2003 Volvo S60 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
120 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
79,695 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 101 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 51 of 120 complaints (42.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 27 | 22.5% |
| Braking behavior | 10 | 8.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 10 | 8.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 5.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 5.0% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 5.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 51 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 10 |
| Air Bags | 8 |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 6 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 |
| Engine | 5 |
Electrical System: 51; Vehicle Speed Control: 18; Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Air Bags: 8; Exterior Lighting: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 6; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6; Engine: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 16 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 15 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 17 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 12 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 28 |
| 150,000 and above | 13 |
Under 25,000: 16; 25,000 to 49,999: 15; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 28; 150,000 and above: 13
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (28). 19 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 |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 13 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 14 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2003: 8; 2004: 6; 2005: 15; 2006: 6; 2007: 4; 2008: 3; 2009: 5; 2010: 13; 2011: 5; 2012: 14; 2013: 9; 2014: 6; 2015: 9; 2016: 7; 2017: 3; 2018: 3; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 27 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 10 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.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10027259 · 2003-08-01 (August 1, 2003)
ON 2 OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED, THE DEALER REPLACED A SENSOR, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *TS *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 6,458 miles reported. Look up ODI 10027259 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10029436 · 2003-07-16 (July 16, 2003)
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, DEALER HAS INSPECTED 3 TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10029436 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10133528 · 2005-08-19 (August 19, 2005)
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT 2003 VOLVO S60 HAS AN INABILITY TO STOP IN REVERSE . THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CAR ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE CAR STARTED AND SPUTTERED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM, THE SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED. BUT THE CAR WAS STILL DOING THIS. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE SOFTWARE WAS THE ONLY THING MENTIONED AS BEING THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. LATELY, THE CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS MORE …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133528 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10149357 · 2006-02-03 (February 3, 2006)
ON 12/22 I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 VOLVO S 60 AWD. I WAS VERY SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY PULLING INTO A FRONT IN PARKING SPOT. I WAS PARTICULARLY CAREFUL BECAUSE THERE WAS A DRIVER SITTING IN THE CAR PARKED TO MY RIGHT, AND I DID NOT WANT TO GET TOO CLOSE TO HIS CAR. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I WAS SLOWLY MOVING INTO THE SPOT. MY FRONT FENDER TAPPED THE SHORT CONCRETE BARRIER AT THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPOT. THE NEXT THING I NEW, THE CAR WAS RAPIDLY ACCELERATING FORWARD. I WAS WORRIED THAT I WOULD GO OVER THE BARRIER AND STRIKE A BRICK WALL IN FRONT OF …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10149357 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10045171 · 2003-10-31 (October 31, 2003)
MANUFACTURER DEFECT FOR FUEL TANK VAPOR LEAK ON 2003 VOLVO S60 T5. DEALER STATED A SEPERATED PLASTIC WELD SEAM ON TANK WAS REALEASING STRONG FUEL VAPORS. POTENTIAL RISK FOR VAPORS TO IGNITE? *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10045171 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10182257 · 2007-02-11 (February 11, 2007)
THE CAR STALLED REPEATEDLY WHILE THE ENGINE WAS IDLING. ALL POWER WAS LOST MAKING THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKE. I NEARLY GOT INTO SEVERAL ACCIDENTS THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE: 1) STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT 2) WHILE SHIFTING GEARS ON THE HIGHWAY 3) WHILE SHIFTING GEARS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES BEFORE THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY FIXED. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE REPLACED BUT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM: 1) FUEL PUMP 2) MAP SENSOR (REPLACED 2 TIMES) NEITHER OF THESE FIXES WORKED. THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED A…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10182257 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10130971 · 2005-08-02 (August 2, 2005)
DT: CONTACT STATDS 2003 VOLVO CUT OFF WHILEGOING 60 MPH. CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER IN THE MIDDLE LANE. IT WAS TOWED ,AND THEY KEPT IT FOR 3 DAYS. CONSUMER PICKED IT UP ON 7-16-05. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY. NINE DAYS LATER ON 7-24-05 THE CAR COMPLETELY QUIT AGAIN. THEY CALLED HECONSUME R AT HOME AND TOLD HER THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A FUEL PRESSURE ISSUE. HER CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 2 TIMES PREVIOUSLY FOR HESITATION AND DELAYS, AND THEY KEPT TELLING HER IT WAS CHIP RELATED .THE LAST TWO INCIDENTS OCCURRED AT RELATIVE HIGHER SPEEDS THAN…
Owner-reported narrative. 47,565 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130971 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10131136 · 2005-08-02 (August 2, 2005)
DURING NORMAL CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING, MY 2003 VOLVO S-60 SEDANS ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SUDDENLY FAILS WITHOUT WARNING, RESULTING IN A DANGEROUS COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DANGEROUS INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE ORIGINAL DEALER, WARREN HENRY VOLVO, AND VOLVO NORTH AMERICA, WERE BOTH NOTIFIED OF THE VOLVOS HAZARDOUS PROBLEM, AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE AND REPAIR ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION. TO DATE, THE 2003 VOLVO S-60 EXHIBITS THE SAME …
Owner-reported narrative. 36,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131136 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10049392 · 2003-12-08 (December 8, 2003)
FOR BOTH OUR 2001 VOLVO S60 2.4T AND OUR 2003 VOLVO XC90 2.5T AWD THERE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR A TRANSMISSION DEFECT (ESSENTIALLY SAME TRANSMISSION IN BOTH VEHICLES PER VOLVO TECH SUPPORT). BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD THERE IS . INTERMITTENT/UNPREDICTABLE FAILURE TO ENGAGE 3RD IN TIMELY FASHION WITH RESULTANT LOSS OF ACCELERATION AS VEHICLE IS FUNCTIONALLY IN NEUTRAL WITH ENGINE RACING FOR 0.5 TO 2.5 SECONDS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING ON TO A HIGHWAY. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 2 NEAR COLLISIONS (ALMOST BEING ST…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049392 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074603 · 2004-06-01 (June 1, 2004)
MY HUSBAND AND I DROVE OUR VOLVO (WE ARE LEASING THIS CAR) FIRST TIME FOR A LONG TRIP (ABOUT 800 MILES). THE CAR MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 13,000. AFTER DRIVING WITH THE SPEED 75M/H FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS, WE TOOK AN EXIT AND LOST CONTROL OVER THE CAR. ACTUALLY CAR TOOK CONTROL. IT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR, JUMPED AND STOPPED. IT TOOK A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE CAR ALLOWED TO CONTROL ITSELF. THIS SCARY EXPERIENCE REPEATED A FEW TIMES ON THE ROAD. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS A SHOCKING EXPERIENCE. THE FIRST THING WE DID, WE BROUGHT A CAR TO A DEALER. …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10074603 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10130916 · 2005-08-01 (August 1, 2005)
I OWN A 2003 VOLVO S60, 4 DR SEDAN, PURCHASED FROM DON BEYER VOLVO IN FALLS CHURCH, VA, SERVICED AT DON BEYER VOLVO IN DULLES, VA. THE CAR HAS SUDDENLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION TWICE IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS BUT WOULD RE-START ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. LAST NIGHT, IT STALLED GOING 70 MPH ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. I LOST ALL POWER IMMEDIATELY AND HAD TO MANEUVER OVER LANES OF TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER WITHOUT POWER STEERING. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130916 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10136253 · 2005-09-12 (September 12, 2005)
RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS AROUND 40 MPH MY CAR EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF SPEED AND THEN STALLED. EACH EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN PRECEDED BY A BRIEF LOSS AND THEN BY A MORE PROLONGED LOSS AND FINALLY A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHICH LOCKS UP STEERING. IN EACH INSTANCE THE CAR HAS RESTARTED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE (ETM). STEPS ARE CURRENTLY BEING TAKEN TO REPLACE THE ETM. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10136253 at NHTSA ↗