2015 Volvo S60 Common Problems & Defect Telemetry
Authoritative defect intelligence synthesized from 57 verified NHTSA owner complaints, 2 federal safety recalls, and interquartile failure mileage telemetry.
The 2015 Volvo S60 receives a 4/10 MazicBay Reliability Index based on 57 verified NHTSA federal complaints and 2 safety recalls. The primary reported failure mode is Engine Stalling, Oil Consumption & Cooling Defect Reports with a median failure point at 32,860 miles (IQR: 2,100 – 47,044 mi). Out-of-warranty repairs benchmark at $950 – $3,200 .
47.5 complaints / 10k sold
Verified US federal records
Crash, fire & stall audit
2 Active / Free Remedies
2015 S60 Failure Distribution by Vehicle Subsystem
Top Reported Problem Clusters (7)
Engine Stalling, Oil Consumption & Cooling Defect Reports
- Engine sudden stall / hesitation while driving
- Abnormal oil burning / consumption
- Check Engine Light (MIL) flashing
- Engine overheating / coolant loss
“On 4/6/2026 At about 2:30 p.m. my son ... stated that he started the car and was in the process of driving out of the parking lot when he saw smoke coming thru the vents in the car. My son ... stated that he got out the car and opened the hood and the car was on fire. ... stat...”
“The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The contact stated that the vehicle had consumed 3 quarts of oil after driving 2,100 miles. Additionally, the contact stated that the low oil pressure warning lig...”
“The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and had flashed off and on while driving at highway speeds. The contact stated that the vehicle also stalled on several occasions. The v...”
Electrical Parasitic Drain, Infotainment & Harness Reports
- Unexplained battery drain after sitting overnight
- Infotainment display / instrument cluster blackouts
- Accessory malfunction / alternator fault warnings
“The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. No warning lights illuminated. The contact was a certified mechanic. The contact stated that the failure occurred when the outside temperatur...”
“Alternator belt shredded and got underneath the timing belt causing the engine timing to go off and severe engine damage that I will now have to total the car or spend $13-15K to replace. The car stalled after leaving a stop sign so I wasn't going fast. I spoke to my local mec...”
“The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the steering became extremely difficult to turn and several warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the "City Safety" light was illuminated and drove over a manhole co...”
Service Brakes, ABS Actuator & Master Cylinder Reports
- Spongy or hard brake pedal travel
- ABS / Brake warning light illuminated
- Extended stopping distance / pedal vibration
“City Safety Is randomly Malfunctioning. Vehicle will aggressively apply brakes when there are no objects in front of the vehicle. This has happened in town and on a long driveway.”
“I bought the car as a CPO on 9/25/19 32,860 mi. On 8/19/20 at 50,052 the engine failed. The oscillating dampener rubber separated causing serpentine belt to break, which in turn got caught in timing belt which caused that to break which then caused bent valves and valves to br...”
“The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to stop until the brake pedal had gone to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no f...”
Transmission Hesitation, Hard Shifting & Slipping Reports
- Hard gear shifts / delayed engagement into Drive/Reverse
- Transmission shudder / jerking under acceleration
- Transmission slipping between gears
“I bought the car as a CPO on 9/25/19 32,860 mi. On 8/19/20 at 50,052 the engine failed. The oscillating dampener rubber separated causing serpentine belt to break, which in turn got caught in timing belt which caused that to break which then caused bent valves and valves to br...”
“The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated that the gear shifter would not shift into gear as needed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 86,709.”
“MY S60 2015.5 ABRUPTLY CUT OFF WHEN AT A STANDSTILL "STATIONARY" IN TRAFFIC AND ON THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC THE WARNING SYSTEM SOUND CAME ON, AS IF CLOSE TO AN OBJECT, THEN THE SCREEN FLASHED ON THEN OFF ONE TIME. WITHIN MINUTES OF A COMPLETE STOP, THE CAR CUTS OFF COMPLETELY. THE ...”
Electric Power Steering Assist & Suspension Noise Reports
- Sudden loss of electric power steering assist
- Steering wheel pull or highway wander
- Clunking / knocking noise over bumps
“The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the steering became extremely difficult to turn and several warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the "City Safety" light was illuminated and drove over a manhole co...”
“I bought the car as a CPO on 9/25/19 32,860 mi. On 8/19/20 at 50,052 the engine failed. The oscillating dampener rubber separated causing serpentine belt to break, which in turn got caught in timing belt which caused that to break which then caused bent valves and valves to br...”
“DRIVING VEHICLE AT NORMAL SPEED (45MPH) WHEN ENGINE SHUT OFF ENTIRELY. VEHICLE FLASHED BRAKE CONTROLLER FAILURE AND WAS ABLE TO BE COASTED TO A STOP ON A SIDE STREET. POWER STEERING HAD FAILED AT THE TIME AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. VEHICLE HAD 46370 MILES...”
Airbag Occupant Detection & Inflator Defect Reports
- SRS Airbag warning lamp illuminated
- Passenger occupant classification sensor failure
- Seat belt retractor lockup
“I bought the car as a CPO on 9/25/19 32,860 mi. On 8/19/20 at 50,052 the engine failed. The oscillating dampener rubber separated causing serpentine belt to break, which in turn got caught in timing belt which caused that to break which then caused bent valves and valves to br...”
“The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated that while attempting to park in a parking garage, and applying the brake, her vehicle accelerated and crashed into a concrete wall, causing the air bag to deploy. The contact stated that she did apply the brake to avoid th...”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V378000 (SEAT BELTS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE ...”
Fuel Pump Pressure Loss & Fuel Delivery Defect Reports
- Sudden loss of propulsion power at highway speeds
- Extended engine cranking / failure to restart
- Fuel odor near fuel tank / engine bay
“I bought the car as a CPO on 9/25/19 32,860 mi. On 8/19/20 at 50,052 the engine failed. The oscillating dampener rubber separated causing serpentine belt to break, which in turn got caught in timing belt which caused that to break which then caused bent valves and valves to br...”
“THE LOW PRESSURE FUEL SENSOR ON THESE VEHICLES IS KNOWN BY MANUFACTURER TO FAIL. THIS FAILURE CAN CAUSE HARD START CONDITIONS, TAKING OVER 5 SECONDS AT TIMES TO START THE VEHICLE. THE MAIN DANGER OF THIS COMES FROM THE FACT THIS IS A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH AUTO STOP/START TECHN...”
Official NHTSA Safety Recalls (2)
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
Summary: 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.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Summary: 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.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist for 2015 Volvo S60
Before purchasing a used 2015 Volvo S60, perform the following targeted inspections based on reported federal defect patterns:
Scan the OBD-II port under the dash for pending freeze-frame codes (e.g. P0300 misfires, P0087 fuel rail pressure, P0420 catalytic efficiency).
Test vehicle at low-speed stop-and-go and highway merges. Check for delayed reverse engagement or gear shift shudder between 2nd and 3rd gears.
Verify that all 2 NHTSA safety recall campaigns have been performed by an authorized dealership using the VIN.
Ensure the instrument cluster, center screen, and auxiliary charging ports operate with stable 12.0V–14.4V alternator voltage.
Defect & Reliability Q&A: 2015 Volvo S60
Is the 2015 Volvo S60 a reliable used car?
The 2015 Volvo S60 earns a 4/10 MazicBay Reliability Index based on 57 federal owner reports. Vehicles maintained under factory service schedules exhibit strong longevity past 150,000 miles.
What is the most frequent defect reported on the 2015 Volvo S60?
The leading complaint category is Engine Stalling, Oil Consumption & Cooling Defect Reports, with a median failure point around 32,860 miles (IQR: 2,100 – 47,044 mi).
Are there free recall repairs available for the 2015 Volvo S60?
Yes, the NHTSA records 2 safety recall campaign(s) for this model year. All safety recalls are performed 100% free of charge by authorized franchise dealerships regardless of vehicle warranty status.

