RoadVitals

2009 Volvo C30 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
6
Latest Feb 11, 2025
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
4
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 Volvo C30, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Powertrain (other)240.0%
  • Exterior lighting120.0%
  • Steering120.0%
  • Tires & wheels120.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2009 Volvo C30. The contact stated while attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter shifted out of gear independently. No dealer or independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.

NHTSA ID 11641916 · filed Feb 11, 2025

The clutch gets stuck on depressing intermittently. I was not able to shift the gear in the middle of the highway at around 80 miles an hour and this was a fatal encounter for me. It could have killed me as well as was a hazard for other cot ravellers around me. This problem reproduces its multiple times but at unpredictable moments. It is difficult to replicate the problem when showing it to the service centre however, Volvo issued a recall for faulty clutch master and slave cylinders in the UK but not in USA. There are absolutely no leaks or problems as the clutch is new.

NHTSA ID 11537208 · filed Aug 8, 2023

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY CRACKING. TWO PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES (ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT) HAVE CRACKED WITH THREE MONTHS WITHOUT SIGN OF EXTERNAL IMPACT. CRACKING IN BOTH ASSEMBLIES HAS BEEN IDENTICAL. A THIRD ASSEMBLY WILL BE INSTALLED THIS WEDNESDAY. CRACKING IS SUBSTANTIAL AND POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID 10359987 · filed Oct 11, 2010

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TURN ENGINE ON AND STARTED TO GET OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE AND SUDDENLY NOTICED HESITATION OF MY WHEEL TO TURN LEFT>RIGHT. I CHECKED MY POWER STEERING RESERVOIR AND I CANNOT SEE POWER STEERING FLUID. I CALLED VOLVO AND THEY SAID MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I HAVE LOW MILEAGE AND THEY JUST DID A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE PAST SUMMER. *TR

NHTSA ID 10630757 · filed Sep 4, 2014

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT VIBRATIONS WHILE DRIVING. I HAD THE CAR INSPECTED AT AN INDEPENDENT TIRE SHOP WHO FOUND TWO OUT OF FOUR TIRES (ONE FRONT, ONE REAR) WERE OUT-OF-ROUND BECAUSE OF TREAD SEPARATION OR BELT SLIPPING. I BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT THIS WAS RELATED TO VIBRATIONS THAT I EXPERIENCED EARLY AFTER BUYING THE CAR USED WITH NEW CONTINENTAL DWS TIRES INSTALLED, FROM A VOLVO DEALER, JUST OVER TWO YEARS AGO. THEN I HAD ASSUMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A SLIGHT IMBALANCE OR POOR WHEEL MOUNTING. I HAD THE CAR INSPECTED AT A CONTINENTAL TIRE DEALER TO INITIATE A WARRANTY CLAIM, BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE POSSIBLY UNSAFE TO USE AFTER 2 YEARS AND 18000 MILES (WELL WITHIN THE 6 YEAR WORKMANSHIP, AND 50000 MILE TREADWEAR WARRANTY). THEY FOUND UNEVEN CAMBER WEAR AND CUPPING, BUT NO TREAD SEPARATION, AND THE CARS SUSPENSION AND ALIGNMENT CHECKED OUT. CONTINENTAL REFUSED TO HONOR THE DEFECT IN WORKMANSHIP WARRANTY CLAIMING THAT I HAD NOT MAINTAINED THE TIRES BECAUSE I HAD FOLLOWED THE CARS MANUFACTURES SERVICE RECOMMENDATION OF NOT ROTATING TIRES (SACRIFICING TREADWEAR FOR IMPROVED HANDLING). I RECONTACTED CONTINENTAL WHEN THE LEVEL OF THE VIBRATIONS AND THUMPING NOISES SUBSIDED AGAIN BECAUSE AN INTERMITTENT VIBRATION COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED BY CUPPING AND CAMBER WEAR BECAUSE THEY ARE PERMANENT, THUS SUPPORTING THE INDEPENDENT SHOPS CLAIM THAT THERE IS AN INTERNAL DEFECT IN THE TIRE ALLOWING THE BELTS TO SHIFT. CONTINENTAL HAS DISMISSED THIS AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE AND IS SEEMINGLY IGNORING THE FACT THAT THESE TIRES COULD HAVE A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT.

NHTSA ID 10824054 · filed Feb 3, 2016

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .