2004 Volvo S60 Reliability
The 2004 Volvo S60 has 198 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and fuel system. Compared with nearby S60 model years (2002–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the S60's typical year, while the 2006 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
198
NHTSA owner complaints
6
Recall campaigns
12
Complaints citing a crash
12
Complaints citing a fire
2004 Volvo S60 complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 model year, filed between 2003 and 2024. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine & cooling | 63 | 32% |
| Fuel system | 37 | 19% |
| Engine | 22 | 11% |
| Electrical system | 21 | 11% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 18 | 9% |
| Seats | 12 | 6% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 12 | 6% |
| Speed control / throttle | 11 | 6% |
2004 Volvo S60 recalls
6 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2004 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04V029000 | Jan 16, 2004 | Steering — linkages | On certain passenger vehicles, the front control arms may not have been manufactured correctly and, as a result, the stud and nut that secure the arm to the spindle may lose their initial axial tension. Under certain driving conditions, the steering may… |
| 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… |
| 07V226000 | Jun 5, 2007 | Engine & cooling | On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pressure sensor located on the left end of the fuel rail may, at times, transmit incorrect signal regarding the fuel pressure to the engine control module. If the signal is outside of the pre-programmed allowable… |
| 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. |
| 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 2004 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 189 | 9 | Fuel system | Avoid |
| 2003 | 123 | 7 | Electrical system | Caution |
| 2004 (this page) | 198 | 6 | Engine & cooling | Avoid |
| 2005 | 44 | 4 | Engine & cooling | Solid |
| 2006 | 31 | 4 | Air bags | Solid |
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 2004 Volvo S60
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 6 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 2004 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.
2004 Volvo S60 reliability FAQ
Is the 2004 Volvo S60 reliable?
The 2004 Volvo S60 has 198 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and fuel system. Compared with nearby S60 model years (2002–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the S60's typical year, while the 2006 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2004 Volvo S60 problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Volvo S60 are engine & cooling (63), fuel system (37), engine (22), electrical system (21). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2004 Volvo S60 have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2004 Volvo S60, including 04V029000 (steering — linkages) and 07E023000 (service brakes — foundation components / master cylinder). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2004 Volvo S60 compare with the 2003 and 2005 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2003 has 123 complaints and 7 recalls (caution); the 2005 has 44 complaints and 4 recalls (solid). The 2004 has 198 complaints and 6 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2004 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 2004 S60, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.