Vehicle make

VOLVO

14,617 NHTSA complaints and 242 safety recalls across 107 models, every figure pulled straight from federal records.

Complaints
14,617
Recalls
242
Models
107

How does VOLVO compare?

VOLVOTOYOTAAll makes

Average NHTSA crash rating(higher is safer)Beats TOYOTA
VOLVO5 ★
TOYOTA4.69 ★
All makes4.67 ★
Complaints per model(lower is better)Beats TOYOTA
VOLVO137
TOYOTA1,382
All makes500
Recalls per model(lower is better)Beats TOYOTA
VOLVO2.3
TOYOTA3.7
All makes3.4

VOLVO models by complaint volume

Top nameplates, all model-years combined

complaints

What this shows Within VOLVO's lineup, the XC90 carries the most NHTSA complaints. High-volume nameplates accumulate more filings simply because more of them are on the road, drill into a model for its per-year and per-component breakdown.

Source NHTSA consumer complaint database As of 2026

VOLVO is registered with NHTSA as a vehicle manufacturer and carries 14,617 consumer safety complaints across 107 nameplates in the Office of Defects Investigation public database. The brand has been the subject of 242 safety recalls and is currently tied to 28 active or historical federal investigations. Every one of those figures is pulled directly from NHTSA's published datasets, not from owner forums, manufacturer marketing, or third-party reliability surveys, so the numbers you see reflect the same data federal regulators use when they decide whether to escalate a preliminary evaluation into an engineering analysis or a formal defect order.

Model-level volume varies widely inside any automaker's portfolio: best-sellers accumulate complaints simply because more vehicles are on the road, while limited-run trims and discontinued nameplates often carry disproportionately high complaint rates per unit sold. Inside VOLVO's lineup, the single highest complaint count sits with the XC90 (2,131 filings, model years 2003–2025), followed by S60 and S80. Use the table below to compare nameplate-by-nameplate counts, then drill into a specific model to see which components dominate and which model years concentrate the crash, fire, and fatality reports.

No open NHTSA investigations are currently tracked against VOLVO in this dataset, meaning the Office of Defects Investigation is not, at this moment, reviewing a specific defect allegation for the brand. Recall status, by contrast, is backward-looking: it tells you what the manufacturer has already been compelled to remedy, not what they are being asked to remedy next. Together, complaints, investigations, and recalls form the three-layer early-warning system federal safety regulators have relied on since the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966.

Which VOLVO models get the most complaints?

ModelComplaints
XC902,131
S601,655
S801,320
V701,177
XC60845
S70780
850732
S40677
V70XC521
XC70511
770298
XC40273
VN610261
960259
C70255
VN770242
740199
VNL64T193
240186
VNL181
VN142
940138
VOLVO120
VOLVO TRUCK104
V4094
WIA91
S9086
EX9080
WIA64TES68
V6066
C3062
76061
C40BEV61
V5060
VN66052
C70 CONVERTIBLE46
66043
78039
VNL77039
V9038
V60CC38
V90CC31
85428
85521
VHD20
S40N19
WIATES17
WXR16
24515
DL14
CROSS COUNTRY14
VNM13
WG10
VNL (4)10
2449
9659
XC90H9
7458
7008
9647
V70AWD7
ACL6
HEAVY TRUCK6
EX306
VOLVO WHITE5
7445
X705
WAH4
S60CC4
XC60PHEV4
XC60MHEV4
GL3
9003
600 SERIES3
WXLL3
VH3
VT3
VNR3
EX403
V60CCMHEV3
FE72
TD3652
4202
C70N2
S60I2
NO SUCH MODEL YEAR C401
9441
9451
WCA1
2421
WCL1
WHL42T1
COTTRELL1
WHTGM1
2001
GLE1
700 SERIES1
WX1
VNL4301
244 DL1
C901
VNL6301
WHEB1
S90PHEV1
XC90MHEV1
XC40BEV1
VAH1

NHTSA Investigations

View all 28 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints has VOLVO received?
VOLVO has received 14,617 NHTSA complaints across 107 models and 242 safety recalls.
Is VOLVO reliable?
VOLVO has 14,617 total NHTSA complaints across all models. Compare complaint counts per model and model year to identify which VOLVO vehicles have the fewest reported issues.
How do I check for VOLVO recalls?
Browse VOLVO models on PlainCars to see recall history by model and year, or visit NHTSA.gov and enter your VIN for official recall status. All recall data on PlainCars comes directly from NHTSA.
Where does VOLVO complaint data come from?
All complaint and recall data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are filed by vehicle owners and NHTSA publishes them publicly.
What do VOLVO complaints cover?
NHTSA complaints include consumer-reported issues with brakes, engines, airbags, steering, electrical systems, and other safety-related components. Each complaint may note crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths associated with the defect.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Top VOLVO Models

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.