YearToAvoid

2019 Volvo S60 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2019 Volvo S60 has a complaint index of 79, ranking 5th worst out of 20 model years, and carries an Avoid verdict. Electrical System complaints (8, 32% of total) including two fires drive most of the risk, backed by 4 recalls.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
79/100
#5 of 20 S60 years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
25
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
4
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
2
Injuries
2
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2021
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
28
24 city / 34 hwy
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Top 2019 Volvo S60 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA 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%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Smoke and fire reported coming from air vents linked to the 12V battery warning light, with fire found in the trunk area.
  • Brakes reportedly failed while pulling into a parking spot, causing a collision even though automatic emergency braking did not intervene.
  • Front tires damaged by potholes within the first month of ownership, at a median mileage of 220 miles for suspension complaints.
  • Lane keep assist reportedly worked only a fraction of the time, and forward collision avoidance was described as stopping the vehicle abruptly with no obstacle present.
  • Chrome trim around the steering wheel reportedly caused glare that owners said was distracting and uncomfortable while driving.
  • Parking brake reportedly became temporarily unavailable with the information center losing GPS, tire pressure, and fuel data, blamed on liquid entering a switch near the cup holders.
2019 Volvo S60 complaints: complaints filed per month2Apr 2019Aug 2020Oct 2021Aug 2022Apr 2023Nov 2023Aug 2024Feb 2025
25 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2019 to Aug 2026; peak Aug 2022 (2).

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)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Good3216526
2018No verdict54126
2019Avoid7925428
2020Good2611427
2021Best218326.5

All Volvo S60 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Volvo S60 reliable?
Compared to other S60 model years, 2019 ranks poorly: it has a complaint index of 79, the 5th worst of 20 model years tracked, and an Avoid verdict.
What is the biggest problem with the 2019 Volvo S60?
The Electrical System is the top problem area, with 8 complaints making up 32% of all complaints for the year, including 2 reported fires.
Does the 2019 Volvo S60 have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2019 S60, covering airbags, the fuel pump fuse, Automatic Emergency Braking software, and rear suspension toe link lock nuts.
How does the 2019 S60 compare to the 2021 S60?
The 2021 S60 has a complaint index of 21 and a Best verdict, much lower than the 2019 S60's complaint index of 79 and Avoid verdict.

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.