Home · 2012 Volvo S60 Recharge · Complaints

What 121 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Volvo S60 Recharge

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (121)Crash / fire / injury (15)Engine (61)Electrical system (17)Seat belts (9)Fuel system (8)Steering (8)Body & structure (7)Airbags (6)Brakes (6)Speed control (6)Transmission & drivetrain (4)

3 of 121 complaints match · Body & structure · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Apr 17, 2020Body & structure1 injury

INTERIOR ADHESIVE CHROME TRIM DELAMINATING AND VERY SHARP CAUSING A CUT HAND ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND CENTER CONSOLE

NHTSA ODI 11321399

Feb 3, 2017Transmission & drivetrainBody & structureFuel systemCrash

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GROCERY STORE LOT. I ENTERED THE VEHICLE TO BACK IT OUT OF ITS PARKING SPOT. IT WAS NEXT TO A FULL SIZED VAN WHICH HAD CARPET CLEANING EQUIPMENT MOUNTED INSIDE. I STARTED THE CAR AND PLACED IT IN REVERSE AS IT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. I TRIED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKE WHICH FAILED. I COLLIDED WITH A BLOCK WALL IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO GET IT OUT OF GEAR, WITH THE SOLID JARRING FROM THE REAR THE CAR WENT INTO DRIVE AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO FULL SPEED, WHILE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE. THE VOLVO HIT THE VAN WHICH IT HAD BEEN PARKED NEXT TO IN THE REAR LEFT BUMPER AND DROVE IT APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET THROUGH A PLANTER AND INTO A PARKING SPOT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PLANTER. THIS CAR (VOLVO) IS EQUIPPED WITH A COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE AUTO BRAKED AND DID NOT. ADDITIONALLY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I TOOK THE CAR TO VOLVO AND HAD THEM ATTEMPT TO PULL CODES FROM THE VEHICLES INFORMATION SYSTEM. THEY REPORTED THAT NO CODES WERE PRESENT AND ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN AWAY THE INCIDENT AS DRIVER ERROR. THE CAR WAS TOTALED IN THE PROCESS. I AM CERTAIN THAT THERE WAS NO DRIVER ERROR AND THAT WHAT HAPPENED WAS A SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION. OTHER SOMEWHAT SIMILAR INCIDENTS ARE REPORTED ON THE INTERNET. THE CAR HAS BEEN RETAINED IN MY POSSESSION UNTIL MAR 9TH 2017. IN THE EVENT IT SHOULD BE EVALUATED I HAVE IT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10949233

Jan 21, 2014AirbagsSeat beltsBody & structureCrash2 injuries

ON AUGUST 24, 2013, I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. A CAR STOPPED SHORT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME HIT THAT CAR. I THEN HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD ONLY A FEW SECONDS TO REACT. ANOTHER CAR THEN RE-ENDED ME. MY AIRBAG NOR SEATBELT PRETENTIONERS DEPLOYED. I HAD DIFFICULTY TURNING THE CAR OFF. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF THE INCIDENT, I REPORTED THE MATTER TO VOLVO. THEY SENT AN INVESTIGATOR OUT. VOLVO CLAIMS THAT SENSORS WERE NOT ACTIVATED SINCE THE DAMAGE WAS ABOVE THEM, AND THERE WAS NOT ANY PROBLEM. HOWEVER, AT THE SPEED I HIT, THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR WHY THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. EITHER THE CAR IS DESIGNED IMPROPERLY IN TERMS OF WHERE THE SENSORS ARE PLACED OR THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, OTHER S60S (NOT MY VID#) HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE AIRBAGS NOT TO DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560896

Working with the data? Download all 121 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 18, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Volvo S60 Recharge verdict →