YearToAvoid

2011 Volvo S60 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

68/100

#7 most-complained of 20 S60 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2011 Volvo S60 has 5 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 68 out of 100 — #7 highest of 20 S60 model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is suspension, wheels & tires (2 complaints, 40% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes and 5 injuries.

Complaints
5
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21
18 city / 26 hwy

Top 2011 Volvo S60 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (40%)
  2. Engine1 (20%)
  3. Steering1 (20%)
  4. Structure & Body1 (20%)
2011 Volvo S60 complaints: complaints filed per month1May 2011Nov 2011Oct 2014Jan 2018Nov 2023
5 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2011 to Nov 2023; peak May 2011 (1).

2011 Volvo S60 recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V378000Jun 30, 2020Seat Belts308,260 vehicles

    Seat belts:front

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  2. NHTSA 19V849000Nov 26, 2019Structure & Body144,937 vehicles

    Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 13V592000Nov 22, 2013Engine30,929 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling:engine

    Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 S60 vehicles manufactured June 22, 2010, through May 14, 2012, and equipped with 5-cylinder B5254T5 (VIN code 62) engines. In the affected vehicles, the vehicle may not alert the driver of a low oil pressure situation.

    Risk: Without being warned of a low oil pressure situation, the driver may continue to drive the vehicle until it stalls, which increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle's software so that the driver is alerted should there be a low oil pressure situation, free of charge. The recall began on January 10, 2014. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this campaign is R29436.

See all 6 recalls for the 2011 Volvo S60 →

2011 Volvo S60 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,100
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other S60 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Good4710221
2009Best167321
2011Caution685621
2012Avoid100121822
2013Avoid9587423

All Volvo S60 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Volvo S60 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2011 Volvo S60 ranks #7 of 20 among S60 model years (Complaint Index 68/100, verdict: Caution). It has 5 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Volvo S60?
The most reported problem areas are suspension, wheels & tires (2 complaints), engine (1 complaints), and steering (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 13,150 miles.
Does the 2011 Volvo S60 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2011 Volvo S60, most recently reported 2020, covering seat belts, structure & body, engine, and other.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Volvo S60?
EPA rates the 2011 Volvo S60 at 21 MPG combined (18 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,100. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.