2004 Volvo S60 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
198 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
79,245 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 173 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 49 of 198 complaints (24.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 76 | 38.4% |
| Braking behavior | 26 | 13.1% |
| Steering behavior | 23 | 11.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 19 | 9.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 11 | 5.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 5.6% |
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 And Engine Cooling | 49 |
| Engine | 22 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 22 |
| Electrical System | 19 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 18 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 9 |
| Seats | 9 |
Engine And Engine Cooling: 49; Engine: 22; Fuel System, Gasoline: 22; Electrical System: 19; Fuel/Propulsion System: 18; Vehicle Speed Control: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 9; Seats: 9
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 | 23 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 39 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 38 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 41 |
| 150,000 and above | 18 |
Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 39; 75,000 to 99,999: 38; 100,000 to 149,999: 41; 150,000 and above: 18
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (41). 25 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 | 1 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2007 | 13 |
| 2008 | 21 |
| 2009 | 15 |
| 2010 | 32 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2012 | 15 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2014 | 13 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2003: 1; 2004: 6; 2005: 2; 2006: 9; 2007: 13; 2008: 21; 2009: 15; 2010: 32; 2011: 28; 2012: 15; 2013: 13; 2014: 13; 2015: 10; 2016: 4; 2017: 6; 2018: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 4; 2022: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 76 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 23 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 10131117 · 2005-08-02 (August 2, 2005)
DT: CONSUMER OWNED A 2004 VOLVO S60. ON GOING SINCE APRIL OF 2005 ENGINE REBUILT DUE TO STALLING. VEHICLE STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND DID NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. ALSO, VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AT ONCE FOR NO REASON. WHILE DRIVING AFTER THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT AND WAS MERGING ONTO I87 NORTH AND VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE RAMP ONTO THE SHOULDER. THEN PAUSED FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES TO REGAIN COMPOSURE AND THEN RESTARTED ENGINE. VEHICLE RESTARTED WITH NO PROBLEM. CONSUMER SAID THAT STALL ONLY HAPPENED TWICE. DEALER REPLACED MASS AIRFL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10131117 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10184546 · 2007-03-08 (March 8, 2007)
I HAVE A VOLVO S60 2004. AROUND JANUARY 2007, IT STARTED STALLING WITHOUT WARNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH. IT DID THIS ABOUT 3 TIMES IN 2 WEEKS, SO I TOOK IT TO THE VOLVO DEALER. THEY COULDN'T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, BUT SUPPOSEDLY UPGRADED THE SOFTWARE AND CLEANED THE THROTTLE INTAKE, AND RETURNED THE CAR TO ME. THE CAR WAS FINE UNTIL MARCH 6, WHEN THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BACK AT THE SHOP WHERE THEY HAVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND ARE GOING TO RETURN THE CAR TO ME. I WOULD NOT LIKE TO …
Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184546 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10148506 · 2006-01-24 (January 24, 2006)
VOLVO S60 2004, 9000 MILES, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHILE LEAVING A TRAFFIC LIGHT (ACCELERATING) AND AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 20 MPH THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. NO POWER FOR STEERING AND BRAKES. WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THE DEFECT OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY? THE CAR WAS SERVICED AT VOLVO GARAGE ACCORDING TO MAINTENANCE PROGRAM (6000 MILES). NOW THEY SAID THAT THE DEFECT WAS DUE TO THE AIR ADMISSION SYSTEM, WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE DIRTY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10148506 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10197082 · 2007-07-20 (July 20, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO S60. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 32,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,800.
Owner-reported narrative. 7,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10197082 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10149150 · 2006-01-31 (January 31, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT THE TIRES TOUCHES THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION ON FOUR OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER PLACED STEERING BLOCKS ON THE VEHICLE. THE SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH TIMES THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE CONTROL ARMS. HOWEVER NONE OF THESE EFFORTS REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. UPDATED 2/24/2006 - POWER STEERING RESERVOIR LEAKED …
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149150 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10169423 · 2006-09-27 (September 27, 2006)
ON SEPTEMBER 18 I WAS TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 10 WHEN MY 2004 VOLVO S60 COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING WHILE GOING 70 MPH. I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE CAR OUT OF THE TRAFFIC (NO POWER TO DRIVE TO THE SHOULDER). MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY USELESS. I CALLED 911 AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO GET HELP BEFORE I WAS HIT (I WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE DUE TO MOVING TRAFFIC ON EITHER SIDE OF ME). AFTER 50 MINUTES I WAS HIT IN THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BERGERON VOLVO. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND THE VEHICL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10169423 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10208579 · 2007-11-10 (November 10, 2007)
STRONG FUEL ODOR EMITTING FROM PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. OBSERVED GAS STAINS COVERING OUTSIDE OF GAS TANK. RETURNED TO DEALER AND DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP. SINCE THEN, NO ODORS. HOWEVER, AUTO CONTINUES TO HESITATE WHEN DRIVING. IN ONE INSTANCE, CAR STALLED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 38,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10208579 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041096 · 2003-10-02 (October 2, 2003)
VEHICLE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW THAT RESULTS IN A SERIOUS DELAY WHEN DECELERATING RAPIDLY. THE DELAY MAKES IT SEEM AS THOUGH THE THROTTLE HAS "STUCK" FOR 2-3 TENTHS OF A SECOND. THE "R" IS TOUTED AS A PERFORMANCE VEHICLE AND THIS DELAY IN THROTTLE RESPONSE IS DOWN RIGHT DANGEROUS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN HARD. THIS DELAY OCCURS EVERY TIME ONE DECELERATES QUICKLY FROM FULL THROTTLE. VOLVO SAYS IT IS "NORMAL". *JB. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10041096 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10086915 · 2004-08-15 (August 15, 2004)
TRANSMISSION FLARE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 2,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086915 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10230386 · 2008-06-09 (June 9, 2008)
2004 VOLVO S60 2.5T. PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN SEPT 07. 6-5-08 PANEL DISPLAYED OPEN REAR DOOR WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY, MY DOOR WAS NOT OPENED. CAR JERKED AS IF THERE WAS POWER LOSS, AC WENT OFF, BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT ON PANEL, POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS DID NOT WORK, TEMP 105 , THEN DRIVER PANEL WENT BLACK. CAR JERKED 3 TIMES IN MID TRAFFIC, I WAS SCARED TO DEATH FOR MY LIFE. ARRIVED AT MY EXIT, PULLED OVER TO A GAS STATION, ENGINE STILL RUNNING BUT SLUGGISH, RADIO WAS STILL ON, POWER DOOR LOCKS AND WINDOWS DID NOT WORK, AC OFF. ENGIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230386 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10232678 · 2008-06-30 (June 30, 2008)
I HAVE A 2004 VOLVO S60 WITH 57,700 MILES. ALL WORK ON THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DONE BY VOLVO. RECENTLY, WHEN THE AC IS ON, THE FAN SPEED HAS STOPPED RESPONDING TO ADJUSTMENTS. NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN I TRY TO ADJUST THE SPEED AND THEN, ON ITS OWN, THE SPEED WILL CHANGE A FEW MINUTES LATER. WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF, THE FAN CONTINUES TO RUN FOR AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES. I'M AFRAID THAT ONE DAY IT WON'T TURN OFF AND WILL DRAIN THE BATTERY. THE VOLVO REP AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FEEL THAT THE REPAIR MAY BE COSTLY AND JUST TO DO THE DIAGNOSTIC IS EXPEN…
Owner-reported narrative. 57,780 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232678 at NHTSA ↗