2015 Volvo S60 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2015 Volvo S60 most often describe engine oil consumption, which tends to build gradually and comes with frequent low-oil warnings. Sudden engine shut-offs or stalls, unexpected acceleration or automatic braking, and brakes that do not slow the car as expected also appear in the complaints. Where mileage is stated, the oil reports are around 80,000 miles or more, while the stall reports range from about 15,000 to 128,000 miles.

1. 1
   Engine

   Excessive oil consumption (piston ring concerns)

   • 15 complaints (25%)
   • median 78,000 mi at 6.4 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners describe engine oil disappearing between changes, often about a quart every 500 to 1,000 miles, with no visible leak found. Frequent low-oil warnings and repeated top-ups are common in these complaints. Some complaints link the problem to piston rings, and others describe scored pistons or a recommended engine replacement. According to complaints, the dealer sometimes advised adding oil, and some owners say the problem was not diagnosed or repaired. Where mileage is stated, reports are at about 80,000 miles or more, and a complaint describes the problem between 40,000 and 140,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for records of oil top-ups and any oil consumption tests or repairs, and check the oil level between services. Ask whether any oil consumption service bulletin has been performed on the vehicle, and whether any extended warranty coverage applies.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car was excessively burning oil. It required multiple oil changes and I wasn't notified of the low oil until the oil was nearly empty. Volvo performed tests to confirm I had an oil consumption issue that cost over $500. The initial repair was to replace the piston rings. Now they've told me the pistons are scored from the lack of oil/consumption and I require a new engine. The lack of notifications of low oil and the damage to my engine pose a safety risk. I know this issue is occurring across a wide range of volvos.”

   NHTSA complaint #11398063, filed 2021-02, 80,000 miles

   “I have been getting a low oil level sign in my car after 5 months of doing an oil change. This is not the first time this has happened. It is suspected this may be a oil consumption issue and not an oil leak as there is no visible sign of oil leak. The oil consumption problem has been confirmed by an independent mechanic.”

   NHTSA complaint #11547908, filed 2023-10
2. 2
   Engine

   Sudden engine shut-off or stalling while driving

   • 12 complaints (20%)
   • median 46,370 mi at 4.9 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2015–2026

   Owners describe the engine or all power cutting out without warning, including while moving in traffic, at a traffic light, or at a standstill. Some report dashboard screens going dark, warning messages, or the vehicle losing motive power. Restarting sometimes works after a wait, but the problem can return. According to complaints, parts such as the battery, alternator, or starter were replaced at the dealer without a clear diagnosis, and some say no fault code was found. Stated mileage ranges from about 15,000 to about 128,000 miles, and some events happened while stopped in traffic.

   What to check: Ask for the diagnostic results and any stored fault codes from past stalling events, and whether the battery and charging system have been tested. Ask whether the problem was repeated during a test drive and what the dealer concluded.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My S60 2015.5 abruptly cut off when at a standstill stationary in traffic and on the highway traffic the warning system sound came on, as if close to an object, then the screen flashed on then off one time. Within minutes of a complete stop, the car cuts off completely. The screen displayed turn on engine. My car had to be placed in park before the engine would start. This had occurred at least three times in 2019. I was wondering if anyone had this experience. The issue was unable to be dupicated and no fault code.”

   NHTSA complaint #11375957, filed 2020-11, 54,000 miles

   “Alternator belt shredded and got underneath the timing belt causing the engine timing to go off and severe engine damage that I will now have to total the car or spend $13-15K to replace. The car stalled after leaving a stop sign so I wasn't going fast. I spoke to my local mechanic and he had another Volvo S60 T5 in his shop with the same issue showing up but that owner was lucky enough to not have the engine destroyed in the process. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11580623, filed 2024-04
3. 3
   Forward collision avoidance

   Unexpected acceleration or automatic braking

   • 10 complaints (17%)
   • median 20,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2015–2024

   Owners describe the car speeding up on its own while pulling into a garage or parking, and in some cases the brakes did not seem to engage. Other complaints describe automatic emergency braking applying the brakes on roads or in driveways with no object ahead, sometimes without warning. According to complaints, the dealer could not duplicate some of these events. Where mileage is stated, these events were reported between about 15,000 and 60,000 miles, often at low speed while parking or in town.

   What to check: Ask whether the forward collision or City Safety system has had software updates or diagnostic checks. A test drive that includes low-speed parking and the automatic braking settings can show how the car responds.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We were driving down the road automatic emergency braking system engaged without warning and for no reason. This has happened before in the past a few times. We feel this is an safety concern and would like to see it addressed. Thank you.”

   NHTSA complaint #11565220, filed 2024-01

   “City Safety Is randomly Malfunctioning. Vehicle will aggressively apply brakes when there are no objects in front of the vehicle. This has happened in town and on a long driveway.”

   NHTSA complaint #11608500, filed 2024-08
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brakes not stopping the car as expected

   Mentioned in 4 of 52 sampled complaints

   Owners describe pressing the brake pedal fully while the car kept rolling or did not stop at a light, with speeds of about 20 to 35 mph mentioned. Some had to shift into park or use the parking brake to stop the car. According to complaints, the dealer found no fault in some visits, and in another case the dealer drained the brake lines and replaced a brake part. Stated mileage runs from about 14,000 to 60,000 miles, and some events happened at traffic lights or while parking.

   What to check: Ask whether the brake lines, fluid, and master cylinder have been inspected, and whether any brake repairs appear in the service history. Ask the dealer for records of any brake-related complaints or diagnosis codes for this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Brakes failed to stop the car on three occassions. Brakes would slow the car down;however, the brake pedal was pushed all the way down and the car was still rolling. First two failures occurred consecutively. Had to shift the car into park first time; second time had to put the emergency brake on. Third occasion was after taking the vehicle into Volvo dealer in chicago and getting it back with no repairs completed because computer didnt register a problem. Third occasion was four days later; car was slowing down but wouldn't stop. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10979689, filed 2017-04, 20,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2015 Volvo S60. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to stop until the brake pedal had gone to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but no failure was found. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The contact stated that the vehicle was test driven by the mechanic however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11526285, filed 2023-06, 14,000 miles
5. 5
   Engine

   Auto stop/start shut-off and slow restarts

   Mentioned in 4 of 52 sampled complaints

   Owners describe the auto stop/start system shutting the engine off at a light or stop, then taking a long time to restart or not restarting until the car was put in park and the start button pressed. Some complaints describe the car moving forward after the engine restarted while the driver was outside the vehicle. Some link slow restarts to a low-pressure fuel sensor, which an owner says is known to fail. According to complaints, the dealer said other owners had raised similar concerns about the feature. Stated mileage is mostly at or under about 6,000 miles, with a fuel-related complaint at about 85,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask whether the auto stop/start feature can be switched off and whether any software updates have been applied. If restarts are slow, ask whether the low-pressure fuel sensor has been checked.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was in stop-and-go traffic on a level surface street. After I came to a stop, the stop-start system shut off the engine. When I let up on the brake slightly, the car started to roll forward, but the engine didn't start (it normally does this). When I let up lightly more and quickly used the accelerator, the engine felt like it stalled. Once stalled, the dashboard screen read press start. Pressing start didn't do anything or provide any feedback, and successive attempts didn't help. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10721712, filed 2015-05, 6,000 miles

   “The low pressure fuel sensor on these vehicles is known by manufacturer to fail. This failure can cause hard start conditions, taking over 5 seconds at times to start the vehicle. The main danger of this comes from the fact this is a vehicle equipped with auto stop/start technology. I have experienced near misses due to coming to a stop at a stop sign and then taking over 5 seconds on occasion for the vehicle to restart the engine. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11243196, filed 2019-08, 85,000 miles

Buying note. Buyers may want to ask for service records that show oil level checks and any oil-related repairs, and to confirm whether the stalling complaints were diagnosed. Checking whether any service bulletins or extended warranty coverage apply to the vehicle can also help.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 52 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.