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2012 Volvo XC60 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 Volvo XC60. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 9% of relevant complaints.
Better than 98% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2012 Volvo XC60 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 4 of 46 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Volvo XC60 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (9%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 23% and the 2013 scores 9%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Volvo XC60 years
Of the 11 Volvo XC60 years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 2nd-best on engine and transmission share (9%). The worst is the 2016 (64%), the best the 2013 (9%). By volume, the 2012 drew 46 complaints (4 drivetrain), against 36 for the 2011 and 66 for the 2013.
Volvo XC60 years to avoid and best years →
2010 XC60 problems · 2011 XC60 problems · 2012 · 2013 XC60 problems · 2015 XC60 problems · 2016 XC60 problems · 2018 XC60 problems · 2019 XC60 problems · 2021 XC60 problems · 2022 XC60 problems · 2023 XC60 problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Volvo XC60
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 4 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 Volvo XC60 engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2012 Volvo XC60, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 Volvo XC60? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2012 Volvo XC60 have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 4 of 46 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Volvo XC60 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (9%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Volvo XC60?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Volvo XC60 is visibility/wiper: 19 of 46 complaints (41%) name it, followed by electrical system (4) and structure (4). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 9% of the relevant total.
Is the 2012 Volvo XC60 reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 9% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 98% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Volvo XC60 years we score, it ranks 2nd-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Volvo XC60?
No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2012 Volvo XC60, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Volvo XC60 years are better?
The 2012 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Volvo XC60 years we track (9%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/volvo-xc60
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.