2016 Volvo XC60: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
38 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Read the guide
Used Volvo S60, XC60 and XC90: the years to avoid, including 2016 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 38 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 3.8
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC60. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the low oil warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a gas station, exited the vehicle, raised the hood of the vehicle, and added engine oil to the engine. The contact stated that while buckling the seat belt, the air bag warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to …
Oil consumption has become a major issue and I am putting oil in every 1000 miles! I bought the vehicle certified pre owned in October 2023 and the oil light was consistently coming on early. However, it has since gotten much worse and is constantly burning through oil.
The component that failed was the oil consumption. I noticed it seemed to be using more oil than should be normal. It didn't seem to do it overnight. It seemed gradual, but over a short period of time, bc I haven't had the car that long. It wasn't super alarming but I was keeping an eye on it and would add more in here and there, as I like to keep it full. One morning, driving my son to school, I started hearing an o…
Recalls: 3 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V555000 | Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers | Volvo Cars of North America, LLC. (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 Volvo S60, V60, V60CC, XC60, XC70, and S80 vehicles manufactured April 8, 2015 to August 19, 2015. |
| 16V798000 | Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 XC90, S90, XC60, V60 Cross Country, V60, S60 Cross Country, S60, and S60 Inscription vehicles manufactured February 16, 2015, to August 22, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt buckle attaching stud may loosen, allowing the buckle to separate from the seat belt… |
| 20V378000 | Seat Belts:Front | Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2008-2016 V70 and XC70, 2007-2016 S80, 2011-2018 S60 and V60, 2016-2018 S60 Cross Country, 2014-2020 S60L, 2009-2015 S80L, 2009-2016 XC60 and 2015-2018 V60 Cross Country vehicles. The flexible steel cable that connects the seat belt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue over time, causing… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine15 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other8 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Seat Belts6 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
- Electrical System3 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes3 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Engine And Engine Cooling2 complaints · typical job: Water pump, thermostat and coolant service (3.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,040
Other Volvo XC60 years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Volvo XC60?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (15 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Volvo XC60 a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 38 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Volvo XC60's most common problem?
15 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Volvo XC60 sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2016 Volvo XC60 cost to run per year?
About $5,241 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,208 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2016 Volvo XC60 have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Volvo XC60, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/09/2015. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2016 Volvo XC60 really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 38 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 38 NHTSA complaints on record (3.8/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (3.3/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality