2011 Volvo C30: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
14 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
50,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Visibility/Wiper is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 14 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 7.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 7.1% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 7.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Visibility/Wiper | 7 |
| Structure:Body | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Suspension | 2 |
| Tires | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
Visibility/Wiper: 7; Structure:Body: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Steering: 2; Suspension: 2; Tires: 2; Air Bags: 1; Electrical System: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 7 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 |
2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2020: 4; 2021: 1; 2023: 3
Pattern summary
Visibility/Wiper leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10459635 · 2012-05-25 (May 25, 2012)
REAR TIRES WORN OUT ON THE INSIDE AFTER 21000 MILES. 1/32 INSIDE AND 5/32 OUTSIDE TREAD DEPTH. UNACCEPTABLE TIRE WEAR AS FRONT TIRES HAVE 4 TO 5/32 TREAD DEPTH ACROSS THE TIRE. NOTE THAT THIS CAR IS ALSO A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE! AUTHORIZED VOLVO DEALER HAS ALIGNED VEHICLE AT LEAST 2 TIMES! ALIGNMENT SAID TO BE WITHIN SPEC BOTH TIMES! I HAVE FACTS SUPPORTING THIS TO BE COMMON OCCURRENCE ON VOLVO C-30 MODELS AS WITNESSED BY OWNERS ON INTERNET FORUMS. EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR BY UNSUSPECTING DRIVER CAN AND WILL LEAD TO UNEXPECTED TIRE BLOW OUT CAU…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10459635 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10668544 · 2014-12-28 (December 28, 2014)
TIRES WERE SHAKY WHEN I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW C30 VOLVO. ASKED DEALER TO FIX-SALES MANAGER SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG (FT. MEYERS, FL VOLVO). AND HE WOULD TELL VOLVO I WAS CRAZY. TIRES WERE DESTROYED AT 10,000. WENT TO DIFFERENT VOLVO DEALER IN SARASOTA AND ST. PETE-NOTHING IS WRONG. DEALER REPLACED TIRES AT 10,000. CAR STILL SHAKING. NOW I AM ON MY 3RD SET OF TIRES AT 50,000. SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THIS CAR-DO NOT BUY ONE VOLVO WILL NOT FIX. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10668544 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10722125 · 2015-05-29 (May 29, 2015)
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-87, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER, INCLUDING ALL ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES. IT ROLLED TO A STOP AND COULD NOT BE STARTED BY PUSHING (THE CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION).
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10722125 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10809123 · 2015-12-08 (December 8, 2015)
WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AT ABOUT 70MPH, THE SUNROOF OF MY 2011 VOLVO C30 SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF ANY FAULTS WITH THE SUNROOF SYSTEM AND IT WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME OF THE EXPLOSION. I WAS NOT DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR IN THE VICINITY OF LARGE VEHICLES THAT COULD HAVE KICKED UP DEBRIS. I ALSO HAD NOT PASSED UNDER ANY OVERPASSES. FROM MY RESEARCH ONLINE, THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A RECALL ON ANY VOLVO SUNROOFS. THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALER IN SAN DIEGO HAS TOLD ME THAT THE REPAIR…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10809123 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10820302 · 2016-01-14 (January 14, 2016)
THE CAR DEVELOPED A RATTLE OVER BUMPS WHICH GOT WORSE WITH COLDER WEATHER TO THE POINT WE DETERMINED THE WINDSHIELD IS LOOSE ALMOST THE ENTIRE LENGTH ACROSS THE TOP AND PART WAY DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE. OUR LOCAL AUTO GLASS COMPANY SAYS IT SEEMS TO BE A FACTORY QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEM. UPON DOING SOME ONLINE RESEARCH IT APPEARS TO BE A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLVOS AND IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PRIMER APPLIED TO THE GLASS POSSIBLY BEING CONTAMINATED AND SEPARATING FROM THE GLASS AND NOT ACTUALLY A PROBLEM WITH THE ADHESIVE WHICH ATTACHES THE W…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10820302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11005869 · 2017-07-17 (July 17, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 VOLVO C30. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO ROCKO'S AUTO REPAIR OF BLACKWOOD, NEW JERSEY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11005869 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11318661 · 2020-03-19 (March 19, 2020)
THE WINDSHIELDS ON THESE CARS MAZDA 3 AND THE FORD FOCUS ALL SAME PLATFORM ARE KNOWN TO HAVE A BONDING DEFECT WHEN THEY WERE BUILT. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR SAFETY.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11318661 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11325070 · 2020-05-18 (May 18, 2020)
THE WINDSHIELD GOT LOOSE. WHEN PRESSING IT FROM THE INSIDE, THE WINDSHIELD MOVES. WHEN THE DOOR CLOSES THAT WINDSHIELD MOVES, OR WITH VIBRATIONS WHILE DRIVING. UNDER HEAVY RAINING, WATER LEAKS INSIDE THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT A PARKING LOT WHEN WE REALIZE IT WAS LIKE THAT. TAKING WITH OTHER OWNERS, IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AND VOLVO IS AWARE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11325070 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
10V255000 · Steering:Gear Box:Shaft Sector
Reported: 2010-06-08 (June 8, 2010)
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 C30, MODEL YEAR 2010 S40 AND V50 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THE GEARSHIFT LEVER STUD ASSEMBLY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THE GEARSHIFT LEVER CABLE OR STUD ASSEMBLY BECOMES LOOSE, IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO ENGAGE, DISENGAGE OR SHIFT GEARS.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TORQUE THE GEARSHIFT LEVER STUD ASSEMBLY TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552 OR CUSTOMERCARE@VOLVOFORLIFE.COM .
NHTSA campaign record ↗