2011 Volvo XC60 Problems and Complaints

Senior Editor,

Updated on August 7, 2024

Hailing from Sweden, Volvo Cars as a brand has evolved over the years and the XC60 has been one of the stanchions of this progress. Scoring an 81 in the reliability category and 77 in driving experience from JD Power, the XC60 has been one-third of the contributor to the total sales achieved by the brand in the 2021 year.

There have been 4 recalls for the 2011 Volvo XC60 along with just 32 registered complaints and 0 investigations. Belonging to the compact luxury SUV, it competes with the likes of the BMW X3, the Audi Q5, and the Infiniti EX.

User complaints for the 2011 Volvo XC60

Engine and Mechanical Complaints

Engine oil consumption issue: One of the most recurring issues the XC60 owners have reported is related to engine oil consumption which leads to unexpected low oil light turning on. Drivers have reported this issue occurring at random intervals with the vehicle being under warranty and/or properly serviced. No recalls have been introduced by the brand for this issue.
Vehicle speed control: It was reported that while parking, the vehicle started to rev high on its own without the gas pedal being depressed which resulted in the vehicle hitting the wall. This issue has been narrowed down caused due to power control module malfunctioning.
Steering issue: The steering completely freezing while driving/parking the vehicle has also been noted from the complaints registered and there has been no proper fix for the same. It seems that the vehicle loses power thereby rendering the power steering wheel completely jammed which could be fatal from what it seems to be.

Safety Complaints

Airbags not deploying: From the complaints registered, it has been noted that the airbags sensors malfunction which results in the same either showing check light on the dashboard or not working as intended. One of the consumers also reported being in a car crash where the airbags didn’t deploy at all and the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged. A recall was issued by the brand for the fault in the driver's airbag clockspring wiring.

Seatbelt issue: Several consumers have reported the issue with the seatbelt buckle getting stuck which not to mention is a very critical piece of safety equipment. It has also been noted from the complaints that the issue persists with the fastening of the seatbelt as well.

Structural Complaints

Windshield leakage: The windshield has been reported to leak water while driving in the rain from the multiple complaints registered. The windshield adhesive seems to wear off with time which allows the water to leak right above the steering wheel on the driver's side.

Electronic Complaints

Driver assistance features acting up: The ABS, parking system, and BLIS (Blind Spot Information system) has been reported to act up which has been noted from multiple complaints registered. The issue has not been pinpointed and the exact reason still is unclear.

Recalls of 2011 Volvo XC60

S. No	Date	NHTSA ID	Issues Noticed	Additional Remarks	Remedy
1	June 30 2020	20V378000	Seat Belts May Not Restrain Occupant	The flexible steel cable that connects the seat belt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue over time, causing the seat belt to not secure the occupant in the event of a crash	Dealers will replace the seat belt anchor cable for both front seats to fix this issue
2	Nov 22 2010	10V591000	Front passenger side seat rail if positioned beyond the maximum indication can causes sever injury in an event of crash	The front seat rails detection system seems to have been misaligned which allows the seat to be positioned beyond the safe and intended maximum	A general inspection will be done and the end stop maximum indications will be checked which inturn will be fixed if not found to be aligned
3	Nov 17 2010	10V579000	Sudden engine stall which could result in a crash	The software calibration for the fuel cut-off functionality in the engine control module (ECM) is too sensitive which results in the stalling	An updation of ECM and TCM is planned which should fix the issue
4	Oct 13 2010	10V489000	The frontal airbags may not deploy as intended or at all in an event of a crash	An intermittent fault in the driver's airbag clockspring wiring connector for the supplemental restraint system	Installation of a metal shim in the driver's airbag clockspring wiring connector free of cost.

Should you buy the 2011 Volvo XC60

The 2011 Volvo XC60 seems to fare well compared to the competition it runs against. While the reliability record is definitely not a clean slate, issues like vehicle speed control, steering, and water leaking from the windshield are still manageable and happen to hold a pretty low frequency when it comes to their occurrence. With the sales numbers showing an upward trend from the release year, we would advise steering in the 2011 Volvo XC60’s direction however watching out for the abnormal oil consumption and airbag issue.