NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 141 owner complaints for the 2003 Volvo S-Class. Most complaints involve electrical system (57) and vehicle speed control (20).
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2006 S80 and 2001-2009 S60 vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2001-2003 S80 and S60 vehicles sold or ever registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The driver side frontal air bag inflator may rupture, sending metal fragments into the passage compartment, when the driver side air bag is deployed.
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each S-Class model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 251 |
| 1999 | 415 |
| 2000 | 628 |
| 2001 | 322 |
| 2002 | 216 |
| 2003 | 141 |
| 2004 | 298 |
| 2005 | 140 |
| 2006 | 102 |
| 2007 | 70 |
| 2008 | 52 |
| 2009 | 33 |
| 2010 | 36 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 129 |
| 2013 | 94 |
| 2014 | 26 |
| 2015 | 67 |
| 2016 | 35 |
| 2017 | 26 |
| 2018 | 16 |
| 2019 | 23 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 8 |
“The problem is when the weather turns cold my car a Volvo 2003 S 60 turn signals do not operate, or if they do turn on sometimes the turn signals won't stop flashing until you turn the ignition off. The head lights also will not turn on at any setting during this time. When the weather turns warm again everything works until the weather turns cold again. It appears to be related to the CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE. It happens every time the weather is cold. It happen very unexpectedly my wife was driving down the road and was almost in an accident. The turn signals switch has already been replaced with a new Volvo turn signal switch.The turn signal still does not work. According to XEMODEX.INC this is a common problem for Volvo's S 60 2001-2010.”
“PRIOR TO LATEST INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD OCCASIONALLY GONE INTO "LIMP" MODE, STICKING IN 3RD GEAR BUT DRIVABLE. THAT PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY AFTER A DAY OR SO. LOCAL SHOP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING DEFINITIVE. BIGGER PROBLEM WAS YESTERDAY EVENING'S LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. IDLE THROTTLE SETTING (EG STOPPED AT LIGHTS) BECAME UNSTABLE, OCCASIONALLY REVVING UPTO TO ~2000RPM. MOMENTS LATER ON SUBURBAN DIVIDED MAIN STREET, THROTTLE STUCK AT ~2200RPM WHICH MEANT I WAS DOING 45MPH (STRAIGHT LINE) WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE APPLIED TO GAS PEDAL. SLOWED ON THE BRAKES UNTIL I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AT WHICH TIME EVERYTHING DIED (ELECTRICAL) AND CAME TO A STOP, SHORT OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS. TIME OF INCIDENT APPROX 8PM EST (DARK), ROADWAY FULLY LIT THANKFULLY. CAR WAS PUSHED OFF STREET. SOME ELECTRICS CAME BACK ON WHEN TRIED BUT FULL CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS (IE EVERYTHING) ACROSS ENTIRE DASH. TOWED HOME. REMOVED IGNITION KEY (WAS INSERTED TO ENSURE STEERING WAS UNLOCKED) BUT RADIATOR COOLING FAN REMAINED ON (ENGINE HADN'T RUN FOR 2.5 HOURS BY THAT TIME). PULLED A FUSE UNDER THE HOOD TO STOP IT DUMPING THE BATTERY. CAR IS NO YOUNGSTER, MANUF 2003 IN NETHERLANDS,…”
“CAR EXPERIENCES LOSS OF POWER, STALLING, SPUTTERING AND HESITATION WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED DOWN. SAN LUIS OBISPO SMITH VOLVO AUTHORIZED DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY CODES TO EXPLAIN THIS. CHECKED TIMING SENSORS, FUEL PRESSURE, RPM CAM SIGNALS, ETH SYSTEM, AIR FLOW METER, MAP SENSOR. ALL CHECKED OUT OK, DEALER SAID ALL SIGNS POINT TO ETA FAILING. CAR STALLS AND LOSES POWER ABRUPTLY, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT ANYMORE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR MODELS UP TO 2002, THIS 2003 S60 NON TURBO MANUAL SEEMS TO EXHIBIT THE FLAWS OF ELECTRONIC THROTTLE FAILURE. *TR”
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
8 safety recalls as of Oct 28, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 141 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (57), vehicle speed control (20), engine and engine cooling (17). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.