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Volvo S60Model year report

2002 Volvo S60 Problems

Complaints
186filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
89,126miles, 145 complaints with mileage
Recalls
8campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
21 mpgcombined, 2.3L 5-cyl FWD · 18 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Volvo S60 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Complaints on this model year concentrate on a fuel smell and leakage around the fuel pump, often noticed while parked or in hot weather, with many owners noting their vehicle fell outside the region-specific recall coverage. A second cluster involves the electronic throttle system, where cars drop into limp-home mode or lose power without warning. Remaining reports touch on dashboard and electrical faults, heated seats, and tire failures.

  1. Fuel system

    Fuel smell and leaks at the fuel pump

    • 52 complaints (28%)
    • median 110,000 mi at 10.8 yrs old (43 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2007–2018

    Owners describe a strong gasoline odor inside and outside the car, sometimes with fuel stains on the tank or a puddle forming underneath while parked. Several say a dealer or independent mechanic traced it to a cracked or leaking fuel pump, and some note the pump was replaced without the leak stopping. Complaints frequently mention hard cold starts alongside the smell, and many owners say their vehicle was not covered by the regional fuel pump campaigns. Commonly reported between roughly 45,000 and 175,000 miles, often in warm weather or after the car has been sitting.

    Recall 09V483000Recall 07V152000

    What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump has been replaced and under which campaign, and check for a fuel smell around the rear of the car and inside the cabin after it has been parked in the heat. Look for staining or dampness on top of the tank.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 2002 S60 Volvo. It is hard to start when cold and there is a slight gas odor. Nhtsa campaign # is 07v15200 and Volvo campaign is r176. I understand it is a faulty fuel pump and Volvo refuses to replace it because I do not live in nevada or arizona. I live in florida abd it is hot here also.”

    NHTSA complaint #10236718, filed 2008-08, 96,000 miles

    “My Volvo leaks gasoline fumes. Upon some investigation I found the NHTSA has a campaign number 07v152000 and Volvo has campaign number r176 addressing this exact problem. Volvo will only fix these problems at dealer cost in arizona and nevada. How is this? This makes no sense.”

    NHTSA complaint #10202553, filed 2007-09, 105,000 miles
  2. Vehicle speed control

    Throttle failure and limp-home mode

    • 32 complaints (17%)
    • median 90,000 mi at 8.6 yrs old (28 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,147 (median of 6 quotes)
    • filed 2003–2022

    Drivers report the car suddenly losing power or dropping into a reduced-performance mode, sometimes with the accelerator producing no response and the engine light coming on. Some describe erratic acceleration and deceleration without moving the pedal. Dealers commonly diagnosed the electronic throttle module or throttle body, and several owners were told their vehicle was outside the throttle-related recall or its coverage period. Reported from as low as 18,000 miles up to around 140,000 miles, often during steady driving or when pulling away.

    Recall 06V441000

    What to check: Ask if the electronic throttle module or throttle body has been replaced, and whether any throttle-related recall or extended coverage was applied. During a test drive, watch for hesitation, a drop into limp mode, or a warning message on the dash.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I am appealing for your assistance regarding the car's inclusion in NHTSA campaign 06v-441000. In particular, I have a 2002 Volvo S60 2.4t w/37,500 miles. While pulling out of a parking spot 2 months ago, my car's engine began sputtered, and when I got onto a major roadway, the car suddenly went into limp mode, whereby it went 5 MPH maximum. The sudden change in speed almost resulted in my car getting rear-ended. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10195228, filed 2007-07, 37,500 miles

    “I was driving on the freeway and without warning the engine lost power and the check engine light came on. I coasted off to the shoulder and the engine would only idle, and even that was rough. The message indicator on the dash said something like reduced engine performance . I had the car towed to gengras Volvo in meriden. They replaced the etm , software and throttle body at the cost of $1195.43. About two weeks later, I was driving on the freeway and the same thing happened. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10231939, filed 2008-06, 106,004 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Stalling and electrical/dash faults

    • 21 complaints (11%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 9.9 yrs old (19 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2002–2018

    Owners describe the engine cutting out at low speed or in stop-and-go traffic, sometimes restarting normally and sometimes leaving no stored codes. Others report instrument panel gauges such as the fuel gauge, speedometer or odometer failing intermittently, along with door locks, the fuel door and warning lights behaving erratically. Several complaints mention alternator replacement after the car stopped running. Reported across a wide range, from under 30,000 miles to over 150,000 miles.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check that all gauges and warning lights work when the key is turned, and ask about battery and alternator history. Have a scan tool check for stored codes and confirm the battery holds charge.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Recently purchased 2002 Volvo S60 for my daughter, certified used. She was driving and the car just stopped running, it died in the middle of the road. Just read your article about 1999-2001 and thought you should check into all years. Volvo said it is fixed, we pick it up tomorrow, however I am very concerned that this will happen to her again. Purchased a Volvo for safety, now I am very worried.”

    NHTSA complaint #10131717, filed 2005-08, 20,000 miles

    “On a car that is driven 7,500 miles per year, I just spent $1,068 to replace an alternator and $157.18 for a new battery because Volvo refused to have a recall or cover their known failing alternators. This cause my car to fail on the 101 freeway and left me stranded in traffic on milbrae avenue.”

    NHTSA complaint #10225324, filed 2008-04, 44,445 miles

Buying note. On this model year, the fuel system and electronic throttle are the areas most often described in complaints, so a pre-purchase inspection should focus there and on whether any related campaign work was completed. Records showing the fuel pump and throttle module history, plus a check of the tire date codes, are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 186 consumer complaints for the 2002 Volvo S60. 145 of the complaints include a mileage, and 22% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 89,126 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 7 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns and 161 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Suspension (6), Engine (5), Exterior lighting (5), Electronic stability control (4), Seat belts (4), Wheels (4), Brakes (2), Equipment (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Steering (1).

Example complaints

Fuel system: “Fuel pump leak , dealer told me it was recalled for cracked fuel pump under campaign # 07v152000. R176 and car is now too old to have free repairs I was never notified of recall and the car was purchased used but from a Volvo new car dealer, can I be made whole?”

NHTSA complaint #10512978, filed 2013-05, 160,000 miles

Electrical system: “Vehicle gauges tend to all go off and all dials go down as if vehicle isn't on. This is a common problem among volvos and this hasn't been recalled. I was driving at least 70 MPH on the highway and this happened to me.”

NHTSA complaint #10817037, filed 2015-12, 200,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “2002 Volvo S60 experienced a very sudden reduction is speed and had to be driven home in limp mode. I brought the car to marten's Volvo where it had the software updated and the throttle cleaned. This sounds very much like it should be covered by NHTSA campaign id number 06v441000 (vehicle speed control). However, the dealer said that my vehicle (turbo engine) is excluded from the recall.”

NHTSA complaint #10347398, filed 2010-08, 90,000 miles

Tires: “I have a 2002 Volvo S60 equipped with pirelli p6 235/45 r17's as oem option. I have less than 25,000 miles on my car and I have replaced 3 of these tires already. The first one blew out with less than 5,000 miles driven, the second one at 18,500 and the last one, which almost cost me to lose control of my vehicle on a major highway, with 22,500 driven miles. All three failures were on the sidewall of the tire and none could be repaired. The p6's supposedly come with 50,000 miles warranty on them. …”

NHTSA complaint #10087042, filed 2004-08, 18,500 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

22% of the 145 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 57,000 and 132,000 miles.

6%0–108%10–258%25–5016%50–7517%75–10030%100–15015%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (145 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 89,126 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’02’05’08’1119’14’17’22
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2002 Volvo S60. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
S60 · sedan not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2002 Volvo S60 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
S60 AWD2.4L 5-cyl5-speed automatic172420$4,100
S60 FWD2.3L 5-cyl5-speed automatic182621$3,900
S60 FWD2.3L 5-cyl5-speed manual182520$4,100
S60 FWD2.4L 5-cyl5-speed automatic182621$3,900
S60 FWD2.4L 5-cyl5-speed automatic192621$3,900
S60 FWD2.4L 5-cyl5-speed manual192521$3,900

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 8 recalls for the 2002 Volvo S60 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 161 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 161 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volvo S60

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20242213,0004530—Too new
20221542,0004530—Rising
20218—3527—Not enough data
20201211,7506527—Not enough data
20192515,3005—2857 · TypicalStable
20171742,4276529—Stable
20162733,000452929 · FewerFalling
20155947,535252941 · TypicalRising
20142531,000352420 · FewerStable
20138753,000452467 · MoreFalling
201212178,500852394 · MoreFalling
2011513,1506—21—Not enough data
20097106,7503—22—Not enough data
20081051,5002—22—Not enough data
20072156,9182—22—Falling
20063146,5623—22Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20054455,5003—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200419879,1225—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200312079,6956—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200218689,1268—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200122380,5008—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Volvo S60 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Volvo S60?

Complaints on this model year concentrate on a fuel smell and leakage around the fuel pump, often noticed while parked or in hot weather, with many owners noting their vehicle fell outside the region-specific recall coverage. The issues reported most often: Fuel smell and leaks at the fuel pump; Throttle failure and limp-home mode; Stalling and electrical/dash faults.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Volvo S60 have?

NHTSA recorded 186 consumer complaints for the 2002 Volvo S60 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Volvo S60 is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 69 complaints (37% of the total), followed by electrical system with 36.

Has the 2002 Volvo S60 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2002 Volvo S60 get?

The EPA rates the 2002 Volvo S60 (S60 FWD, 2.3L 5-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 18 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Volvo S60 reported?

Among the 145 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 89,126 miles and the middle half falls between 57,000 and 132,000 miles; 22% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.