Total Complaints
9 filings
VOLVO C30 · model year
9 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008VOLVOC30 carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 C30 is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by suspension (2) and air bags:side/window (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 28 investigation files overlapping the 2008 C30. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
9 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SUSPENSION | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 1 |
| VISIBILITY | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
VOLVO IS RECALLING MY 2008-2009 VEHICLES. A SECTION OF THE POWER STEERING RETURN LINE HOSE WAS NOT PROPERLY VULCANIZED (CURED) AND DOES NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS. IF THE POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE FAILS, A SUDDEN RUPTURE OF THE HOSE CAN OCCUR.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
VERY SMALL FOOT ROOM ON DRIVER SIDE. SHOE TRAPS UNDER BRAKE PEDAL SOMETIME, MAKE SOME DELAY OF USING BRAKE. *TR
LEFT FRONT SPRING BROKE WHILE ENTERING VEHICLE (PARKED OVERNIGHT IN GARAGE). EVIDENCE OF ANTI-CORROSION PAINT FLAKING OFF OF SPRING IN THE AREA THAT THE BREAK OCCURRED. THIS IS THE SECOND BROKEN FRONT SPRING ON THE SAME VEHICLE, THE PREVIOUS ONE HAPPENED ~ 1 YEAR AGO (ODI# 10502668.). POTENTIALLY A DEFECT IN THE COATING PROCESS ALLOWING THE COATING TO CRACK AND LET CORROSION HAPPEN ON THE SURFACE OF THE SPRING. *TR
Mileage: 53,500
OIL TRAP BROKEN. WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THERE WAS A VOLVO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM (DEALERSHIP RECALL # 202). VOLVO DEALERSHIP SAID MY MAKE AND MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I BELIEVE IT WAS AN OVERSITE, AS MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN THE SAME COUNTRY AS THE OTHER VOLVO MAKE AND MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THIS 2008 C30 IS THE FIRST MODEL OF THIS TYPE. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND WAS NOT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. I'VE PAID $550 TO REPAIR DUE TO POOR MANUFACTURING. PLEASE REVIEW AND CONTACT VOLVO REGARDING THIS. HOPEFULLY OTHER'S WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT FOR A STRONGER CASE. I WANT MY MONEY BACK. *TR
Mileage: 105,243
FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT DIFFICULT TO UNBUCKLE. TOOK TO VOLVO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE SERVICED ON 7/1/13. DEALERSHIP REPORTED "FOUND A LITTLE STICKY. LUBED IT. NOW OPENS TO INTENT. IT DOES HELP TO PRESS DOWN ON THE BUCKLE BEFORE YOU RELEASE THE LATCH." THE LUBE DID NOT FIX THE BUCKLE. STILL DIFFICULT TO RELEASE. SAFETY CONCERN FOR EMERGENCY EXIT OF CAR. *TR
Mileage: 79,000
RIGHT FRONT SPRING BROKE, FRACTURE HAPPENED IN THE TRANSITION FROM THE LOWEST COIL (THE ONE ALWAYS ON THE SPRING SEAT) TO THE FIRST ACTIVE COIL. ANTI-CORROSION COATING WAS MISSING IN THAT AREA, AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF SURFACE PITTING WAS PRESENT. PHOTOS OF FAILED SPRING ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST (BOTH IN PLACE BEFORE REMOVAL, AND CLOSEUP VIEW OF THE FRACTURE ON THE COIL THAT BROKE OFF). *TR
Mileage: 40,896
FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT HEADREST ENGAGED VISOR IN STOWED POSITION WHEN SEAT PUSHED FORWARD TO ENTER REAR SEAT. THIS CAUSED THE MIRROR INSIDE THE VISOR TO SHATTER. WE DID NOT REALIZE THIS HAD OCCURRED UNTIL AFTER MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, LOWERED THE VISOR, AND GLASS SHARDS FELL ON HER LAP. THANKFULLY THEY DID NOT FALL IN HER FACE/EYES. THIS DID NOT CAUSE A WRECK, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD CAUSE FUTURE ACCIDENTS. WE CONTACTED VOLVO USA, AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED PRIOR REPORTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS, BUT STATED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, AND ESSENTIALLY THEY TOOK NO RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS UNFORTUNATE, AS I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A CRITICAL DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. I NOTIFIED VOLVO USA THAT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FILE THIS CLAIM WITH NHTSA, IN AN EFFORT TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS OF POTENTIAL RISKS. *TR
Mileage: 33,598
FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT HEADREST ENGAGED VISOR IN STOWED POSITION WHEN SEAT PUSHED FORWARD TO ENTER REAR SEAT. THIS CAUSED THE MIRROR INSIDE THE VISOR TO SHATTER. WE DID NOT REALIZE THIS HAD OCCURRED UNTIL AFTER MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, LOWERED THE VISOR, AND GLASS SHARDS FELL ON HER LAP. THANKFULLY THEY DID NOT FALL IN HER FACE/EYES. THIS DID NOT CAUSE A WRECK, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD CAUSE FUTURE ACCIDENTS. WE CONTACTED VOLVO USA, AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED PRIOR REPORTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS, BUT STATED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, AND ESSENTIALLY THEY TOOK NO RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS UNFORTUNATE, AS I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A CRITICAL DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. I NOTIFIED VOLVO USA THAT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FILE THIS CLAIM WITH NHTSA, IN AN EFFORT TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS OF POTENTIAL RISKS. *TR
Mileage: 33,598
VOLVO C30 2008 HAS VERY SMALL SPACE BETWEEN BRAKE PEDAL,ACCELERATOR AND CONSOLE WHICH MAKE THE SHOE TRAPPED UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS MAY VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR
I WAS DRIVING OUT OF A TOLL BOOTH AND WAS ACCELERATING. A TRACTOR TRAILER BEGAN COMING CLOSER TO ME. I MOVED OVER TO AVOID IMPACT WITH THE TRUCK. IN THE PROCESS MY FRONT AND REAR DRIVERS SIDE WHEELS RUBBED AGAINST A CURB CAUSING THE SIDE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN A TWO INCH SCRAPE ON THE RIMS. THE EMPLOYEES IN THE BODY SHOP AND SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED DUE TO THE WHEELS RUBBING CURB. THE WOMAN AT VOLVO STATED THAT THE CAR "DETECTED IMMINENT DAMAGE" WHICH CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. I WAS DECELERATING AT THE TIME OF THE DEPLOYMENT, HAD I BEEN ACCELERATING TO PASS THE TRUCK I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE INVESTIGATOR FROM VOLVO STATED THAT THEY MOVED THE SENSORS TO THE WHEEL WELLS AND THE ARE MORE SENSITIVE. I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AS THE VEHICLE, UPON DETECTING IMMINENT DANGER ALMOST KILLED ME. *TR
Mileage: 3,500
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.