Problems · NHTSA complaints

2010 Volvo C-Class problems

Owners filed 10 complaints about the 2010 Volvo C-Class with NHTSA between Mar 2010 and Mar 2023. The most-cited component is visibility/wiper (4).

Complaints
10
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility/wiper4
  2. Structure1
  3. Air bags1
  4. Electrical system1
  5. Wheels1
  6. Traction control system1
  7. Power train1
  8. Other / unknown1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20101
20110
20120
20130
20141
20153
20161
20170
20181
20191
20200
20211
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility/wiper

4 reports1 crash
“While on the freeway my sunroof shattered and spilled a bunch of glass fragments all over me, I believe a rock or some kind of other object, never found out what hit it or if it was hit, from the freeway hit it, so I don't know if it counts as a vehicle safety problem but I wanted to make a report just in case it counts as one. My safety was put at risk by having glass falling on top off me while going around 60mph on the freeway, the sudden noise of the glass breaking followed by the glass falling on me caused me to swerve and it left me shaken and covered in glass. I ended up pulling over on the shoulder to relax myself and get all the glass off of me and my seat, no one was hurt or injured. There was no problem confirmed other than the sunroof being broken. The component was not inspected. There were no other warnings or symptoms of the problem prior to it breaking.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 13, 2023Visibility/wiperODI 11511666

Structure

1 report
“I HAVE HAD THE PASSENGER DOOR OPEN ON ITS OWN WHILE LOCKED AND DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AT LEAST 2 TIMES WITH NO ONE IN THE SEAT. THE DOME LIGHT GOES ON AND THE WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH LIGHTS UP THAT DOOR IS AJAR. THE PASSENGER DOOR HAS ALSO OPENED ON ITS OWN WHEN ITS BEEN PARKED (OFF) IN MY GARAGE AT LEAST 2 TIMES AS WELL. DOME LIGHT ON FOR WHAT COULD BE HOURS (OVERNIGHT)! UNSAFE AND A POTENTIAL BATTERY DRAINER.*DT *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2019StructureODI 11240431

Air bags

1 report1 crash
“MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE MISHAP WHERE SHE JUMPED A CURB AT APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 MPH, BLEW OUT THREE TIRES, AND DAMAGED THE RIGHT PASSENGER FRONT BUMPER AS WELL AS THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT QUARTER PANELS. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE IS BENT INWARD AND THE LEFT FRONT IS BENT OUTWARD. THROUGH ALL OF THIS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED. I HAD TO GUESSTIMATE THE MILEAGE BELOW AT 53K AS I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME WHERE I AM FILING THIS REPORT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 8, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10780768

Electrical system

1 report1 fire
“WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY BOULEVARD ,THE ABOVE VEHICLE, SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND QUIT RUNNING. UPON INSPECTION OF THE BATTERY I SAW THAT IT HAD BEEN SEVERELY OVERHEATED AND THE CABLES WERE WELDED TO THE BATTERY POST. THE VEHICLE REPAIR MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLVO VEHICLES. THE BATTERY NEAR THE END OF ITS USE , DRAWS LOW AMPS, THE ALTERNATOR (WHICH HAVE A DESIGN FLAW) OVERCOMPENSATE AMPERAGE TO THE BATTERY WHICH RESULTS IN A FIRE. I CONTACTED VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE, WHILE CHECKING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS OCCURRENCE. THE MECHANIC ( +A VOLVO REPAIR, COVINA, CA) SAID HE HAS REPLACED SEVERAL OF THESE ALTERNATORS WITHIN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. I BELIEVE EVENTUALLY SOMEONE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IF AN EXPLOSION OCCURS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2015Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10683860

Wheels

1 report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLVO C30. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON WET PAVEMENT, THE REAR TIRES LOST TRACTION WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAMBER ANGLE WAS TOO POSITIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 30, 2014Wheels, Traction control systemODI 10651420

Traction control system

1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.