Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Volvo S-Class problems
Owners filed 216 complaints about the 2002 Volvo S-Class with NHTSA between Mar 2002 and Jun 2022. The most-cited component is fuel system, gasoline (41).
Complaints
216
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Fuel system, gasoline41
- Electrical system41
- Fuel/propulsion system26
- Vehicle speed control22
- Tires20
- Power train17
- Engine and engine cooling16
- Air bags14
- Suspension9
- Exterior lighting8
- Seats7
- Structure6
- Service brakes, hydraulic6
- Engine5
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 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
19
13
22
9
16
14
12
11
21
18
11
11
11
5
9
4
0
0
1
4
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 19 |
| 2004 | 13 |
| 2005 | 22 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2007 | 16 |
| 2008 | 14 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2010 | 11 |
| 2011 | 21 |
| 2012 | 18 |
| 2013 | 11 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 4 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Fuel system, gasoline
41 reports2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT SMELLED A FUEL ODOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 134,000.”
Electrical system
41 reports1 crash1 fire
“SERVICE LIGHTS SCROLL IN SPORADIC MOTION FLIPPING THROUGH CONSTANT ALERTS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AIR BAG LIGHT, CONSTANT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS GOING ON, FUEL DOOR WONT OPEN, BOTH FRONT SEATS HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, OBVIOUS BURN THRU ON PASSENGER SIDE INDICATES ITS BEEN OVERHEATED AND DANGEROUS. EVERYTIME I'VE TAKEN IT IN THE SHOP THEY SAY THERE ARE NO RECALLS - YET PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS OVER FIRES WITH SEATS. CAN'T USED HEATED SEATS AT ALL. ENGINE SEEMS TO REMAIN INCONSISTENT IN SPEED, DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO COMPLETELY OUT AND THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES AFFECT BACK BRAKE LIGHTS. THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES BOUNCE IN CYCLES TO WHERE NO ONE CAN DETECT THE PROBLEMS. CHECK ENGINE LINE CONTINUES TO HAVE TO BE RESET AND SERVICE LIGHTS CONTINUALLY SEND SCROLLED WARNING TO PULL OVER. ALREADY HAD VEHICLE TOWED AND CAN'T TRUST VEHICLE WILL START. ALWAYS A WIRING ISSUE INVOLVED. THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP NOW AGAIN. 3/16/18 (SAME ISSUES)”
Fuel/propulsion system
26 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT GETTING HER VEHICLE INCLUDED IN AN OPEN RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DELAY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SHE OBSERVED A FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND SHE WAS CONCERNED OF A FUEL LEAK. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED BEFORE AND AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPECIFICALLY INQUIRED ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V033000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V137000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH 128 VOLVO CARS (614 NORTH AVE, WAKEFIELD, MA). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
Vehicle speed control
22 reports1 related recall
“TAKATA RECALL [XXX]. FOR MY SSN NUMBER, DRIVER LICENSE NUMBER CALL ME FOR THAT INFORMATION I DON'T LIKE TO PUT IT ON WEBSITE SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN GET IT BUT HERE'S MY VIN [XXX] EMAIL IS [XXX] THE WHOLE DASHBOARD MY LIGHTS WON'T COME ON THE KEY WONT COME OUT I HAVE TO WAIT 5 OR 10 MIN TO WAIT FOR IT TO COME OUT IT SMELL LIKE GAS SOMETIMES THE KEYLESS WONT WORK I CHANGE THE THANG IN THE BACK FIVE TIMES IN ONE MONTH THE GEAR SOMETIME DON'T WORK. *TR”
Tires
20 reports1 crash
“VOLVO S60 DRIVEN ON FREEWAY AT 65 MPH FOR 30 MINUTES, LARGE BANG, THEN COMPLETE BLOWOUT - ALL THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE MICHELIN TIRE IN THE BACK RIGHT SIDE. TIRES HAD BEEN INSPECTED VISUALLY AUG. 17 BY OWNER, MAY 6 BY VOLVO DEALER AND WERE IN GOOD SHAPE. IN MAY, 2008, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, SAME MICHELIN BRAND, HAD BEEN DESTROYED BY PERFORATIONS OF THE TIRE EVEN THOUGH NO IMPACT OCCURRED. THE MAY EVENT ALSO HAPPENED DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AT 65 MPH. *TR”
Power train
17 reports1 crash
“I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT IN BRONX, NY ON 8/16/2017 THAT CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO MY 2002 VOLVO S60. THANKFULLY, I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN MY CAR. I HAD JUST LEFT MY LAST DESTINATION, MOVING SLOWLY AND DRIVING STRAIGHT FOR A SHORT BLOCK OR SO, WHEN MY 2002 VOLVO S60, WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 45,000 MILES, BEGAN TO ACCELERATE OUT OF NOWHERE AND RACE - ALL ON ITS OWN. I TRIED BRAKING (FOOT AND HAND) BUT IT WAS TOO SUDDEN AND NEITHER COULD SLOW IT DOWN. THE CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF MY CONTROL, JUMPED THE SIDEWALK AND PLOWED THROUGH A FENCE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. I'M STILL SHAKEN, THINKING OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, BUT THANKFULLY THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE INVOLVED AND NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME OR WALKING BY. WHILE THIS IS SHOCKING AND SURPRISING TO ME, I BELIEVE THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY MALFUNCTION ON CERTAIN MODELS OF VOLVO CARS. I HAVE READ THAT OTHER DRIVER'S HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE COMPANY ABOUT A RACING/SLIPPING TRANSMISSION BEFORE, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT VOLVO HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS.FOR SOME TIME. THERE ARE SO MANY SITUATIONS IN WHICH THIS TYPE OF MALFUNCTION CAN EASILY BE FATAL SO I AM TREATING IT AS AN IMPENDING DISASTER FOR OTHERS THAT NEEDS TO BE ACTED ON…”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.