2020 Volvo XC60 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 2020 Volvo XC60, 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
- Electrical730.4%
- Brakes417.4%
- Visibility28.7%
- Driver assistance28.7%
- Engine28.7%
- Other / unspecified28.7%
- Airbags14.3%
- Powertrain (other)14.3%
- Body & structure14.3%
- Tires & wheels14.3%
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
Recall identified over a year ago during Q1 2025. Manufacturer and dealer have failed to provide appropriate updates for the repair, and no ETA has been given for repair. The only direction received from manufacturer and dealer was to not plug in the vehicle until the recall is completed. So as it stands, I paid for a plug in hybrid vehicle I haven’t been able to plug it in for over a year as it has a flawed hybrid system that apparently can’t be repaired.
The seal on my 2020 Volvo XC60 moonroof allowed water to leak under the floorboards. My car is only 6 years old. We had a lot of rain over a short period and I noticed the sound of water sloshing around under the floor. Nothing was wet inside the car. My Check Engine light came on as well. I took it to the Volvo service dept. They are now saying wires are corroded and that it will cost me over $11,000 to fix this problem. Again - my car is only 6 years old, and less than 70K miles. With my previous Volvo, that I had for 18 years, I never had this problem.
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
Vehicle with 34,000 miles has started to have surging of rotors when applying brakes at 33,000. Vehicle has had brake disc kit replaced due to warping at 13,058 miles. Vehicle had brake disc kits and front and rear brake rotors replaced due to high spots for pad engagement at 22,996 miles. The vehicle has a continuous problem with brake/rotor system!
We recently took our 2020 Volvo XC60 with approximately 20k miles into the dealership where it has received it's oil changes and had its service issues looked at since buying the vehicle new. During the inspection video, the technician indicated the rear brakes had approximately 10% life remaining while the front had approximately 90% life remaining in them. This seems extremely askew and is indicative of a problem. Under normal driving circumstances and 20k miles wear and tear, there is no reason other than a malfunctioning mechanical issue like the emergency brake not disengaging completely that this uneven wear should be occurring. This should not be the case in such a relatively new vehicle and could result in unknown excessive wear on the braking system causing premature brake failure. If we hadn't taken the vehicle in for it's routine oil change, we would not be aware of this safety concern.
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
VEHICLE: 2020 VOLVO XC60 - DRIVER OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR FAILS TO AUTOMATICALLY EXTEND FROM A VEHICLE LOCKED ROTATED INWARD POSITION WHEN OUTSIDE IN FREEZING WEATHER. THE MIRROR REMAINS ROTATED INWARD FACING THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. A CALL TO VOLVO USA CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR ADVICE GAVE THE RESPONSE - "WAIT TILL IT UNFREEZES". THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A METHOD TO ROTATE IT MANUALLY OTHER THAT FORCE WHICH APPEARS TO CAUSE BREAKAGE. IF YOU CAN'T WAIT, IT LEAVES THE DRIVER WITHOUT A MEANS OF EASILY SEEING APPROACHING TRAFFIC. FULLY ROTATING THE HEAD CREATES OTHER POTENTIAL FOR KEEPING AN EYE ON TRAFFIC AHEAD. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, AND OUTSIDE WITH TEMPERATURE IN ABOUT 31 F DEGREES IN A DRIVEWAY. PASSENGER MIRROR PERFORMED AS INTENDED. THIS HAS APPEND 2 TIMES. TODAY 12/28/2020 IN ZIP CODE 98077 & 12/26/2020 IN ZIP CODE 99338. BOTH IN THE SAME WEATHER CONDITIONS.
WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY (70 DEGREES EXTERNAL TEMP), MY RIGHT REAR WINDOW SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED WITH NO CONTACT. THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE ENTIRE WINDOW SHATTERED INTO TINY BITS. *TR
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
Initially the center tablet would blackout while I’m backing out of my driveway, I put in reverse. Camera works. I back out and camera completely turns off. Not an issue with dirty camera as it comes in and off. Several times while I’m driving the entire instrument panel blacks out! It’s happened 5x in the last two months and I don’t drive much. I have taken to the dealer and told Volvo by emails and chat features and no one seems concerned. They could not see it happen while they drove it so they are not worried. I don’t feel safe in this car. Safety was the only reason I chose Volvo. Also the radio makes weird sounds, repaired twice lane assist is not working properly and they are not fixing it, braking system wasn’t working but they thankfully did a recall and fixed that. This car does not hold steady while driving despite the lane assist and all the fancy features I expected was working when purchased.
Driving on Rte 211 in Oak Island, NC, slowing to turn with no one in front or behind me, emergency breaking engaged, bring the car to a full stop.
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
Severe oil leak coming from the engine. I had it in the Volvo Dealership, they claimed it was due to a loose oil filter. When I drove the vehicle home and parked in my driveway, It started to stain the driveway with a fresh oil leak.
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC60. The contact stated that the service required warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic stated that the upper engine torque mount had separated from the motor mount bracket and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 52,000. The VIN was not available.
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
Good Morning: I've attached a letter that I've written to Volvo USA regarding their security lug bolts on the wheels of their vehicles and the adapter that they provide to remove this. I found out after incurring a flat tire that these adapters are often non-functional and that the dealer is well aware of this. I think this is an issue that Volvo should address for all current and past owners. Also, during this incident I experienced what I think is a flaw in their tire pressure monitoring system - it illuminated a yellow caution which, I've seen happen when one tire was not at the same pressure as the others. In this instance the tire was flat. Shouldn't that warrant a different indication? Thank you for your attention to this.
- Back left axle went loose with the back left wheel while driving, causing the car to rotate 45 degrees, scratching the ground. Once the car drifted back horizontally, I used the brakes to stop the car. Multiple pictures show the defect. Back left lights where the axle went off and the wheel is not broken, showing no collision. Liquid escaped from the bottom. Available for inspection and photos as well. -Had I not been able to use the brakes after the car rotated sideways, we would have crashed. This could have caused major injuries to us and/or others. -The police inspected the car and didn't qualify it as an accident since they said no damages, other objects, or vehicles were involved. The manufacturer's local shop made a 4 lines and inaccurate report to qualify it as an accident falsely. If there were an accident, lights would brake before the axle and there was no pothole -There were no warnings. It happened suddenly
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
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC60. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, an SRS service air bag message was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and was awaiting an appointment with the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
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
- Back left axle went loose with the back left wheel while driving, causing the car to rotate 45 degrees, scratching the ground. Once the car drifted back horizontally, I used the brakes to stop the car. Multiple pictures show the defect. Back left lights where the axle went off and the wheel is not broken, showing no collision. Liquid escaped from the bottom. Available for inspection and photos as well. -Had I not been able to use the brakes after the car rotated sideways, we would have crashed. This could have caused major injuries to us and/or others. -The police inspected the car and didn't qualify it as an accident since they said no damages, other objects, or vehicles were involved. The manufacturer's local shop made a 4 lines and inaccurate report to qualify it as an accident falsely. If there were an accident, lights would brake before the axle and there was no pothole -There were no warnings. It happened suddenly
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The seal on my 2020 Volvo XC60 moonroof allowed water to leak under the floorboards. My car is only 6 years old. We had a lot of rain over a short period and I noticed the sound of water sloshing around under the floor. Nothing was wet inside the car. My Check Engine light came on as well. I took it to the Volvo service dept. They are now saying wires are corroded and that it will cost me over $11,000 to fix this problem. Again - my car is only 6 years old, and less than 70K miles. With my previous Volvo, that I had for 18 years, I never had this problem.
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
Without incident, the rear driver side tire on our 2020 Volvo XC60 blew out on the sidewall on December 1, 2021. The tire, original to our purchase of the new vehicle, had approximately 10,600 miles on it. There was no other damage to any other part of the tire or wheel. Unfortunately, even though we requested Discount Tire (who replaced the tire) to keep the tire for us, they did not so we don't have it for inspection. Regardless, I have several pictures and a couple of videos of the tire (while on the vehicle). No accident occurred and the other three tires on the vehicle are still undamaged.
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 .