Problems · by component

2001 Volvo S-Class electrical system problems

45 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Volvo S-Class cite electrical system, 14% of all 322 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
45
14% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“1. The vehicle caught fire while driving. The radiator cooling fan stayed on after parking, The vehicle the night before. The vehicle had to be jump started the next morning. yes the vehicle is available for inspection. 2. bodily injury and property damage could have been caused by the fire. 3. Yes. independent service center. Automotive Body and Tire Center. (Skokie IL) 4. Yes. Fire was put out by prospect heights fire department. Police report #PHP23-004049 5. No warning lamps prior to the fire. Symptom of problem was the radiator cooling fan staying on after vehicle was turned off, which caused the battery to discharge.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 15, 2023Electrical systemFire reportedODI 11527162
“ME AN MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE CAR AN IT STARTED TO RUN HOT SO WE WENT AN GOT THE PART TO GO ON THE CAR AN WHEN WHEN WE GOT BACK TO MY FATHER IN LAW HOUSE THE CAR CUT OFF AN STARTED TO SMOKE REAL BAD THEN WENT INTO FLAMES AN WHEN WE FIRST GOT THE CAR WE GOT EVERYTHING FIX ON IT AN THEN WHEN YOU PLUG THE MONTIOR TO THE THE CAR IT SAID WE HAD TEN CODES UP THERE AN THEY WAS THE SAME CODES THAT WAS ON THE CAR AN WE KNOW WE HAD GOT EVERYTHING FIX ON THE CAR AN WE WAS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR NO WE OUT OF A CAR CAUSE IT WENT INTO FLAMES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 16, 2020Electrical system, Structure, EngineFire reportedODI 11339721
“I HAVE AN SRS AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AND WILL NOT GO AWAY. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING FOR THE HEADLIGHTS ARE FAULTY, I TRIED EVERYTHING TO FIX THEM NOTHING WORKS. I USED AN INLINE FUSE WITH THE HEADLIGHT WIRING BECAUSE THE BULBS THE CONTINUE TO BLOWOUT. THE VOLVO FORUM SUGGESTED THE INLINE FUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE, BUT IT DID NOT. ONE HEADLIGHT REMAINS ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE COMES ON AND OFF WHEN IT WANTS TO AND IT ALSO DISPLAYS DIPPED BULB FAILURE OR BEAM FAILURE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2020Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bagsODI 11309767
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO S60. WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE DRASTICALLY REDUCED SPEED AND STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V441000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 21, 2016Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 10927183
“I'VE CONTACTED VOLVO AND DEMANDED MY MONEY BACK AND THEY REFUSED, THIS IS MY NEXT STEP BEFORE TAKING THEM TO COURT FOR A MEASILY 2,500. THIS CAR HAS CAUSED ME A HEADACHE UNLIKE ANY OTHER, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILS IN THIS CAR AND PASSES THROUGH IT MALFUNCTIONING ONE THING AFTER THE NEXT, MY BACK WINDOW WENT UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN, HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS DO WHACKY THINGS WHICH RUINED THE CAR MAKING IT OVERHEAT EVEN AFTER SHOPS REPLACE SENSORS AND RADIATORS, THE MAIN SAFETY CONCERN WHICH VOLVO IS SUPPRESSING IS THAT THE ELECTRICAL GHOST ALSO AFFECTS THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND ACCELERATES, THIS IS A MAIN CONCERN WHEN YOU'RE ON AN EXPRESSWAY ESPECIALLY, IT ACCELERATES AND YOU CANNOT HOLD THE BRAKE DOWN HARD ENOUGH TO SLOW DOWN, AND IT'LL DO IT AT RANDOM, AND I KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR VOLVO BECAUSE I HAVE A 1990 WHEN IT WAS VOLVO AND NOT BOUGHT MY AN AMERICAN COMPANY AND THAT CAR IS PERFECT, AND A COP TALKED TO ME FOR ABOUT AN HOUR JUST BEFORE THESE BIGGER ISSUES STARTED HAPPENING, HE'D OWNED A DEALERSHIP AND SAID THIS YEAR VOLVO HAS NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, AND AT THAT TIME I KNEW HE WAS ONTO SOMETHING BECAUSE THE AIR AND HEAT BUTTONS WERE DOING ALL…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2016Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 10893841
“THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT DEAD AND THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT FUNCTION. ONLY THE HEADLIGHTS WERE WORKING. MESSAGES CAME UP SAYING THAT THERE WAS AN SRS AIRBAG ISSUE AND THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE FAILURE. ALL OF THE MESSAGES WERE FALSE AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT DEAD. THIS IS A CONCERN SINCE THE MESSAGES ARE INCORRECT ACCORDING TO WHAT THE DEALER TOLD ME AND HAVE SEEN SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I THINK THAT VOLVO SHOULD REPLACE ALL OF THE DIMS AND CEMS FOR EVERY CAR THAT EXHIBITS THIS PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME FOR VEHICLES UNDER 125,000 MILES. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AND IS A VERY BIG SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THE CLUSTER HAS GONE DEAD. ALSO EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN RAINING AND THE DEALER HAS SAID THAT THERE ARE NO SHORTS IN THE SYSTEM. SOMETHING IS WRONG AND THEY ARE REPLACING EVERY PART WITHOUT FIXING THE ISSUE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2014Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10628345

Showing 6 of 45 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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