2005 Volvo S60 Problems and Recalls (41 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2005 Volvo S60 is Engine (20% of 41 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 41 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2005 Volvo S60?

8 of 41 filings named Engine (20% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Fuel system (8 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Brakes and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2004 has 194 reports on file; this year has 41. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2005 Volvo S60

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 8 complaints · 19.5% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 0
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 0
  • Deaths 0
All Volvo S60 years →
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.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 8 of 41 owner complaints (19.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 8 complaints, 19.5% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 8 · 19.5% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 8 complaints, 19.5% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 8 · 19.5% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 7.3% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 · 7.3% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 3 complaints, 7.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 3 · 7.3% Steering (STEERING): 2 complaints, 4.9% of reports Steering (STEERING) 2 · 4.9% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 2 complaints, 4.9% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 2 · 4.9% Tires (TIRES): 2 complaints, 4.9% of reports Tires (TIRES) 2 · 4.9% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 1 complaints, 2.4% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 · 2.4% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 1 complaints, 2.4% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 · 2.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 21 complaints, 51.2% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 21 · 51.2% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“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)
Engine (ENGINE) 8 19.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 8 19.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 7.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 3 7.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 2 4.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 2 4.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Tires (TIRES) 2 4.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 2.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 2.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 21 51.2% 0 crashes · 0 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.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2005; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 2006. 2005-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2006-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 2005 Oct 2021 Recall campaign 06V375000 ◆ Recall campaign 06V375000 Recall campaign 07E023000 ◆ Recall campaign 07E023000 Recall campaign 10V566000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V566000 Recall campaign 21V766000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V766000
  • Campaign 06V375000 was reported 463 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 07E023000 was reported 506 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 10V566000 was reported 1,960 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V766000 was reported 1,952 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2005-Q2 Owner reports 1
2005-Q3 Owner reports 7
2005-Q4 Owner reports 4
2006-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q2 Owner reports 1
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 2
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q1 Owner reports 1
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2011-Q4 Owner reports 3
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 2
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2016-Q1 Owner reports 2
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 06V375000
Recall campaign 1 07E023000
Recall campaign 1 10V566000
Recall campaign 1 21V766000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

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 and Airbags.

  1. Recall campaign 06V375000

    Safety recall 06V375000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    A MISPRINTED LABEL WOULD LEAD TO IMPROPER VEHICLE LOADING SPECIFICATIONS OR TIRE INFLATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN A TIRE FAILURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL MAIL THE CORRECT LABELS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. 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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. 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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. 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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints 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.

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
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 41 complaints · page 1 of 2
2021-11-09Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11439950
CrashFireInjuryDeath
While I was driving I felt very hot under my buttock than I heard it pop and burst, I pulled over to check, oh my got (OMG) thanks God I'm safe! There was a burn on my car seat!
2019-08-17POWER TRAIN
NHTSA ODI 11244571
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ANGLE/COLLAR GEAR/SLEEVE, HALDEX AWD. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AWD VOLVOS HAVE THIS ISSUE YET VOLVO HAS NEVER TAKEN ACTION OR RECALLED PART. THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY ISSUES THOUSANDS OF VOLVO'S HAVE. BUT THE AWD SYSTEM NON FUNCTIONING DUE TO STRIPPED TEETH CAUSED BY RUST BECAUSE OF INADEQUATE GREASE/LUBE ETC. ON THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES RANGING FROM THEIR SMALL SEDANS TO SUV'S SHOULD BE SOMETHING. THEY HAVE EVEN UPDATED THE ANGLE GEAR/COLLAR SLEEVE WITH ONE THAT HAS "HARDENED" TEETH, BUT NO RECALL ON A PART OF THE VEHICLE THAT IS SUPPOSE TO ALWAYS FUNCTION. A LOT WERE LUCKY ENOUGH IT HAPPENED WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. BUT GETTING STUCK/STRANDED IN SNOW BECAUSE YOUR VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 WHEEL DRIVE WHEN ITS SUPPOSE TO BE AWD. I DID NOT FIND OUT MY AWD DID NOT WORK UNTIL I HAD GOTTEN STUCK IN THE SNOW. TURNS OUT HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAD TO FIND OUT THIS SAME WAY. I BELIEVE VOLVO HAS JUST BEEN LUCKY NO ONE HAS DIED YET DUE TO FAILED AWD SYSTEM. I AM NOT CERTAIN ABOUT WHAT CONDITIONS NEED TO BE MET BEFORE A RECALL IS DONE. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH VOLVO'S. I AM NOT SURE ON THE EXACT DATE MY AWD SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE DRIVING ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN SNOW, OR ICE YOU CANNOT TELL. BUT A SIMPLE SEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE STARTING EARLY AS 2000'S TO MOST RECENT AS 2019 HAVING SAME ISSUES, SOME MORE THAN ONCE, AND A FEW COMING UP WITH THEIR OWN WAY OF FIXING VOLVOS ISSUE. BUT PHOTOS CAN BE FOUND ALL OVER THE WEB. ALSO VOLVO SELLS THESE ADVERTISED AS AWD WHEN IN FACT IT IS FWD ALL TIME, UNTIL FRONT TIRES LOSE TRACTION WHICH ONLY THEN DO THE REAR WHEELS ENGAGE. YET CAN BREAK OR MALFUNCTION EVEN THOUGH THEY ONLY EVER COME ON 20-30% OF THE VEHICLES TOTAL MILES DRIVEN. NOT SURE OF AWD DEFINITION BUT I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT STOOD FOR ALL WHEEL DRIVE, NOT FRONT WHEEL DRIVE; ALL WHEEL DRIVE WHEN FRONT WHEELS LOSE TRACTION.
2017-09-13SEAT BELTS
NHTSA ODI 11023384
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY SEAT BELT GOT STUCK IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE . NOW I'M GETTING A SERVICE MESSAGE ABOUT THE SRS SERVICE URGENT I DON'T KNOW WHY IT GOT STUCK BUT IT DID I CAN'T GET IT OUT OF SEAT BELT CLIP .
2016-07-23Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10887911
CrashFireInjuryDeath
APPLIED BRAKE, ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE SEVERAL TIMES RAPIDLY BEFORE THE ENGINE DECELERATED. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
2016-05-27Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10871227
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SRS AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED TEN MONTHS AGO. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 215,077. UPDATED 08/10/16*LJ *CN
2016-03-09Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10845677
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, BUT THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000.
2016-02-01Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10823609
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TRANSMISSION HAS HARD ERATIC SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND. THEN SECOND TO THIRD GEAR WITH OVER REVING BEFORE ENGAGING INTO GEAR. DRIVING AROUND CORNERS TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY SLIPS OUT OF GEAR, OVER REVS AND THEN LUNGES FORWARD VERY HARD. VERY UNSAFE FOR THE SAFEST BRAND OF CAR ON THE MARKET. RECALL?
2015-04-27Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10713001
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TWICE NOW OVER A TEN DAY PERIOD FIRST WHEN REDUCING SPEED TO A STOP OR THEN AGAIN AT A SPEED OF LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE CAR DIED...FIRST THE ENGINE DIED THEN ALL ELSE DIED. THE CAR WENT DEAD. I STILL HAD MY STEERING AND SLOWLY ROLLED TO THE CURBED THEN AS I GENTLY PUT ON THE BRAKES THE CAR JERKED TO A HALT. DURING THE SECOND INCIDENT THE CAR STILL JERKED AFTER I HAD STOPPED. A LOUD SOUND OF A FAN FROM THE ENGINE COULD BE HEARD. THE FAN STOPPED AFTER 10 TO 15 SECONDS. AFTER A MINUTE I RESTARTED THE CAR AND MADE IT HOME BOTH TIMES. *TR

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2005 Volvo S60?

Owners named Engine most often — 8 of 41 reports (20%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2005 Volvo S60?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Brakes 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 2005 Volvo S60?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. 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.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints 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.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources