB. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN AT 866-957-1981 OR VISIT GARMIN'S WEBSITE AT WWW.GARMIN.COM/NUVIBATTERYPCBRECALL.
-
Recall campaign 20V681000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- Metal fragments can strike vehicle occupants increasing the risk of serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side air bag module, free of charge. The recall began April 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10058.
-
Recall campaign 21V766000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10125.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 10 of 177 complaints · page 1 of 8
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Message board throttle body position sensor controls the speed of the car is having issues having a problem accelerating
CrashFireInjuryDeath
InJanuary 3, 2021, I received a recall for the front driver airbag but replacement parts were not available. OnApril 19, 2021I received a letter the parts were available were and for me to contact a Volvo dealer to replace the front driver's airbag.free of charge. I called Volvo Cars to let me know the dealers in Nashville. They recommended Volvo of Cool Springs. I finally got an appointment on November 16,, and had my car towed to this dealer. I picked it up on November 9, with a receipt the front driver airbag Module had been installed. Aftera few days I noticed my SRS was showing"airbag Service Urgent".I resetthe SRS but the message is still showing. I called Volvo Cars and they agreed to tow the car to Volvo of Coolsprings to check the airbag. I picked my car up the clerk tried to explain the problem was with a failed DIM control module/display. The charge would be over $2000. so the receipt showed "customer declined recommendations. My SRS was working fine until they supposedly replaced the airbag. My mechanic looked it over and the airbag is not connected. Volvo refused to pay another dealer to check the airbag. However, Volvo offered to tow my car to Volvo of Nashville on Murfreesboro road , not the orignal dealer. I refused unless they took care of the charges. I now have an a front driver airbag that is not connected. I would have to pay a dealer to find out if the airbag had been replaced. i have been driving without the recall airbag. I am filing this complaint in case of accident and to let you know the airbag recall has not been corrected. You can never talk to a mechanic at Volvo of Cool Springs. I called numerous times and left messages for the mechanic or manager to return my call.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
2002 VOLVO S60. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NHTSA SAFETY RECALL 21V-766. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE NO VOLVO DEALERSHIPS WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE NECESSARY PARTS SENT TO A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE SHOP.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2002 Volvo S60. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V766000 (Air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AIR BAG THROW SHARDS OF METAL BUT VOLVO SAY I SHOULDN'T DRIVE IT BUT WON'T GIVE LOANER CAR, THEY WON'T HELP US AT ALL WITH THE SITUATION
CrashFireInjuryDeath
BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON ITS OWN IN THE GARAGE
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT SMELLED A FUEL ODOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 134,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL [XXX]. FOR MY SSN NUMBER, DRIVER LICENSE NUMBER CALL ME FOR THAT INFORMATION I DON'T LIKE TO PUT IT ON WEBSITE SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN GET IT BUT HERE'S MY VIN [XXX] EMAIL IS [XXX] THE WHOLE DASHBOARD MY LIGHTS WON'T COME ON THE KEY WONT COME OUT I HAVE TO WAIT 5 OR 10 MIN TO WAIT FOR IT TO COME OUT IT SMELL LIKE GAS SOMETIMES THE KEYLESS WONT WORK I CHANGE THE THANG IN THE BACK FIVE TIMES IN ONE MONTH THE GEAR SOMETIME DON'T WORK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SERVICE LIGHTS SCROLL IN SPORADIC MOTION FLIPPING THROUGH CONSTANT ALERTS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AIR BAG LIGHT, CONSTANT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS GOING ON, FUEL DOOR WONT OPEN, BOTH FRONT SEATS HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, OBVIOUS BURN THRU ON PASSENGER SIDE INDICATES ITS BEEN OVERHEATED AND DANGEROUS. EVERYTIME I'VE TAKEN IT IN THE SHOP THEY SAY THERE ARE NO RECALLS - YET PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS OVER FIRES WITH SEATS. CAN'T USED HEATED SEATS AT ALL. ENGINE SEEMS TO REMAIN INCONSISTENT IN SPEED, DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO COMPLETELY OUT AND THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES AFFECT BACK BRAKE LIGHTS. THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES BOUNCE IN CYCLES TO WHERE NO ONE CAN DETECT THE PROBLEMS. CHECK ENGINE LINE CONTINUES TO HAVE TO BE RESET AND SERVICE LIGHTS CONTINUALLY SEND SCROLLED WARNING TO PULL OVER. ALREADY HAD VEHICLE TOWED AND CAN'T TRUST VEHICLE WILL START. ALWAYS A WIRING ISSUE INVOLVED. THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW AGAIN. 3/16/18 (SAME ISSUES)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
FUEL LEAK FIRE HAZARD WON'T PASS INSPECTION. GAS SMELL. CAR LEAKING WHILE PARKED.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2002 Volvo S60?
Owners named Fuel system most often — 65 of 177 reports (37%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2002 Volvo S60?
NHTSA lists 9 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Brakes, Fuel system, and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2002 Volvo S60?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.