Problems · by component
2004 Volvo S-Class electrical system problems
37 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Volvo S-Class cite electrical system, 12% of all 298 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
37
12% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“2004 VOLVO S60 PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN SEPT 04. On 7/8/24 STRANDED AT 7-11 CAR WOULDN'T START. ACTING AS IF THERE WAS POWER LOSS, AC WENT OFF, BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT ON PANEL, POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS DID NOT WORK, TEMP 105 OUTSIDE , THEN DRIVER PANEL WENT BLACK., I WAS SCARED. ENGINE WOULDN'T START. FINALLY, AFTER WAITING 10 MINUTES...IT STARTED RUNNING BUT WAS SLUGGISH. RADIO WAS ON, POWER DOOR, LOCKS, AND WINDOWS, DID NOT WORK. CUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON, ALL POWER RETURNED, NOW CHECK ENGINE AND AIR BAG TROUBLE ON PANEL. CALLED VOLVO DEALER NEXT DAY NEAR MY HOME, THEY CAN NOT SEE MY CAR TIL NEXT WEEK TUESDAY. CAN NOT ACCESS ENGINE BOX, MUST GO TO DEALER.”
“The contact owns a 2004 Volvo S60. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the instrument panel would not illuminate or operate. During the failure, the fuel gauge, speedometer, odometer, and other information was unavailable to the driver. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 157,000.”
“ON 11/17/2020 WAS DRIVING TO PICK UP DECAL FOR MY CAR AND I GOT A MESSAGE THAT READ A CHECK AIRBAGS I DIDN'T HAVE ANY READING ON MY GAGES TURN SIGNAL FOR RIGHT TURN STAY LIT UP NOT BRINKING JUST ON , WHEN I STOPPED AND WENT IN BUILDING TO GET DECAL CAME BACK TO CAR STARTED IT MY GAGES CAME BACK WHICH WAS GLAD THEY WERE WORKING BUT STILL HAD MESSAGE ABOUT AIRBAGS”
“THE KEY DOES NOT TURN ALL THE WAY TO TURN THE IGNITION - IT'S LOCKED AFTER TURNING I AND II (NOT TO III). I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. I COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN AN UNSAFE AREA. I CALLED VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT I WAS TOLD IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. I WENT TO YOUTUBE AS TO HOW I COULD FIX IT AND FOUND OUT QUITE A FEE S40 OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE COST TO FIX THIS WOULD RUN ABOUT $1000. I FOUND A WAY TO GET AROUND MAKING IT WORK BY REMOVING THE STEERING COVER, PULL THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH A SCREW DRIVER. WITHOUT THE KEY ON THE IGNITION, IT STILL POSES A SAFETY ISSUES BECAUSE WHAT IF THE STEERING LOCKS WHILE I AM DRIVING? ANOTHER ISSUE IS THE SUSPENSION: THE CAR FEEL AS IF IT'S FALLING APART. TWICE WE SPENT OVER A THOUSAND FOR EACH OCCURRENCE. I'M QUITE CERTAIN THERE HAVE A FEW COMPLAINTS ON SIMILAR ISSUES. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH IF YOU COULD KEEP ME IN THE LOOP IF ISSUES COME UP ON THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR WE STILL OWN AND KEEP ON DRIVING. I ALMOST FORGOT, ONE OF THE HEAD LIGHTS DOES NOT AND EVEN SIMPLE REPLACING WITH ONE AFTER A BULB, STILL DOES NOT WORK. I GUESS IT NEEDS A TRIP TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO FIGURE…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO S60. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,000.”
“MY VEHICLE DOORS LOCK UP AND CAN'T BE UNLOCKED DUE TO FAULTY LOCKS. NO WAY TO GET DOOR OR DOORS TO UNLOCK. WHICH CAN CAUSE DEATH IF INVOLVED IN A ROLL OVER, SUBMERGED, OR ANY MAJOR ACCIDENTS. IT CAN BE ANY DOOR ON THE VEHICLE. ON MINE IT'S MY REAR PASSENGER DOOR WHICH MY CHILD SITS NEXT TOO IN HER CAR SEAT. I'VE READ MANY OTHER VOLVOS HAVE THIS ISSUE AND VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. VOLVO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE AS I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A VOLVO DEALER MECHANIC THAT THESE S40 ARE VERY KNOWN TO HAVE THIS ISSUE. FOR MY EXPERIENCE OF THIS HAPPENING IS JUST DRIVING HOME AND PARKING. TRIED TO GET MY DAUGHTER OUT AND IT WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE KEY FAUBOURG, THE POWER LOCK SWITCH AND TRIED PULLING ON HANDLE AND NOTHING UNLOCKS THIS DOOR. I READ THAT THE LOCK ACTUATORS ARE THE CAUSE OR ITS THE WIRING HARNESS. I ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN THE TRUNK. ONLY THE KID NAPPED CORD WORKS TO GET THE TRUNK TO OPEN. PLEASE GET VOLVO TO FIX ALL THERE ACTUATORS BEFORE KIDS OR ADULTS GET TRAPPED AND KILLED CAUSE OF THEIR NEGLIGENCE”
Showing 6 of 37 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.