2013 Volvo S60: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
86 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
53,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 55 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 36 of 86 complaints (41.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 7 | 8.1% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 3.5% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 3.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 2.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.2% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 36 |
| Unknown Or Other | 13 |
| Air Bags | 7 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Power Train | 5 |
| Service Brakes | 5 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 5 |
| Seat Belts | 4 |
Engine: 36; Unknown Or Other: 13; Air Bags: 7; Electrical System: 7; Power Train: 5; Service Brakes: 5; Visibility/Wiper: 5; Seat Belts: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 14 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 13 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 16 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 7 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 16; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 2
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 31 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 |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 3 |
2013: 5; 2014: 5; 2015: 3; 2016: 7; 2017: 6; 2018: 3; 2019: 10; 2020: 10; 2021: 13; 2022: 4; 2023: 10; 2024: 7; 2025: 3
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 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 10494362 · 2013-01-22 (January 22, 2013)
THE WIPER FLUID STOPPED COMING OUT FROM THE NOZZLES, AS WELL AS HEADLIGHT WASHERS DURING SNOWY WEATHER. THE CAR HAS A SENSOR TO NOTIFY DRIVER IF THE FLUID LEVELS ARE BELOW A SPECIFIC AMOUNT. NO WARNING WAS ISSUED. WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID WAS ADDED BUT THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT. THERE WAS NOTED SNOW ACCUMULATION INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AT THE DRIVER'S SIDE, NEAR THE AREA OF WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID RESERVOIR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,581 miles reported. Look up ODI 10494362 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10503753 · 2013-03-20 (March 20, 2013)
VEHICLE INVOLVED DAMAGE FRONT AND LEFT FRONTAL AREA. SPEED 40-45 MPH. NO FRONTAL OR SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG AND CURTAIN DEPLOYMENT. FAILURE OF COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM AND ELECTRONICAL INDICATORS, ABS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503753 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10504529 · 2013-03-26 (March 26, 2013)
1ST INCIDENT, DECEMBER 2012. ABOUT 760 MILES ON NEW CAR. QUARTER TANK OF FUEL. TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE, VEHICLE LOST POWER, AND HAD TO COAST TO A STOP AT SIDE OF ROAD. FORTUNATELY IN RURAL AREA WITH LOW TRAFFIC SO NO PROBLEMS. AFTER TOWING TO DEALER, NO PROBLEM IDENTIFIED... ECM-P008700 CODE REPORTED AS FUEL PRESSURE LOSS. SOFTWARE MENTIONED AS THE PROBLEM, ECM UPGRADE ACCOMPLISHED. 2ND INCIDENT, MARCH 2013. ABOUT 2350 MILES ON CAR, AGAIN QUARTER TANK OF FUEL. AGAIN ON INTERSTATE, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER AND HAD TO COAST T…
Owner-reported narrative. 760 miles reported. Look up ODI 10504529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10512056 · 2013-05-15 (May 15, 2013)
WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR TO ENTER TRAFFIC THERE WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT HESITATION FOLLOWED BY A SUDDEN LURCH WHICH ALMOST LEAD TO A T-BONE ACCIDENT. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. VOLVO FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR 6 CYLINDER ENGINE AND INSTALLED THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE. IT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL IF IT WORKED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10512056 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10556780 · 2013-12-20 (December 20, 2013)
WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOES NOT USE SEAT BELT, THE CAR DOES NOT ISSUE ANY AUDIBLE WARNING (EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION, E.G. AT 30 MPH). NOTE THAT, IN CONTRAST, THE AUDIBLE WARNING WILL RING FOR 6 SECONDS IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT USE SEAT BELT. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND VOLVO NORTH AMERICA AT [phone removed], THE REPLY WAS THAT THIS IS EXACTLY HOW IT IS DESIGNED TO WORK. THE DEALER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE SAME BEHAVIOR WAS OBSERVED ON OTHER VOLVO CARS ON HIS SITE. THE RECEPTIONIST AT VOLVO NORTH AMERICA CONFIRMED TO ME THAT "THE AUD…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10556780 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10564219 · 2014-02-13 (February 13, 2014)
I WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 30 - 40 MPH IN MY 2013 VOLVO S60 WHEN I STRUCK AN SUV FROM BEHIND. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE DEPLOYED, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A DIRECT REAR END COLLISION. AFTER THE COLLISION MY INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED THE WARNING MESSAGE 'SRS AIRBAG SERVICE URGENT'. MY VOLVO S60 IS EQUIPPED WITH THE STANDARD CITY SAFETY AUTO BRAKING SYSTEM, WHICH DID NOT ENGAGE AT ANY POINT TO AVOID/REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE COLLISION. THE AUTO BRAKING SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK ABOVE CERTAIN SPEEDS, I AM AWARE; HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED THAT MY AIRBAGS W…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,289 miles reported. Look up ODI 10564219 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10566653 · 2014-03-02 (March 2, 2014)
NO SPARE TIRES IN NEW CARS PUTS US CONSUMERS IN DANGER YOU SHOULD BE AS DEEPLY CONCERNED, AS I AM, OF THE GROWING TREND AMONG CAR MANUFACTURERS TO LEAVE OUT SPARE TIRES. IN FACT THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE SPACE TO CARRY THEM. *TR DISCOUNTING THE QUESTIONABLE BENEFIT TO THEIR BOTTOM LINE THIS IS A TREND THAT PUTS US DRIVERS IN CONSIDERABLE DANGER. IT ALSO LEAVES THE US CONSUMER AT THE MERCY OF TOW TRUCK OPERATORS AND PRICE GOUGING BY THE DEALERS WHERE THE CAR IS TOWED. INSTEAD OF A SPARE THEY PROVIDE A FORM OF ?FIX-A-FLAT? THAT PUMPS A SEALANT AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 114 miles reported. Look up ODI 10566653 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10592768 · 2014-05-20 (May 20, 2014)
THE TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL ON MY CAR HAS 4 ERRORS. 1. LOADING: THE INSTALLED LABEL SPECIFIES A WEIGHT LIMIT OF 1200 LBS. THE CORRECT WEIGHT LIMIT FOR MY CAR IS 1025 LBS. 2. FRONT TIRE SIZE: THE INSTALLED LABEL SAYS MY CAR HAS 215/50R17 FRONT TIRES. THE CAR HAS 235/45R17 TIRES. VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA CONFIRMED THAT 235/45R17 TIRES WERE INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. 3. FRONT TIRE PRESSURE: THE INSTALLED LABEL SPECIFIES 38PSI, BUT THE CORRECT VALUE IS 36PSI. 4. REAR TIRE SIZE: SAME ERROR AS FRONT TIRE SIZE. 5. REAR TIR…
Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10592768 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
12V439000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive
Reported: 2012-09-10 (September 10, 2012)
Volvo is recalling certain model year 2013 S60 and XC60 vehicles. A manufacturing defect within the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) control unit may lead to an inadvertent deployment of the seat belt pretensioner and/or inflatable curtain.
Consequence: If the seat belt pretensioner and/or inflatable side curtain deploy without cause, the driver could be distracted and the driver's visibility could be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: These vehicles have not been sold and the SRS control unit will be replaced prior to the cars being sold. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552.
NHTSA campaign record ↗13V084000 · Equipment:Other:Labels
Reported: 2013-03-05 (March 5, 2013)
Volvo is recalling certain model year 2013 S60 and XC60 vehicles, manufactured on January 7, 2013. The product identification labels were printed with the incorrect manufacture year. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification Regulation."
Consequence: With an incorrect date of manufacture on the certification label, the vehicle owner may not be to determine if they are affected by future vehicle recalls, increasing their risk of a crash of injury.
Remedy: Volvo has quarantined the affected vehicles and will install correct labels prior to sale. The recall began during March 2013. Owner notification letters will not be sent.
NHTSA campaign record ↗19V849000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
Reported: 2019-11-26 (November 26, 2019)
Volvo Car of USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2011-2017 S60, S60I, V60, S60CC and V60CC vehicles. A component within the door latches may break, making the doors difficult to latch and/or leading the driver or a passenger to believe a door is securely closed when, in fact, it is not.
Consequence: A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four door latches, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89978.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V378000 · Seat Belts:Front
Reported: 2020-06-30 (June 30, 2020)
Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2008-2016 V70 and XC70, 2007-2016 S80, 2011-2018 S60 and V60, 2016-2018 S60 Cross Country, 2014-2020 S60L, 2009-2015 S80L, 2009-2016 XC60 and 2015-2018 V60 Cross Country vehicles. The flexible steel cable that connects the seat belt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue over time, causing the seat belt to not secure the occupant in the event of a crash.
Consequence: An unsecured occupant has an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat belt anchor cable for both front seats. The recall began December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10029.
NHTSA campaign record ↗