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)

7 of 121 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters

Jan 6, 2021Seat beltsBody & structure

RECALL NOTICE ON 11/2019 TO REPLACE ALL DOORS DUE TO A SAFETY ISSUE (RECALL #: R89978: DOOR LATCHES). RECENTLY ON 12/1/2019, 12/23/2019 AND 1/5/2020 I NOTICED THAT MY REAR RIGHT DOOR SLIGHTLY OPENED WHILE CITY DRIVING IN SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD (LOTS OF STOPS) AND THE DOOR SIGNAL DID NOT INDICATE. THEY DID NOT FULLY OPEN BUT THE LATCH SEEMS TO HAVE AN ISSUE. HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO SERVICE AND VOLVO DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS NEEDED.

NHTSA ODI 11386744

Oct 8, 2020Body & structure

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH EXTERIOR BODY PAINT, COMPLAINED TO VOLVO AND SHOWED IT TO DEALER AS PER THEIR ADVISE, DEALER AGREED THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE THERE WITH LIMITED MILES AND MAINLY LOCAL DRIVING WITH THIS CAR. SCRATCHES ALL OVER THE BODY AND THIS WAS THERE WITH IN 4 YEARS OF CAR AND I HAVE TRIED DETAILING THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES WITH NO HELP TO REMOVE SCRATCHES. WHILE AT DEALERSHIP, RAN IN TO DEALER EMPLOYEE AND ANOTHER CUSTOMER WITH SIMILAR ISSUE FOR 2012 VOLVO S60. VOLVO REFUSES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE SAYING IT'S OUTSIDE WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP TOOK PICTURES AND AGREED THAT THIS IS DUE TO SOME UNDERLYING PAINT ISSUES, THEY WOULDN'T PUT IT IN WRITING AND LET VOLVO MANAGE THE COMPLAINT. NEED SOME HELP TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS IT IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN VOLVO ADMITS. I JUST NEED PAINT REPLACEMENT AND NOT EXPECTING ANY FINANCIAL COMPENSATION. ATTACHING PICTURES AND CAN PROVIDE MORE IF NECESSARY (REFLECTION DUE TO LIGHT, PLEASE ZOOM IN AND YOU WILL SEE THE 2 INCHES LONG STREAKS AND WHITE SPECKLES ALL OVER). COMPLAINT NUMBER WITH VOLVO USA -ID#200417-000663

NHTSA ODI 11363446

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

Jun 6, 2019Body & structure

DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR DISENGAGED WHILE TURNING ONTO THE HIGHWAY ACCESS RODE WITH PASSENGERS IN THE BACK, THE REAR PASSENGER NEARLY FELL OUT OF THE CAR. THE DOOR NO LONGER LATCHES WHICH CREATES A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, MAKING ME UNABLE TO SAFELY OPERATE THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11218298

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

Jan 19, 2013Body & structure

THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO DEALER. AFTER LITTLE OVER 12K MILES, THERE IS SEVER PAINT DAMAGE ON THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE CAR. THE PAINT APPEARS TO BE BUBBLING FROM UNDERNEATH. REQUIRES $8609.66 TO REPAIR. VOLVO ONLY WARRANTY THE PAINT FOR 12K MILES BUT ADVERTISES THE CAR HAVING 48 MONTH 50K MILES WARRANTY. VOLVO STATES THAT THE CAR MUST BE DRIED EVERY TIME IT GETS WET (INCLUDING WIPING THE CAR DRY AFTER IT RAINS). THEY HAVE GIVEN ME THE FOLLOWING EXCUSES FOR WHY THE PAINT IS DAMAGED: 1) WATER (E.G. RAIN) 2) SPRINKLER WATER 3) ACID RAIN 4) PESTICIDES I HAVE OTHER CARS MUCH OLDER THAN THIS CAR WHICH DO NOT HAVE SIMILAR PAINT DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10493485

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 →