2001 Volvo S60 Reliability
The 2001 Volvo S60 has 238 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and speed control / throttle. Compared with nearby S60 model years (2000–2003), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the S60's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
238
NHTSA owner complaints
9
Recall campaigns
8
Complaints citing a crash
6
Complaints citing a fire
2001 Volvo S60 complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2001 model year, filed between 2001 and 2023. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 75 | 32% |
| Speed control / throttle | 47 | 20% |
| Electrical system | 35 | 15% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 23 | 10% |
| Engine & cooling | 20 | 8% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 16 | 7% |
| Tires | 8 | 3% |
| Service brakes | 7 | 3% |
2001 Volvo S60 recalls
9 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2001 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03V284000 | Aug 1, 2003 | Equipment — other / labels | Certain passenger cars fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the second isofix guide was not installed in these vehicles and, in certain cases, the owner's manual isofix… |
| 04V451000 | Sep 13, 2004 | Engine & cooling — cooling system / fan | On certain passenger and sport utility vehicles, under certain operating conditions, some electric cooling fans may overheat potentially causing heat damage and, in rare instances, a fire in the engine compartment. |
| 06V441000 | Nov 15, 2006 | Speed control / throttle | On certain passenger vehicles, a combination of throttle positioning sensor irregularities, a dirty throttle housing, and/or inefficient software calibration may cause a warning lamp to light and the subsequent onset of limp home modes. |
| 07E023000 | Mar 29, 2007 | Service brakes — foundation components / master cylinder | Certain cardone master cylinders with part numbers 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987mza, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, and 11-3156, and with date codes lower than dca7078 sold as replacement equipment for use on the vehicles listed… |
| 07V152000 | Apr 5, 2007 | Fuel system — delivery / fuel pump | On certain vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of arizona and nevada, due to the combination of fuel quality and climate conditions, the fuel pump may, in certain cases, experience a reduced functionality. The most common… |
| 09V483000 | Dec 18, 2009 | Fuel system — delivery / fuel pump | Volvo is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 s80, model year 2001-2004 v70, S60, xc70 and model year 2003-2005 xc90 vehicles sold in or registered in the states of alabama, arizona, arkansas, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, kentucky, louisiana,… |
| 10V566000 | Nov 8, 2010 | Equipment — electrical / navigational system(global positioning system) | Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (gps) units because the batteries on those units may overheat. |
| 20V681000 | Nov 4, 2020 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2003 S80 and S60 vehicles sold or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Puerto Rico, American… |
| 21V766000 | Sep 30, 2021 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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… |
How the 2001 compares with nearby S60 years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year S60 analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 | 0 | Steering | Too few reports |
| 2001 (this page) | 238 | 9 | Fuel system | Avoid |
| 2002 | 189 | 9 | Fuel system | Avoid |
| 2003 | 123 | 7 | Electrical system | Caution |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2001 Volvo S60
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 9 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2001 Volvo S60 can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2001 Volvo S60 reliability FAQ
Is the 2001 Volvo S60 reliable?
The 2001 Volvo S60 has 238 owner complaints and 9 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and speed control / throttle. Compared with nearby S60 model years (2000–2003), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the S60's typical year.
What are the most common 2001 Volvo S60 problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2001 Volvo S60 are fuel system (75), speed control / throttle (47), electrical system (35), powertrain / transmission (23). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2001 Volvo S60 have recalls?
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2001 Volvo S60, including 03V284000 (equipment — other / labels) and 04V451000 (engine & cooling — cooling system / fan). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2001 Volvo S60 compare with the 2000 and 2002 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2000 has 1 complaint and 0 recalls (too few reports); the 2002 has 189 complaints and 9 recalls (avoid). The 2001 has 238 complaints and 9 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2001 Volvo S60?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Volvo S60 research
Other Volvo S60 model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2001 S60, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.