2019 Volvo S60 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2019 Volvo S60, 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
- Electrical518.5%
- Tires & wheels414.8%
- Driver assistance311.1%
- Visibility27.4%
- Interior & seats27.4%
- Powertrain (other)27.4%
- Exterior lighting27.4%
- Other / unspecified13.7%
- Brakes13.7%
- Engine13.7%
- Airbags13.7%
- Seat belts13.7%
- Steering13.7%
- Suspension13.7%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The DIM (Driver Instrument Module) flickers intermittently and I have no idea when it's going to go out completely. It actually does go out and there's a solid white panel or colored lines, but it comes back in. This displays the speedometer & fuel. This is a safety issue. I would hate for this to go completely out while I am driving. I do not know the cause for the malfunction. However, per the Volvo tech; they're aware this is a reoccurring issue.
On December 24, I was about a quarter mile into my drive when the car shut off. The dashboard went blank and I had to coast to a stop. I was unable to restart or use any parts of my car except for the emergency blinker. Nothing alerted me on my dashboard prior to this incident. I could not use the SOS alert button in the car. I had a half tank of gas. I had to wait in the 9 degreeF cold for 2 hours before it could be towed to the service center. My speed was approximately 25MPH on a local road and I don't know what would have happened if this occurred at any higher speed with more traffic. Prior to this on 11/15/22, I had another incident with this car. I could not open the doors with the key FOB and then I could not start the car. A battery jump was attempted by the tow service and it did not work. The car was towed to Hudson Valley Volvo service center where they completed software control module downloading, electrical equipment trouble shooting etc., for 3 days and I was able to drive it again. Unfortunately, I do not feel safe driving this car.
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
Have there been complaints about the Pirelli tires with foam inlays falling apart because the foam comes unattached, then causing misalignment. Car becomes unsafe to drive as the tires start to disintegrate. My car started shaking so bad it became difficult to drive. Turned out foam inlay had become unattached which caused uneven wear and some tire disintegration along with the alignment getting out of whack. Tire size 235/40R19 96V pirelli p-zero - It happened with all four tires. Two in the front were relatively new and had less than 10000 miles on them
Sudden, Extreme vibration of front tires on I-95 West Palm Beach FL. Drove immediately to Schumacher Volvo to keep initial service appointment. Service manager advised to replace all 4 tires due to previous experience with OEM Perelli tire failures on Volvo vehicles. Replaced all 4 tires at Costco at $1112+ cost. All photos show failure of foam/padding inside tires by Pirelli P Zero Run Flat. Tire size: 235/40/19 XL
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2019 Volvo S60. The contact stated while the vehicle was stopped with the auto brake feature on, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated. The contact pressed on the brakes and continued to his destination. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,695.
On Saturday, August 21, 2021, the automatic emergency braking engaged while we were travelling between 60-70 mph on I-95. There was no apparent reason for the braking because there was no vehicle or other obstacle to trigger the braking. After a few moments of hard braking the braking stopped and we proceeded normally.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The crimping on the A/C hose from the firewall to the compressor failed and leaked all the freon from the system. This is a design flaw, the mounting location causes excess vibration in the hose leading to the crimping failure. There are countless forum posts and other complaints filed by owners of the same vehicle for the exact same A/C hose. This should be a recall from Volvo. It is a major safety issue for customers like me who live in a humid environment, without A/C the windshield can fog over and hinder visibility. I contacted Volvo Customer Care for reimbursement and was denied as my car was not under warranty. My car only has 40,000 miles on it and this part shouldnt fail in this manner, especially at my low mileage. I have since purchased their extended warranty as this part will eventually fail again (from the design flaw in A/C system mounting location) and I don't want to pay the large repair costs again. The NHTSA should investigate this with all owners of this year/make/model and they will find Volvo needs to declare a recall and reimburse owners for the repair costs.
WHILE DRIVING ON A SUNNY DAY I KEPT BEING BLINDED BY CHROME / MIRROR FINISH ELEMENTS SURROUNDING THE STEERING WHEEL. IT WASN'T HAPPENING ONLY FOR A MOMENT, MY EYES HURT AFTER DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. THAT IS VERY DISTRACTING AND AFFECTS DRIVER'S VISION! TO HIDE MY EYES FROM THE BLINDING LIGHT, I HAD TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL TO VERY UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION (WHAT STILL DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM) OR PRETTY MUCH COVER FLASHING SPOTS WITH MY HANDS. THAT CREATES A HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS EVERYTIME WHEN THE SUN IS OUT. I AM ATTACHING A PICTURE, BUT IT DOESN'T SHOW HOW HARSH ARE THESE LIGHTS ON HUMAN EYE. THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPERIENCED. MAYBE IT WOULDN'T BE THAT MUCH OF A PROBLEM IF IT WAS RARE BUT IT HAPPENS CONTINUOUSLY WHEN THE SUN IS HIGHER ON THE SKY (AROUND NOON HOURS). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
Passenger seat was unbolted from floor during a service appointment and not secured when dealer returned vehicle to me. Passenger safety was at risk due to the seat rocking during acceleration and deceleration and in turns. The issue was confirmed by the dealer and has since been repaired. No warnings issued by vehicle. The dealer error occurred 10/16/24. It was corrected 10/17/24 after vehicle was returned to dealer. This was a result of dealer negligence.
ON 12-MAR-2021, I WAS SITTING IN MY 2019 VOLVO S60, AND IT WAS NOT RUNNING. I WAS USING THE CENTER DISPLAY TO LOOK AT THE PROFILE SETTINGS. THE CAR WAS SET TO THE PROFILE FOR 'GUEST'. I THEN PRESSED 'PROFILE 1' AND THE FRONT SEAT STARTED TO GO FORWARD AND THEN TILT DOWN, AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO TO STOP IT AS I APPROACHED THE STEERING WHEEL. FORTUNATELY IT STOPPED BEFORE I WAS INJURED, BUT I WONDERED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WAS A VERY BIG PERSON ' COULD THEY HAVE BEEN PINNED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL AND INJURED? I SENT A NOTE TO VOLVO, AND THEY RESPONDED THE SAME DAY (SAT 13-MAR-2021), AND THEIR REP STATED "THE OWNER'S MANUAL WOULD HAVE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SET A DRIVER'S PROFILE TO A SELECTED KEY FOB TO AVOID A SITUATION LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING FURTHER AT THIS TIME."
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Since purchase of my vehicle, the vehicle has had a vibration on the highway from 72-83mph with 2 different sets of wheels AND tires, both Pirelli tires but different models. My local Volvo dealer refused to address the issue due to the issue occurring over the speed limit. So they were no help. There are quite a few other 2019 and up Volvo S60 and XC90 owners that experience this same issue. The issue is felt through the bottom of the seats, backrest and steering wheel. You can also visually see the vibration if there is a bottle in the cup holder. The steering wheel "shakes" left to right.
Gear shifts into neutral randomly at low speeds after coming to a complete stop when auto-off on the engine is activated. This happens on the road when pulling out of an intersection and the gear shifter needs to be physically moved into neutral then drive to engage the transmission again. My dealership was unable to reproduce the problem. I took a video of it when it occurred. There have been no warning lights or indications on the dash when this happens.
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
2019 Volvo S60 headlamp system malfunction alert headlights/foglights to blink or turn off when turning the vehicle at night. I keep my headlights on auto so they are on during the day and I have only seen the error at night
Headlight Failure. Light flickers on and off intermittently and triggers " low beam headlamp malfunction" on dashboard. No vehicle accidents or other trauma to the affected headlight. Only remedy is to replace headlight at a cost of $3,400.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF LEASING THIS NEW CAR (< 250 MILES), BOTH LOW PROFILE OEM FRONT TIRES (235/40R-19 PIRELLI P ZERO ALL SEASON VOL VOLVO, KS, PNCS XL, PART NUMBER 3158400) WERE DAMAGED BY POTHOLES. I WAS TOLD BY ONE LOCAL TIRE SHOP THAT LOW PROFILE TIRES ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE. I HAVE NOT DAMAGED TIRES ON POTHOLES LIKE THIS BEFORE. VOLVO DOES NOT WARRANT THESE (UNLESS YOU PURCHASE THEIR EXPENSIVE ROAD HAZARD PACKAGE), AND PIRELLI'S WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE. THE NEW TIRES COST $536.34, AND THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL $25 PER TIRE FOR MOUNTING AND BALANCING.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Brake rotors warp prematurely, dealership fighting on covering for warranty. Only 10,000 miles and they're bad again. Second time in 10 months.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Engine Auto turn off never works. Advertised as feature of the car. Yet to see if active.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
After taking vehicle in for a service SRS airbag light and getting it fixed under warranty the same light has come back on.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
The passenger seat belt failed and will not retract. People riding in my car are not safe with the seatbelt hanging loose. I read this was a recall which included 2019 S60s but my specific VIN is not including for some reason.
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
Since purchase of my vehicle, the vehicle has had a vibration on the highway from 72-83mph with 2 different sets of wheels AND tires, both Pirelli tires but different models. My local Volvo dealer refused to address the issue due to the issue occurring over the speed limit. So they were no help. There are quite a few other 2019 and up Volvo S60 and XC90 owners that experience this same issue. The issue is felt through the bottom of the seats, backrest and steering wheel. You can also visually see the vibration if there is a bottle in the cup holder. The steering wheel "shakes" left to right.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
Since purchase of my vehicle, the vehicle has had a vibration on the highway from 72-83mph with 2 different sets of wheels AND tires, both Pirelli tires but different models. My local Volvo dealer refused to address the issue due to the issue occurring over the speed limit. So they were no help. There are quite a few other 2019 and up Volvo S60 and XC90 owners that experience this same issue. The issue is felt through the bottom of the seats, backrest and steering wheel. You can also visually see the vibration if there is a bottle in the cup holder. The steering wheel "shakes" left to right.
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .