The 2008 Volvo S60 has 2 safety recalls and 10 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is vehicle speed control (4 complaints).
Recalls2safety recalls
Complaints10filed by owners
Crashes · fires4 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths2 · 0reported in complaints
2008 Volvo S60 in an NHTSA crash test
Safety recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Problem: 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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA recall 10V566000 · Nov 8, 2010 · 416 vehicles
Problem: VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
Risk: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
Fix: 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.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2008 Volvo S60 4-DR. w/SAB
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
★★★★★
Rollover risk
9.3%
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
S60 FWD
22mpg combined
City / highway
19 / 27 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
2.5 L · 5 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,750/year to fuel
S60 FWD
22mpg combined
City / highway
19 / 27 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
2.5 L · 5 cyl · Automatic (S5) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,750/year to fuel
S60 AWD
21mpg combined
City / highway
17 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
2.5 L · 5 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,900/year to fuel
S60 AWD
21mpg combined
City / highway
18 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
2.5 L · 5 cyl · Automatic (S5) · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $3,900/year to fuel
S60 FWD
21mpg combined
City / highway
18 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
2.4 L · 5 cyl · Manual 6-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,900/year to fuel
S60 FWD
21mpg combined
City / highway
18 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
2.4 L · 5 cyl · Automatic (S5) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,900/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Vehicle speed control
4
2
0
0
36,450 mi
Power train
2
1
0
0
—
Engine
2
0
0
0
—
Air bags
2
2
0
2
—
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
0
0
0
—
Electrical system
1
1
0
0
—
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
—
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Oct 27, 2021 · crash · 2 injuriesAir bags My air bags malfunctioned when I was in a motor vehicle accident in this vehicle. We were hit in the front left side and both the drivers side and passenger airbags tried to deploy, but never deployed releasing a form of mist instead. This vehicle was totaled and towed away after the accident, but both me and the other person in the vehicles safety were put at risk due to this. We both flew forwards towards the dashboard/ into the steering wheel which could have resulted in much more severe injuries after the impact. The problem was not further looked into after the accident, but I just got this vehicle 2 years ago through a dealership. There were no warning lamps or symptoms of the…
Oct 30, 2021 · crashAir bags My vehicle was involved in a head on collison on 10-30-2021. My driver side air bag came out but had a hole in it while my passenger side airbags didn't come out at all.
Nov 29, 2013 · 250 milesVisibility/wiper THERE IS AN AREA ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 5 INCHES TALL AND 14 INCHES LONG THAT DOES NOT HAVE CLEAR VISIBILITY WHEN IT GETS WET. THE MOISTURE DOES NOT WIPE AWAY WHEN THE WIPER BLADES WIPE THIS AREA. INSTEAD, THE MOISTURE REMAINS OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW UNTIL THE WIPER BLADE PASSES THE AREA AGAIN BLURRING THE AREA EVEN MORE. THIS VISUAL OBSTRUCTION IS POSITIONED DIRECTLY BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S EYES AND THE VIEW OUTSIDE THE WINDSHIELD. THIS PROBLEM ONLY APPEARS ON THE DRIVER SIDE NOT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DEALER WAS SHOWN THE ISSUE AND AGREED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING ODD BUT SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE OTHER VOLVO S60S ON THEIR LOT SO THEY ACCEPTED THIS AS…
Mar 5, 2014 · 100,000 milesEngine ON THE FIST INCIDENT I WAS TALKING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL, DROPPED THEM OFF AND WHEN I STARTED TO ACCELERATE I GOT LOW ENGINE PERFORMANCE LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO 5 MPH. THE VOLVO DEALER FIXED IT NO CHARGE AND IT WAS OK FOR A WHILE. NEXT INCIDENT MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR STALLED AND SAID THE SAME THING REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE. FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT ITS BEEN STALLING ROUGH IDLE, REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE. WE TOOK IT TO VOLVO OF EL PASO ON AIRWAY BLVD 915 410-3254 AND THEY SAID THE EMT WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED FOR $1050.00. I READ ABOUT THIS BEING A CONTINUED ISSUE AND SEEMS LIKE IT WAS NEVER REALLY FIXED SO THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND…
Apr 1, 2015 · 60,100 milesFuel/propulsion system I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HEADING TO SAN DIEGO DURING EVENING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE TRAFFIC HAD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND AS TRAFFIC WAS STARTING AGAIN AS I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. THERE WERE NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATORS TO GIVE US ANY INFORMATION ON WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE CAR. I ONLY KNEW THAT I HAD NO ENGINE POWER. THE GASOLINE GAUGE SHOWED THAT I HAD ABOUT HALF A TANK OF GAS LEFT. WE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE A COUPLE OF TIME. THE ENGINE WOULD SPUTTER AND THEN DIE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN THE SLOWER RIGHT HAND LANE AND WAS ABLE TO PULL SAFELY OFF TO THE SHOULDER. IF I HAD BEEN THE FASTER FREEWAY LANES, WITH…
Jul 14, 2014 · 87,000 milesPower train MY CAR SEEMS TO BE STALLING. I TALKED TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THEY SAID IT MAY BE THE THROTTLE. THE CAR SEEMS TO STALL AS I ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE. AFTER I CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE IT DOES IMPROVE, BUT ONCE I STOP OR NEED TO REDUCE MY SPEED AS I BEGIN TO RE-ACCELERATE IT SEEMS SLUGGISH. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THIS MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH THE THROTTLE. I DON'T LET MY CAR IDLE UNLESS I AM STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND DON'T ACCELERATE FORCEFULLY. I WILL BE TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICING SOON AS WAS TOLD THERE WAS A THROTTLE ISSUE WITH THE VOLVOS. I AM JUST NOT SURE IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL. *TR
May 30, 2014 · 123,000 milesVehicle speed control TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE STALLED A SECOND TIME WHILE THE CONTACT WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR THROTTLE WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.
Nov 6, 2012 · 42,900 miles · crashPower train ON THE ABOVE DATE I STARTED MY VEHICLE AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO PULL OUT OF PARKING SPACE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER RELEASING MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE AND BEFORE TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR ACCELERATED IN REVERSE SO FAST THAT I BOUNCED OFF A CEMENT POLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT. THE FORCE WAS SO GREAT THAT THE VEHICLE BOUNCED THREE TIMES BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT WHICH I DID BY APPLYING THE BRAKE AND BEING BLOCKED BY THE POLE. AFTER I CAME TO A STOP I REALIZED THAT IT WAS IN FACT THE POLE THAT HAD STOPPED MY CAR. I WAS ALSO BLOCKING THE PARKING LOT SO I PUT MY FOOT BACK ON BRAKE AND PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE TO GET OUT OF WAY OF OTHER MOTORISTS AND TO ASSESS DAMAGE TO THE REAR OF…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.