Most common 2020 Volvo S60 problems
Share of the 12 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo S60 complaints by model year
Best S60 years: 2011, 2025, 2021. Years to avoid: 2012, 2024, 2013, 2015, 2001. Compare all years →
2020 Volvo S60 recalls (4)
Electrical system › Propulsion system › Traction battery
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2020-2021 S90, 2020-2022 S60, V60, XC60, XC90, and 2022 V90 plug-in hybrid vehicles. The high-voltage battery may experience a short circuit within the battery module when the battery is fully charged and the vehicle is parked.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will inspect and replace the high-voltage battery module as necessary.
Air bags › Frontal
Volvo Car USA, LLC. (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2024 S60 vehicles. The passenger air bag may not be secured properly, which can cause the air bag to deploy improperly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the bolts securing the passenger air bag, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 5, 2024.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2020 V90, XC60, S60, V60, V60CC, S90, V90CC, S90L, and XC90 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump can blow a fuse and fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10100.
Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking
Volvo Cars USA LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2019-2020 S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, S90L, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC40, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. Due to a software/hardware incompatibility, the Automatic Emergency Brake (AEB) system may not detect obstacles and engage as intended.
Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will update the Active Safety Domain Master (ASDM) software, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2020 Volvo S60:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2020 Volvo S60 owners say
Brakes
The car has "detected" a crash many times and automatically stopped even on the highway. It jerks and to slam on the brakes and then keeps going. It's very dangerous and I have a strong theory it's the model in general and not an isolated situation with my car.
2020 Volvo S60 t-6 r went in for service at Volvo dealer, 5/12/21, mileage 24,018. Technician noted rear brakes less than 2mm & rotors grooved, needs to be replaced. I was told this is not under warranty, it's normal wear. This vehicle had service at the same dealer on 12/8/20, mileage 16,952 the service report stated, "brakes in the green 7mm or more". The vehicle is driven highway miles mainly, regardless of that fact, brake pads don't not wear down 5mm in 7,000 miles on a new car unless there's an underlying problem, there has already been a recall on the rear automatic park brake, seems likely that there's additional problems with the rear brakes. The replacement cost me $888.00
Electrical system
I turned the car on and got an error message that said the turn indicator system failed. After trying to clear the message from the dash using the button on the steering wheel, I discovered that nothing on the steering wheel was working, including the windshield wipers or any buttons on the steering wheel. I called the manufacturer and they told me not to drive it and they towed it to the dealer. The dealer said they had see this before as either a software issue or electrical issue and would need to replace the stalks and buttons.
On two separate occasions in the past two months June 6 and Aug. 15, this vehicle experienced a severe unintended engine surge / unintended acceleration event while at a complete stop with my foot firmly on the brake. On both occasions, the engine RPMs spiked above 1,000 RPM, forcing the vehicle to pull heavily against the brakes as if trying to race forward into the intersection. On the most recent event (Aug. 15) when stopping at a red light it appeared that the supercharger kicked in, pulling against the brakes. Six or eight pedestrians were crossing directly in front of the vehicle. If I had taken my foot of the brake I would have hit them. 1.June 12, 2026 Service Visit (RO #192480, attached): Following the June 6 incident, the vehicle was brought to Beyer Volvo Cars Falls Church, Va. …
Driver assistance
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo S60. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle erroneously drove forward and crashed into a second vehicle. The contact indicate that during the crash the collision avoidance feature did not activate. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the incident. The failure mileage was 16,000.
The car has "detected" a crash many times and automatically stopped even on the highway. It jerks and to slam on the brakes and then keeps going. It's very dangerous and I have a strong theory it's the model in general and not an isolated situation with my car.
2020 Volvo S60 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged plug-in hybrid | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 28 / 33 / 30 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 34 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 21 / 32 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Volvo S60 a good car?
Based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 S60 rates better than average: 52% fewer complaints than a typical year of the S60 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Volvo S60?
The brakes — 5 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (4) and driver assistance (3).
How many recalls does the 2020 Volvo S60 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2020 Volvo S60, the most recent from March 24, 2025 (traction battery). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volvo S60?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 2025 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2024, 2013, 2015 and 2001. See the full Volvo S60 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Volvo S60 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 16,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.