Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Volvo S60, and it carries 6 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 46 | 23% |
| Fuel system | 20 | 10% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 12 | 6% |
| Engine | 11 | 6% |
| Seats | 10 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 5% |
| Power train | 9 | 5% |
| Tires | 8 | 4% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 6 | 3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
2004 VOLVO S60 PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN SEPT 04. On 7/8/24 STRANDED AT 7-11 CAR WOULDN'T START. ACTING AS IF THERE WAS POWER LOSS, AC WENT OFF, BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT ON PANEL, POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS DID NOT WORK, TEMP 1
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Starting Sunday November 27 my car started dripping gasoline on the floor, on the driver side near the rear wheel. Immediately I took it to Volvo dealer Wynne in Hampton, VA. The service specialist told me there was not
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
The contact owns a 2004 Volvo S60. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the instrument panel would not illuminate or operate. During the failure, the fuel gauge, speedometer, odometer, and other informati
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
RECALL AIRBAGS- FUEL GAUGE GOES UP AND DOWN NEVER REGISTERS CORRECTLY
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
DRIVING HOME FROM CHURCH,, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT,FROM THE HEATED SEAT. BURNED A HOLE THRU THE LEATHER . WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE SWITCH AND PUT SOME SNOW INTO THE GOLF SIZE HOLE AND PULLED THE FUSE
NHTSA complaint: Seats
YES MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT JUST RANDOMLY LOCKED UP. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY CRASHES I DIDN'T STOP SHORT FOR IT TO LOCK UP. I WENT TO PUT IT ON AND IT WOULD ONLY PULL HALF WAY OUT AND THEN WHEN IT WENT BACK IT I
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
MY SON WAS IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF HIS 2004 VOLVO S60. HE WAS IN A RURAL AREA AND EITHER DIDN'T SEE THE ONCOMING CAR OR MISSED HIS STOP SIGN AND THE ONCOMING DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO STOP. THE OTH
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE INTERSECTED HER LINE CAUSING IMPACT TO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STA
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2004 Volvo S60. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2006 S80 and 2001-2009 S60 vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
Risk: AN OVERHEATED BATTERY COULD LEAD TO A FIRE.
Fix: VOLVO ADVISES OWNERS TO PLEASE STOP USING THE GARMIN PORTABLE GPS DEVICE IMMEDIATELY, AND VISIT THE GARMIN WEBSITE TO DETERMINE IF THEIR UNIT IS AFFECTED. THE UNIT'S BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A N
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2001-2005 S80, MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 V70, S60, XC70 AND MODEL YEAR 2003-2005 XC90 VEHICLES SOLD IN OR REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, NORTH CAROLIN
Risk: IF THE CONDITION OCCURS VEHICLE OWNERS MAY NOTICE FUEL SMELL AND/OR FUEL LEAK WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL PUMP INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE, AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP WITH A PART OF A MODIFIED DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL
CERTAIN CARDONE MASTER CYLINDERS WITH PART NUMBERS 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987MZA, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, AND 11-3156, AND WITH DATE CODES LOWER THAN DCA7078 SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE SEAL ON MASTER CYLINDER CAN FAI
Risk: LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN RESULT IN POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: CARDONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE ANY DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDERS. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING APRIL 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT CARDONE AT 1-800-777-4780.
| Reliability raw | 73 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 71 | good |
| Maintenance | 68 | good |
| Depreciation | 59 | average |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine and engine cooling is the most reported area with 46 of them (23%). There are 6 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 73/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 71/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2004 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 65/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.