YearToAvoid

2019 Volvo S60 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

71/100

#5 most-complained of 15 S60 years

The 2019 Volvo S60 has a Complaint Index of 71 and ranks 5th worst of 15 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Electrical System issues dominate with 8 complaints (32% share), including 2 fires, plus 4 recalls covering airbags, fuel pumps, and suspension.

Complaints
25
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
1 / 2
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
28
24 city / 34 hwy

Top 2019 Volvo S60 problems

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

  1. Electrical System8 (32%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (20%)
  3. Engine3 (12%)
  4. Other3 (12%)
  5. Brakes2 (8%)
  6. Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (8%)
  7. Structure & Body2 (8%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain2 (8%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers2 (8%)
  10. Airbags1 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners report smoke and smell coming from air vents with a dashboard 12V battery warning light, followed by a fire in the trunk area.
  • Brakes reportedly failed while pulling into a parking spot, causing the car to strike a parked vehicle even though the automatic collision avoidance system did not intervene.
  • New front tires were damaged by potholes within the first month of ownership at very low mileage.
  • Lane keep assist reportedly worked only a small fraction of the time, and the forward collision system reportedly caused the vehicle to stop abruptly while driving at low speed with no obstacle present.
  • Chrome trim around the steering wheel reportedly reflected sunlight into the driver's eyes, described as distracting and uncomfortable.
  • The parking brake reportedly became temporarily unavailable, with the information center losing GPS, tire pressure, and fuel data, traced to liquid getting into a switch near the cup holders.
2019 Volvo S60 complaints: complaints filed per month3Apr 2019Aug 2020Oct 2021Aug 2022Apr 2023Nov 2023Aug 2024Feb 2025
33 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2019 to Aug 2026; peak Jan 2024 (3).

2019 Volvo S60 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V780000Nov 21, 2023Airbags346 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Volvo Car USA, LLC. (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2024 S60 vehicles. The passenger air bag may not be secured properly, which can cause the air bag to deploy improperly.

    Risk: An air bag that does not deploy properly in a crash increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the bolts securing the passenger air bag, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 5, 2024. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10254.

  2. NHTSA 21V414000Jun 2, 2021Fuel System85,550 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2020 V90, XC60, S60, V60, V60CC, S90, V90CC, S90L, and XC90 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump can blow a fuse and fail.

    Risk: Failure of the low-pressure fuel pump can cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10100.

  3. NHTSA 20V144000Mar 12, 2020Collision Avoidance & Cameras121,605 vehicles

    Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking

    Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2019-2020 S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, S90L, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC40, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. Due to a software/hardware incompatibility, the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) system may not detect obstacles and engage as intended.

    Risk: If the automatic emergency braking system does not engage as intended, it can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the Active Safety Domain Master (ASDM) software, 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 R29998.

See all 4 recalls for the 2019 Volvo S60 →

2019 Volvo S60 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24 MPG
Highway
34 MPG
Combined
28 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,850
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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.

2019 compared with other S60 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Good3616526
2018No verdict74126
2019Caution7125428
2020Good2911427
2021Best218326.5

All Volvo S60 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Volvo S60 a good year to buy?
It carries a Caution verdict, ranking 5th worst among 15 S60 model years with a Complaint Index of 71. Electrical System problems, including 2 reported fires, are the top concern.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Volvo S60?
NHTSA data shows Electrical System complaints lead with 8 reports (32% share), followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires with 5 complaints (20% share) and Engine with 3 complaints (12% share).
Does the 2019 Volvo S60 have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2019 S60, covering airbags, the low-pressure fuel pump, Automatic Emergency Braking software, and rear suspension toe link lock nuts.
How does the 2019 S60 compare to other model years?
Its Complaint Index of 71 is worse than the 2016 (43), 2017 (36), 2020 (29), and 2021 (21) model years, all rated Good or Best, but better than 2012 (100) and 2013 (93), which are rated Avoid.

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.