Most common 2020 Volvo XC60 problems
Share of the 22 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volvo XC60 complaints by model year
Best XC60 years: 2014, 2017, 2012. Years to avoid: 2022, 2023, 2025, 2024, 2021. Compare all years →
2020 Volvo XC60 recalls (6)
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.
Steering
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2019-2022 V60CC, XC60, and XC90 vehicles. During steering gear assembly, double screws may have been assembled on top of each other, which can cause a screw to fall into the gearbox housing.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 1, 2023. Owners may contact Volvo Car's customer service at 1-800-458-1552.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 S90L, 2020-2021 XC60, and XC90 vehicles. An improperly welded rotor and shaft may separate within the integrated brake system.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the hydraulic unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552.
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.
Visibility/wiper
Volvo Car of N.A., LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2018-2020 XC60 vehicles. The nuts that secure the front wipers may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly causing the wipers to not function properly.
Remedy: Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the nuts holding the front windshield wiper arms in position, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2020.
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 XC60:
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 XC60 owners say
Electrical system
On July 28, 2026, while driving my 2020 Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered, the vehicle repeatedly displayed "Hybrid system failure - Service required," together with the check-engine light and hybrid/battery warning indicators. The warning repeatedly reappeared while the vehicle was being driven. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Volvo dealer, North Point Volvo, on July 30, 2026. The dealer diagnosed a fault in high-voltage battery cell module "B" and documented that the module requires replacement. Repair Order #522934 states that the replacement parts are on order with "NO ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL." The dealer advised me that the vehicle was mechanically safe to drive as long as I did not charge it. …
1. One day after getting car the rear rotors were defective and had to be replaced. 2. Second problem affected stop/start mechanism. Brought car in four times for this repair. First 3 times service department had no idea what was causing problem. Last time brought in for this problem a stop/start battery was replaced. 3. New most dangerous problem is that while driving car the dashboard display turned into a bright barcode (I took a picture if needed). Stoped car at red light and upon restarting car same problem existed. Went to restaurant and upon leaving 90 minutes later same problem exhausted. This morning when dealer came to pick up car display was working. My wife drives car and this last problem scared her very much and she is frightened to drive car not knowing when and if this, or other problems will again occur. …
Brakes
1. One day after getting car the rear rotors were defective and had to be replaced. 2. Second problem affected stop/start mechanism. Brought car in four times for this repair. First 3 times service department had no idea what was causing problem. Last time brought in for this problem a stop/start battery was replaced. 3. New most dangerous problem is that while driving car the dashboard display turned into a bright barcode (I took a picture if needed). Stoped car at red light and upon restarting car same problem existed. Went to restaurant and upon leaving 90 minutes later same problem exhausted. This morning when dealer came to pick up car display was working. My wife drives car and this last problem scared her very much and she is frightened to drive car not knowing when and if this, or other problems will again occur. …
We recently took our 2020 Volvo XC60 with approximately 20k miles into the dealership where it has received it's oil changes and had its service issues looked at since buying the vehicle new. During the inspection video, the technician indicated the rear brakes had approximately 10% life remaining while the front had approximately 90% life remaining in them. This seems extremely askew and is indicative of a problem. Under normal driving circumstances and 20k miles wear and tear, there is no reason other than a malfunctioning mechanical issue like the emergency brake not disengaging completely that this uneven wear should be occurring. This should not be the case in such a relatively new vehicle and could result in unknown excessive wear on the braking system causing premature brake failure. …
Wheels & tires
- Back left axle went loose with the back left wheel while driving, causing the car to rotate 45 degrees, scratching the ground. Once the car drifted back horizontally, I used the brakes to stop the car. Multiple pictures show the defect. Back left lights where the axle went off and the wheel is not broken, showing no collision. Liquid escaped from the bottom. Available for inspection and photos as well. -Had I not been able to use the brakes after the car rotated sideways, we would have crashed. This could have caused major injuries to us and/or others. -The police inspected the car and didn't qualify it as an accident since they said no damages, other objects, or vehicles were involved. The manufacturer's local shop made a 4 lines and inaccurate report to qualify it as an accident falsely. …
Good Morning: I've attached a letter that I've written to Volvo USA regarding their security lug bolts on the wheels of their vehicles and the adapter that they provide to remove this. I found out after incurring a flat tire that these adapters are often non-functional and that the dealer is well aware of this. I think this is an issue that Volvo should address for all current and past owners. Also, during this incident I experienced what I think is a flaw in their tire pressure monitoring system - it illuminated a yellow caution which, I've seen happen when one tire was not at the same pressure as the others. In this instance the tire was flat. Shouldn't that warrant a different indication? Thank you for your attention to this.
2020 Volvo XC60 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged plug-in hybrid | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 26 / 28 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo supercharged | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Volvo XC60 a good car?
Based on 22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 XC60 rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the XC60 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 XC60?
The electrical system — 8 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the brakes (4) and wheels & tires (3).
How many recalls does the 2020 Volvo XC60 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2020 Volvo XC60, 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 XC60?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2017 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2023, 2025, 2024 and 2021. See the full Volvo XC60 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2020 Volvo XC60 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 18,000 miles; 75% 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.