There are 9 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2005 Volvo S60in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, BUT THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000.
TWICE NOW OVER A TEN DAY PERIOD FIRST WHEN REDUCING SPEED TO A STOP OR THEN AGAIN AT A SPEED OF LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE CAR DIED...FIRST THE ENGINE DIED THEN ALL ELSE DIED. THE CAR WENT DEAD. I STILL HAD MY STEERING AND SLOWLY ROLLED TO THE CURBED THEN AS I GENTLY PUT ON THE BRAKES THE CAR JERKED TO A HALT. DURING THE SECOND INCIDENT THE CAR STILL JERKED AFTER I HAD STOPPED. A LOUD SOUND OF A FAN FROM THE ENGINE COULD BE HEARD. THE FAN STOPPED AFTER 10 TO 15 SECONDS. AFTER A MINUTE I RESTARTED THE CAR AND MADE IT HOME BOTH TIMES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SLOW TO START. ONCE STARTED, THE VEHICLE WOULD RIVE SLUGGISH AND WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT HAD AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACE THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR MORE THAN THREE TIMES BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS CLEANED AND THE SENSOR WAS RESET BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT AN INTERIM SOLUTION WAS TO DISCONNECT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND UPON DOING SO THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THE HESITATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
I OWN A 2005 VOLVO S60. WHEN DRIVING TODAY TO WORK, WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE GAS AND THE STEERING BECAME ROUGH. HITTING THE ACCELERATOR DID NOTHING. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ONCE I TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON IT RESTARTED. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLVO. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THESE INCIDENTS FOR UNDER YEARS 2003 -AND 2004- 07V226000 . THE RECALL FOR THE S40 COVERED THROUGH 2006 - 08V033000. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET FORUM SHOWS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING FOR A LOT OF THE 2005 MODELS AS WELL. PLEASE CONSIDER INCLUDING THESE MODEL YEARS AS THIS IS A DANGER. *KB
VEHICLE HAS STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING SEVERAL TIMES WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60 MPH). FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE SUMMER OF 2011 AT 105,000 MILES. A SECOND, SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE FALL OF 2011 AT 108,000 MILES. AUTO SCANDIA IN HERNDON, VA, REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW METER IN AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE PERFORMED WELL FOR SEVERAL MONTHS WITHOUT INCIDENT. UNFORTUNATELY IT STALLED AGAIN IN MARCH 2012. THIS WAS ALSO WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60 MPH). THE UNUSUAL HIGHWAY BREAKDOWN WAS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE TO BE THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM LEAK DETECTION PUMP WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,663. UPDATED 01/18/11 *BF UPDATED 03/23/11
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM (RADIATOR) TWICE FOR THIS CAR IN LESS THAN 66K. WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING, THE WARNING "STOP CAR IMMEDIATELY COOLANT LOW" COMES ON. VOLVO HAS CHANGED THE SUPPLIER FOR THIS PART, WHICH TELLS ME THEY KNOW IT IS A PROBLEM. NOT ONLY IS THIS SCARY, BUT THE COST TO REPLACE (WITH LABOR) IS OVER $1,300. I THINK THIS IS BOTH A HAZARD FOR THE DRIVER, OTHER DRIVERS (IF YOU NEED TO PULL OVER QUICKLY AND STOP YOUR ENGINE) AS WELL AS AN UNNECESSARY COST. AS A CONSUMER WHO HAS TOLERATED ENOUGH CORPORATE ABUSE (BANKS, WALL STREET, CAR BAILOUTS) I AM HOPEFUL THAT THE NHTSA WILL LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND REQUIRE THAT VOLVO STAND BEHIND THE QUALITY OF THE CARS THEY MAKE AND SELL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO S60. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF TWICE WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND LOST ALL POWER, INCLUDING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 94,000.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE VEHICLE WAS HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED THE DEALER FOUND A BEND IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS BEND COULD CAUSE THE DRIVESHAFT TO CRACK. THE DEALER SAID THE CONTACT MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE. BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE HE HIT ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER WAITING FOR AN INVESTIGATION. AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026