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2005 Volvo S60

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Volvo S60 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

38 reports with mileage · 6 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

44 reports
67,728 miles · Mar 15, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

HEADLIGHT WIRING AND CONNECTOR BURNED CAUSING LIGHT TO GO OUT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING AND CONNECTOR ACCORDING TO A TSB ISSUED BY VOLVO. DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD REPAIRED SEVERAL VOLVOS WITH THIS PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND VOLVO ISSUED A TSB AND PROVIDED A REPAIR KIT FOR REPAIRS VOLVO…

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HEADLIGHT WIRING AND CONNECTOR BURNED CAUSING LIGHT TO GO OUT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING AND CONNECTOR ACCORDING TO A TSB ISSUED BY VOLVO. DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD REPAIRED SEVERAL VOLVOS WITH THIS PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND VOLVO ISSUED A TSB AND PROVIDED A REPAIR KIT FOR REPAIRS VOLVO DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE. THANKFULLY, ONLY ONE LIGHT BURNED OUT AT THE TIME OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE CRASHED AT 70 MPH. DEALER SAID BOTH HEADLIGHT WIRING CABLES AND CONNECTORS WERE BURNT AND THEY REPLACED BOTH. I REPORTED THIS SAFETY ISSUE TO TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION. THIS ONE LIGHT WENT OUT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND DISCOVERED THE SAFETY PROBLEM. REPAIRS MADE AT MY COST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10319831

48,000 miles · Feb 8, 2010
Wheels

VOLVO S60R: AT LESS THAN 50,000 MILES BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. MECHANIC STATED THAT IT APPEARED THEY WERE FROM A "BAD BATCH" AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF FAILING. DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WHEEL NOW (AT 56,000 MILES) EXHIBITING SAME CHARACTERISITICS.

NHTSA ODI #10307392

66,000 miles · Nov 11, 2009
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2005 VOLVO S60R WHICH HAS A VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER IN WHICH IF IT THERE IS NOT A 2 WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CAR AND THE KEY, IT PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING. NICE FEATURE, BUT I CALLED 3 DEALERSHIPS WHEN I GOT THIS WARNING AND THERE IS NO WORKAROUND. SO IF I HAVE AN EMERGENCY, OF IF I AM IN A BAD PART OF TOWN, I CA…

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I HAVE A 2005 VOLVO S60R WHICH HAS A VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER IN WHICH IF IT THERE IS NOT A 2 WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CAR AND THE KEY, IT PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING. NICE FEATURE, BUT I CALLED 3 DEALERSHIPS WHEN I GOT THIS WARNING AND THERE IS NO WORKAROUND. SO IF I HAVE AN EMERGENCY, OF IF I AM IN A BAD PART OF TOWN, I CANNOT USE MY CAR... THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FLAW... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10291821

37,680 miles · Aug 23, 2009
Tires

WHILE DRIVING ON I-81 IN VIRGINIA MY LEFT REAR TIRE DISINTEGRATED. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE RIGHT TO SAFETY AND WHEN DOING SO THE UPPER HALF OF THE TIRE ROLLED PAST ME AND CAME TO REST 50 FEET AHEAD OF THE CAR AGAINST THE RAILING. ALL TIRES ARE NEW, WITH LESS THAN 200 MILES ON THEM. I CALLED 911, THE STATE POLICE CAME AND CALLED A WRE…

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WHILE DRIVING ON I-81 IN VIRGINIA MY LEFT REAR TIRE DISINTEGRATED. I WAS ABLE TO MOVE RIGHT TO SAFETY AND WHEN DOING SO THE UPPER HALF OF THE TIRE ROLLED PAST ME AND CAME TO REST 50 FEET AHEAD OF THE CAR AGAINST THE RAILING. ALL TIRES ARE NEW, WITH LESS THAN 200 MILES ON THEM. I CALLED 911, THE STATE POLICE CAME AND CALLED A WRECKER. I WAS TOWED AND RECEIVED A REPLACEMENT TIRE AT A CAR SHOP AND RETURNED HOME. ON INSPECTION IT APPEARED THAT THE SIDEWALL COMPLETE GAVE A WAY. FORTUNATELY A PIECE OF THE RUBBER STAYED ON THE RIM THUS PROTECTING THE RIM FROM DAMAGE. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INVESTIGATE. FORTUNATELY NOBODY WAS HURT BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE CAR A 2005 VOLVO S60 IN FINE CONDITION HAD BEEN BOUGHT FROM CARMAX A WEEK EARLIER AND HAD BEEN FULLY INSPECTED PRIOR TO SALE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10281476

83,000 miles · Jun 12, 2009
Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SUDDENLY, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING, WHICH REQUIRED GREATER EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SUDDENLY, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING, WHICH REQUIRED GREATER EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED AFTER WAITING A FEW MOMENTS AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE CONTRIBUTED TO THE POWER STEERING MODULE AND RECOMMENDED THAT IT BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $200. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

NHTSA ODI #10273635

110,000 miles · Feb 1, 2009
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

INTERMITTENT ABS/ANTI SKID LIGHT. MY BRAKES ALSO SEEMED AFFECTED, PARTICULARLY THE STOPPING DISTANCE. AFTER THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 6 TIMES, I ASKED A SERVICE TECH AT MY LOCAL DEALER TO FIND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED BRAKES LOCKING. AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND MANY OWNERS OF VOLV…

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INTERMITTENT ABS/ANTI SKID LIGHT. MY BRAKES ALSO SEEMED AFFECTED, PARTICULARLY THE STOPPING DISTANCE. AFTER THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 6 TIMES, I ASKED A SERVICE TECH AT MY LOCAL DEALER TO FIND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED BRAKES LOCKING. AFTER SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND MANY OWNERS OF VOLVOS HAVE SUFFERED FROM THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT THE ABS MODULE IS KNOWN FOR CAUSING STRANGE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY MALFUNCTIONS MOSTLY DUE TO COLD SOLDER JOINTS. MY CAR IN PARTICULAR IS AN '05 S60 2.4 M WITH 118K MILEAGE. AT WHAT POINT SHOULD A RECALL BE PLACED ON THESE UNITS? AN INTEGRAL PART OF AN ABS SYSTEM SEEM TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, DOES IT NOT? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257078

94,000 miles · Sep 15, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF TWICE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND LOST ALL POWER, INCLUDING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF TWICE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND LOST ALL POWER, INCLUDING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 94,000.

NHTSA ODI #10242261

12,000 miles · Jun 26, 2008
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. TWO WEEKS LATER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER. THE FAI…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. TWO WEEKS LATER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER. THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM SAFELY MANEUVERING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHE COULD NOT ACTIVATE THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS. THE FOLLOWING DAY, SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V441000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12,000.

NHTSA ODI #10232369

27,000 miles · May 17, 2007
Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND MAKES A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. ON THE FIRST VISIT, THEY ROTATED THE TIRES AND, ON THE SECOND VISIT, THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE MOUNTS. THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUES TO SHAKE. THE VIN, ENGIN…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND MAKES A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. ON THE FIRST VISIT, THEY ROTATED THE TIRES AND, ON THE SECOND VISIT, THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE MOUNTS. THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUES TO SHAKE. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 28,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

NHTSA ODI #10191006

18,795 miles · May 20, 2006
Tires

WE HAVE A 2005 VOLVO S60R. AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE AND DESTROYING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND RIM WE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND WHEELS WITH O.E.M. 17" WHEELS AND PIRELLI P6 TIRES. LESS THAN 1000 MILES LATER TWO OF THE TIRES DEVELOPED BULGES IN THE SIDEWALL AT THE EXACT SAME LOCATION ON EACH TIRE. KLINE VOLVO WOULD DO NOTHING AB…

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WE HAVE A 2005 VOLVO S60R. AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE AND DESTROYING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND RIM WE REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND WHEELS WITH O.E.M. 17" WHEELS AND PIRELLI P6 TIRES. LESS THAN 1000 MILES LATER TWO OF THE TIRES DEVELOPED BULGES IN THE SIDEWALL AT THE EXACT SAME LOCATION ON EACH TIRE. KLINE VOLVO WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT SAYING IT WAS ROAD HAZARD DAMAGE, BUT THESE TIRES DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T OCCUR IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF DRIVING, SMALL ROAD IRREGULARITIES AT LOW SPEED, ETC. PIRELLI AND VOLVO CORPORATE WERE OF NO HELP EITHER, BOTH JUST REFERRING ME BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE TIRE. THERE ARE MANY, MANY PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES ABOUT THIS TIRE DEVELOPING SIDEWALL BULGES AND HAVING BLOWOUTS. SOMEBODY SHOULD MAKE PIRELLI RECALL THESE TIRES BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10157906

Official recalls

3

21V766000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Sep 30, 2021

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2006 S80 and 2001-2009 S60 vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

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.

10V566000 · Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)

Nov 8, 2010

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.

Consequence & remedy

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.

06V375000 · Equipment:other:labels

Oct 3, 2006

CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THE LABEL DENOTING THE TIRE AND LOADING PRESSURE INFORMATION IS INCORRECT.

Consequence & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.