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2020 Volvo XC60 problems, recalls and owner complaints

What the 2020 Volvo XC60 has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated November 2, 2026.

  • 1safety recall
  • 23owner complaints
  • 0crash reports
  • 0fire reports
  • 9%fail the UK MOT

23 complaints, against an average of 38 for the other 14 Volvo XC60 model years.

Every Volvo XC60 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.

Buying a 2020 Volvo XC60? Get the pre-purchase checklist →

What goes wrong with the 2020 Volvo XC60?

The components named most often in the 23 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.

  1. Electrical System9 (39.1%)
  2. Service Brakes4 (17.4%)
  3. Engine2 (8.7%)
  4. Wheels2 (8.7%)
  5. Air Bags1 (4.3%)
  6. Forward Collision Avoidance1 (4.3%)
  7. Fuel/Propulsion System1 (4.3%)
  8. Lane Departure1 (4.3%)

What symptoms do 2020 Volvo XC60 owners describe?

Found by reading the text of all 23 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.

Has the 2020 Volvo XC60 been recalled?

1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Pedals And Linkages Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2020 S60, V60, S90I, XC60 and XC90 hybrid vehicles. The pushrod screw joint, connecting to the brake pedal to the hydraulic brake unit, may be loose. NHTSA campaign 24V788000 · October 23, 2024 · Risk and fix

Risk: A loose brake pedal can result in a loss of braking function, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will tighten the brake pedal pushrod screw joint, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 17, 2024. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R10289.

Is the 2020 Volvo XC60 recalled in the UK or Europe?

Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.

UK DVSABCM2 SW – Safety Notice Recall R/2025/211 · Jun 23, 2025 · built Jun 2019 to Jun 2025 · Risk and fix

Risk: Affected vehicles may experience a temporary loss of braking functionality after coasting downhill with ‘B’ mode selected or when using One Pedal Drive. This could potentially lead to a collision.

Fix: Install modified software via an Over the Air (OTA) update.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSASPA1 Cell Modules Recall R/2025/117 · Mar 24, 2025 · built Feb 2019 to Dec 2021 · Risk and fix

Risk: On affected vehicles the High Voltage (HV) Battery may have a manufacturing defect which could cause the battery cells to overheat when the HV Battery is fully charged. In a worst-case scenario there is a risk of fire when the vehicle is parked up with a fully charged HV Battery.

Fix: Check and replace the HV Battery if necessary and install modified software.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSABCM2 – Push Road Recall R/2024/446 · Nov 5, 2024 · built May 2019 to Aug 2020 · Risk and fix

Risk: The rod connecting the brake pedal to the brake booster may not have been assembled correctly. The final torque might not be according to manufacturing specification due to deviations in the equipment. If the rod does disconnect the mechanical connection between brake pedal and brake booster cannot be guaranteed. In the worst-case scenario if the rod disconnects the brake pedal function cannot be guaranteed

Fix: A Volvo retailer will check and if necessary tighten the rod to correct specification.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAThrust bearing in turbo charger might not be robust enough Recall R/2021/360 · Oct 18, 2021 · built Feb 2019 to Sep 2019 · Risk and fix

Risk: The thrust bearing in the turbo charger may not be robust enough.

Fix: Replace turbocharger with a modified version which has an improved thrust bearing.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAPotentially insufficient or missing welding connection in the hydraulic unit of the brake system Recall R/2021/331 · Sep 18, 2021 · built May 2019 to Mar 2021 · Risk and fix

Risk: There may be an insufficient or missing welding connection in the Hydraulic Unit of the Brake System.

Fix: Replace the Hydraulic Unit.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAThere is a risk that the 15amp fuse could blow which will prevent the low pressure fuel pump from operating Recall R/2021/205 · Jun 7, 2021 · built Jun 2018 to Mar 2020 · Risk and fix

Risk: There is a risk that the 15amp fuse could blow which will prevent the low pressure fuel pump operating.

Fix: Replace the 15A fuse with a 20A fuse which can withstand this peak.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAVehicles may have the supplementary restraint system control unit incorrectly tightened to the car body Recall R/2021/001 · Jan 7, 2021 · built Sep 2020 to Sep 2020 · Risk and fix

Risk: Vehicles may have the Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) control unit incorrectly tightened to the car body.

Fix: Inspect and tighten the SRS control unit.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAFront wiper arm securing nuts may be incorrectly tightened Recall R/2020/246 · Aug 25, 2020 · built May 2017 to May 2020 · Risk and fix

Risk: Vehicles may have incorrectly tightened front wiper arm securing nuts

Fix: Check and tighten the nuts to an increased torque setting.

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSASoftware issue means that automatic emergency brake system may not engage Recall R/2020/073 · Mar 16, 2020 · built Nov 2018 to Mar 2020 · Risk and fix

Risk: The Automatic Emergency Brake System a function of the IntelliSafe system may not always engage increasing the risk of a collision

Fix: Affected vehicles must have new software downloaded

Check on GOV.UK

UK DVSAPossible loss of power whilst driving Recall R/2019/452 · Dec 19, 2019 · built Nov 2019 to Dec 2019 · Risk and fix

Risk: Possible loss of power whilst driving.

Fix: Vehicles must have updated software downloaded.

Check on GOV.UK

EU Safety GateSome problems with the high-voltage battery can cause an overheating of the battery cells when the battery is fully charged.This can lead the vehicle catch fire. Alert SR/01422/25 · reported by Belgium · Apr 11, 2025 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 01/04/2025

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions are above the regulatory limits.Excessive NOx emissions pose a risk to the environment. Alert A12/02342/24 · reported by The Netherlands · Aug 23, 2024 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator to whom the measure(s) were ordered: Other; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateDue to a manufacturing defect, there may be a loose item within the steering gear.This can cause the steering to lock while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. Alert A12/00059/23 · reported by Portugal · Jan 13, 2023 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Distributor; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 29/12/2022

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThere is a risk of turbo charger breakdown, which could damage engine parts and lead to stalling. Alert A12/01491/21 · reported by Portugal · Nov 5, 2021 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Distributor; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe welding connection between the motor’s rotor shaft and the magnet package in the hydraulic unit of the brake system may be partially…The welding connection between the motor’s rotor shaft and the magnet package in the hydraulic unit of the brake system may be partially or fully missing.As a result, the brake boost, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the electronic stability control (ESC) could be disabled, resulting in less deceleration than normal, leading to increased risk of an accident. Alert A12/01385/21 · reported by Portugal · Oct 1, 2021 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Distributor; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe 15A fuse to the low-pressure fuel pump may blow.As a result, the engine could stall and not be able start, increasing the risk of an accident. Alert A12/00894/21 · reported by Portugal · Jun 18, 2021 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Distributor; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown

View on EU Safety Gate

EU Safety GateThe fastening nut of the fastening part of the front wipers is not tightened with the correct torque.As a result, the front windshield wipers may malfunction increasing the risk of an accident. Alert A12/01211/20 · reported by Belgium · Sep 11, 2020 · Measures

Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Distributor; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 24/08/2020

View on EU Safety Gate

How often does the 2020 Volvo XC60 fail its MOT?

9.2% of 8,116 MOT tests in 2023 on Volvo XC60s first registered in 2020 were a fail3.1 points better than the average car of the same age
  1. Tyres55%
  2. Visibility (windscreen, wipers, mirrors)19%
  3. Brakes17%
  4. Lights and electrics11%
  5. Exhaust, emissions and leaks3%
  6. Seat belts and airbags2%

Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2020, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.

What do 2020 Volvo XC60 owners report?

12 of the 23 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.

On July 28, 2026, while driving my 2020 Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar Engineered, the vehicle repeatedly displayed “Hybrid system failure – Service required,” together with the check-engine light and hybrid/battery warning indicators. The warning repeatedly reappeared while the vehicle was being driven. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Volvo dealer, North Point Volvo, on July 30, 2026. The dealer diagnosed a fault in high-voltage battery cell module “B” and documented that the module requires replacement. Repair Order #522934 states that the replacement parts are on order with “NO ESTIMATED…
Electrical System, Fuel/Propulsion SystemNHTSA complaint 11758682 · Aug 22, 2026
Recall identified over a year ago during Q1 2025. Manufacturer and dealer have failed to provide appropriate updates for the repair, and no ETA has been given for repair. The only direction received from manufacturer and dealer was to not plug in the vehicle until the recall is completed. So as it stands, I paid for a plug in hybrid vehicle I haven’t been able to plug it in for over a year as it has a flawed hybrid system that apparently can’t be repaired.
Electrical SystemNHTSA complaint 11745254 · Jun 19, 2026
The seal on my 2020 Volvo XC60 moonroof allowed water to leak under the floorboards. My car is only 6 years old. We had a lot of rain over a short period and I noticed the sound of water sloshing around under the floor. Nothing was wet inside the car. My Check Engine light came on as well. I took it to the Volvo service dept. They are now saying wires are corroded and that it will cost me over $11,000 to fix this problem. Again - my car is only 6 years old, and less than 70K miles. With my previous Volvo, that I had for 18 years, I never had this problem.
Electrical System, StructureNHTSA complaint 11742884 · Jun 9, 2026
Vehicle with 34,000 miles has started to have surging of rotors when applying brakes at 33,000. Vehicle has had brake disc kit replaced due to warping at 13,058 miles. Vehicle had brake disc kits and front and rear brake rotors replaced due to high spots for pad engagement at 22,996 miles. The vehicle has a continuous problem with brake/rotor system!
Service BrakesNHTSA complaint 11633493 · Jan 1, 2025
Good Morning: I've attached a letter that I've written to Volvo USA regarding their security lug bolts on the wheels of their vehicles and the adapter that they provide to remove this. I found out after incurring a flat tire that these adapters are often non-functional and that the dealer is well aware of this. I think this is an issue that Volvo should address for all current and past owners. Also, during this incident I experienced what I think is a flaw in their tire pressure monitoring system - it illuminated a yellow caution which, I've seen happen when one tire was not at the same…
WheelsNHTSA complaint 11620083 · Oct 16, 2024
Severe oil leak coming from the engine. I had it in the Volvo Dealership, they claimed it was due to a loose oil filter. When I drove the vehicle home and parked in my driveway, It started to stain the driveway with a fresh oil leak.
EngineNHTSA complaint 11594356 · Jun 14, 2024
- Back left axle went loose with the back left wheel while driving, causing the car to rotate 45 degrees, scratching the ground. Once the car drifted back horizontally, I used the brakes to stop the car. Multiple pictures show the defect. Back left lights where the axle went off and the wheel is not broken, showing no collision. Liquid escaped from the bottom. Available for inspection and photos as well. -Had I not been able to use the brakes after the car rotated sideways, we would have crashed. This could have caused major injuries to us and/or others. -The police inspected the car and…
Power Train, WheelsNHTSA complaint 11525617 · Jun 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC60. The contact stated that the service required warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic stated that the upper engine torque mount had separated from the motor mount bracket and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 52,000. The VIN was not available.
EngineNHTSA complaint 11523444 · May 23, 2023
We recently took our 2020 Volvo XC60 with approximately 20k miles into the dealership where it has received it's oil changes and had its service issues looked at since buying the vehicle new. During the inspection video, the technician indicated the rear brakes had approximately 10% life remaining while the front had approximately 90% life remaining in them. This seems extremely askew and is indicative of a problem. Under normal driving circumstances and 20k miles wear and tear, there is no reason other than a malfunctioning mechanical issue like the emergency brake not disengaging completely…
Service BrakesNHTSA complaint 11495787 · Dec 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC60. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, an SRS service air bag message was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and was awaiting an appointment with the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Air BagsNHTSA complaint 11495081 · Nov 28, 2022
Initially the center tablet would blackout while I’m backing out of my driveway, I put in reverse. Camera works. I back out and camera completely turns off. Not an issue with dirty camera as it comes in and off. Several times while I’m driving the entire instrument panel blacks out! It’s happened 5x in the last two months and I don’t drive much. I have taken to the dealer and told Volvo by emails and chat features and no one seems concerned. They could not see it happen while they drove it so they are not worried. I don’t feel safe in this car. Safety was the only reason I chose Volvo. Also…
Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Lane DepartureNHTSA complaint 11492842 · Nov 9, 2022
Driving on Rte 211 in Oak Island, NC, slowing to turn with no one in front or behind me, emergency breaking engaged, bring the car to a full stop.
Forward Collision AvoidanceNHTSA complaint 11476320 · Jul 28, 2022

2020 Volvo XC60: questions owners ask

Is the 2020 Volvo XC60 reliable?

NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Volvo XC60; the most common categories were electrical system (9, 39.1%), service brakes (4, 17.4%), engine (2, 8.7%). There is 1 safety recall. 2 injuries were reported.

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Volvo XC60?

Across 23 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (39.1% of complaints), service brakes (17.4% of complaints), engine (8.7% of complaints), wheels (8.7% of complaints), air bags (4.3% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.

Does the 2020 Volvo XC60 have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2020 Volvo XC60; the most recent (campaign 24V788000, 2024-10-23) concerns Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Pedals And Linkages. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Has the 2020 Volvo XC60 had high-voltage battery or EV system failures?

3 of the 23 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2020 Volvo XC60 (13%) describe high-voltage battery or electric drive system failures. One owner wrote: "While in service at Volvo Cars Clear Lake for Recall R103312/ Campaign 25V-179, three of four hybrid battery modules failed on installation, yet Volvo refuses to replace the entire battery." (NHTSA complaint 11754507, August 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.

Check your own XC60

Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved November 2, 2026. Model year 2020 only; combines NHTSA's entries for XC60 T5, XC60 T6, XC60 T8, XC60 T8 POLESTAR ENGINEERED and XC60PHEV. How these reports are made.

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