Short answer
Among Volvo S60 model years through 2024, 2018 has the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (1) and 2001, 2002 and 2012 have the most (8). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Volvo S60: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 24 (2001–2025)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 40
- Fewest recalls
- 2018 (1)
- Most recalls
- 2001, 2002 and 2012 (8)
- Most recalled system
- Air bags (21)
- 5-star overall rating
- 2012, 2013, 2014 and 10 more years
Volvo S60 Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Recent: still collecting recalls | 2 | 5 stars | Back over prevention |
| 2024 | 3 | 5 stars | Back over prevention, Air bags |
| 2023 | 6 | 5 stars | Back over prevention, Air bags, Electrical system |
| 2022 | 4 | 5 stars | Air bags, Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2021 | 3 | 5 stars | Air bags, Electrical system, Seat belts |
| 2020 | 4 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Air bags, Forward collision avoidance |
| 2019 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance |
| 2018 | 1 | 5 stars | Seat belts |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 stars | Air bags, Seat belts, Latches/locks/linkages |
| 2016 | 4 | 5 stars | Seat belts, Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkages |
| 2015 | 2 | 5 stars | Latches/locks/linkages, Seat belts |
| 2014 | 3 | 5 stars | Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkages, Seat belts |
| 2013 | 4 | 5 stars | Air bags, Equipment, Latches/locks/linkages |
| 2012 | 8 | 5 stars | Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical system, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2011 | 6 | Not rated | Engine and engine cooling, Equipment, Latches/locks/linkages |
| 2009 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment, Seats |
| 2008 | 2 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment |
| 2007 | 2 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment |
| 2006 | 3 | Not rated | Equipment, Air bags |
| 2005 | 3 | Not rated | Equipment, Air bags |
| 2004 | 5 | Not rated | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling, Equipment |
| 2003 | 6 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2002 | 8 | Not rated | Equipment, Air bags, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2001 | 8 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment, Fuel system, gasoline |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20252 recalls
- 20243 recalls
- 20236 recalls
- 20224 recalls
- 20213 recalls
- 20204 recalls
- 20194 recalls
- 20181 recall
- 20175 recalls
- 20164 recalls
- 20152 recalls
- 20143 recalls
- 20134 recalls
- 20128 recalls
- 20116 recalls
- 20093 recalls
- 20082 recalls
- 20072 recalls
- 20063 recalls
- 20053 recalls
- 20045 recalls
- 20036 recalls
- 20028 recalls
- 20018 recalls
Volvo S60: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Volvo S60 recalls are air bags (21), equipment (18), seat belts (12), electrical system (9) and engine and engine cooling (8). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA has an overall star rating for 13 of these 24 model years, and 2012, 2013, 2014 and 10 more years earned 5 stars. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.
FAQ: Volvo S60 Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Volvo S60?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2018 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 1 each.
Which Volvo S60 model years have the most recalls?
2001, 2002 and 2012 have the most, with 8 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "S60", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy