VOLVO V50 · model year

2011 VOLVO V50

2 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011VOLVOV50 carries 2 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. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 V50 is wheels with 1 filings, followed by unknown or other (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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2011 V50. 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.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
WHEELS1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recalls (1)

10V59100022/11/2010

SEATS

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER FRONT PASSENGER SEATS. THE FRONT SEAT RAIL'S DETECTION SYSTEM WAS MANUFACTURED INCORRECTLY AND MAY PERMIT THE PASSENGER TO FORWARD THE SEAT BEYOND THE INTENDED MAXIMUM.

Recent Complaints

20160630UNKNOWN OR OTHER

IGNITION KEY/ENGINE IMMOBILIZER EXPERIENCED A INTERMITTENT FAILURES ("KEY ERROR" ON DASHBOARD DISPLAY), AND INABILITY TO START ENGINE. A REPLACEMENT OF IGNITION KEY DETECTOR IN STEERING COLUMN WAS REQUIRED - PARTS COST: $750, LABOR EXTRA, AT VOLVO DEALER (VOLVO MANHATTAN, NY, NY). CAR PURCHASED IN JULY 2010, FAILURE IN JUNE 2016 (BEYOND WARRANTIES). THE IGNITION KEY SYSTEM SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPAIRED FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR, ESPECIALLY FOR A VOLVO LUXURY LEVEL CAR.

Mileage: 45,000

20131122WHEELS

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER LOW MILEAGE AND JUST PAST WARRANTY. FAILURE OF BEARINGS LEAD TO ABS BRAKE SYSTEM BEING INOPERATIVE UNTIL REPAIR CONCLUDED. AS PART OF REPAIR, VOLVO ENGINEERED RETAINING RINGS WERE FITTED. THIS INDICATES AN ADMISSION BY VOLVO OF THE INADEQUACY OF THE ORIGINAL PART DESIGN. *TR

Mileage: 73,000

Compare 2011VOLVOV50 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 VOLVO V50 have?
The 2011 VOLVO V50 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2011 VOLVO V50?
The 2011 VOLVO V50 received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2011 VOLVO V50?
Yes, the 2011 VOLVO V50 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is SEATS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 VOLVO V50?
The most-complained component for the 2011 VOLVO V50 is WHEELS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 2011 VOLVO V50 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2011 VOLVO V50 has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.