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2018 Volvo XC60 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
13%
4 of 30 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2018 Volvo XC60. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 13% of relevant complaints.

Better than 95% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 6 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 11%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2018 Volvo XC60 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 4 of 30 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Volvo XC60 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (13%). For comparison, the 2019 scores 18%. 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.

Drivetrain complaints
4
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
36
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
4 crashes · 4 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11 · 31%
SERVICE BRAKES7 · 19%
AIR BAGS4 · 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER4 · 11%
STRUCTURE4 · 11%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3 · 8%

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 2018 compares with other Volvo XC60 years

Of the 11 Volvo XC60 years with enough complaints to score, the 2018 is the 4th-best on engine and transmission share (13%). The worst is the 2016 (64%), the best the 2013 (9%). By volume, the 2018 drew 36 complaints (4 drivetrain), against 16 for the 2017 and 36 for the 2019.

Volvo XC60 years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2018 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

ENGINE05/07/2024
The contact owns a 2018 Volvo XC60. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failur…

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.

2018 Volvo XC60 engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2018 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.

5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
seats: critical fasteners25V818000 · Nov 2025
Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2026 XC60MHEV, 2018 and 2025 XC60 vehicles. The front seat bolts may have been improperly tightened, resulting in loose bolts.
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkages20V503000 · Aug 2020
Volvo Car of N.A., LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2018-2020 XC60 vehicles. The nuts that secure the front wipers may not have been sufficiently tightened, possibly causing the wipers to not…
seats19V220000 · Mar 2019
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2018-2019 XC60 and S90 vehicles. The driver and passenger front seat rail rear flange nuts may not have been installed during assembly.
structure: body: tailgate19V046000 · Jan 2019
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volvo XC60 vehicles. Under certain conditions and cold temperatures, the tailgate lifting arms may freeze which may cause the lifting arms to…
electrical system: software18V800000 · Nov 2018
Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2018 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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Questions people ask about the 2018 Volvo XC60

Does the 2018 Volvo XC60 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 4 of 30 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Volvo XC60 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (13%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Volvo XC60?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2018 Volvo XC60 is electrical system: 11 of 36 complaints (31%) name it, followed by service brakes (7) and air bags (4). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 13% of the relevant total.

Is the 2018 Volvo XC60 reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 13% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 95% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Volvo XC60 years we score, it ranks 4th-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 2018 Volvo XC60?

No. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2018 Volvo XC60, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Volvo XC60 years are better?

Among the Volvo XC60 years we track, the 2012 (9%) and the 2013 (9%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2018 (13%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/volvo-xc60

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Experimental 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. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.