Six years after Volvo launched its first SUV, the XC90 in 2003, it realised a smaller, more affordable model would also sell like the proverbial Swedish meatballs. And the XC60 was the car it came up with.
It blended efficient powertrains, safety, comfort and friendly dimensions. And it had that cool Swedish vibe about it. The facelift in 2013 brought extra standard kit, even more efficient drivetrains, and styling tweaks.
No wonder it was popular, and that means there are plenty of used options out there. So, what common problems does it suffer? We’re here to explain all.
What recalls has the Volvo XC60 (2013-2017) been subject to?
- More than 55,000 cars were recalled because of air in the cooling system, which could cause an overheating issue.
- Then 169,430 cars were recalled because of faulty seatbelt anchorage cables.
- Dodgy airbags forced another recall of 1239 cars, then a software update was required to solve an issue in which the electric parking brake could release of its own accord.
- A tiny number of cars were recalled because of faulty seatbelt buckles, and a loss of power steering was traced to a dodgy ancillary belt tensioner.
What common problems does the Mk1 Volvo XC60 have?
The Volvo XC60 can suffer a problem that causes the headlights to become dimmer than would be ideal. Dust ingress is the issue.
Lights are the source of another issue – this time it’s the courtesy lights in the door mirrors, which can fail completely or become loose.
Doors that are difficult to open are also a fairly common issue, as are dodgy seals for the front door mirrors.
And finally, a DPF regeneration issue can cause the engine to keep running after the ignition is turned off.
Does the Volvo XC60 Mk1 have headlight problems?
If you’re driving your Volvo XC60 Mk1 at night and find that you’re having to peer to see what’s ahead, then you’re not alone.
The problem is that dust has managed to get into the headlight, and the only way to repair the issue is to remove the old headlight and replace it with a shiny new example.
No more squinting in the darkness!
Are your Volvo XC60 Mk1’s door mirror lights flickering?
Having lights in the door mirrors is a great way of ensuring that you don’t inadvertently step into a puddle (or worse!) when getting into and out of the Volvo XC60 (2013-2017), but it’s a pointless piece of tech when it doesn’t work, quite literally leaving you in the dark.
However, the solution is easy enough, and simply requires that the faulty light units be removed from the door mirrors and replaced with new examples.
Why is your XC60 whistling?
Trundling around town, your Volvo XC60 is its usual quiet and calm self. However, when you up the pace a bit, as you would on a dual carriageway, then your car suddenly starts to whistle at you.
The issue is that the seal between the door and the door mirror mounts can fail, so you’ll need to remove the mirror and renew the seals.
What’s up with Volvo XC60’s door locks?
Numerous owners of the first-generation Volvo XC60 have reported an issue in which the doors become more difficult to open – and it doesn’t matter if you’re inside the car or outside. Oddly, this happens more when temperatures are cooler.
Faulty door locks are the problem, and there are a couple of routes to go down. First, use a lubricant spray to try to free them up.
However, if this fails, you’ll need to replace the door lock. The good news is that your Haynes XC60 AutoFix has detailed instruction on how to remove the door trim, after which swapping the lock is simple.
Why won’t your Volvo XC60 Mk1 stop idling?
Diesel-engined Volvo XC60 models can be prone to a problem that causes the engine idle speed to suddenly increase, and to keep running, even though you’ve turned off the ignition.
The cause can be poor-quality fuel, which contaminates the oil system during diesel particulate filter regeneration.
The thing to do is to perform an oil and filter change after the regeneration process, which is fully covered in your Haynes XC60 Autofix.
After that, make sure you use higher-quality fuel.