Volvo S60 Second Generation: Swedish Classic with Character

Introduction to the World of Swedish Automotive Industry

The global automotive industry is full of diversity: German brands are famous for their engineering, Japanese for reliability, American for power. But there is a special category of cars that many consider for connoisseurs of a special approach to automobile manufacturing. Swedish Volvo undoubtedly belongs to this category. Today we will examine the second generation Volvo S60 — a car that was produced from 2010 to 2018 and became a true long-liver, just like its predecessor.

It is particularly important to note that this model was created and produced during the period when Volvo was owned by the Ford Corporation. However, to the delight of brand fans, the American auto giant did not significantly influence the character of this car. The current Chinese owners of Volvo also have nothing to do with this model. What we have before us is a purely Swedish product — stylish, attractive, and truly unlike other cars on the road.

In this article, we won't tell you how to press buttons or what sound the closing doors make. Instead, you will learn about the reliability, operational features, and characteristic traits of the second generation Volvo S60 to make an informed decision when choosing this car.

Body and Exterior

The body of the second generation Volvo S60 is in excellent condition. Swedish metal deserves the highest praise — it demonstrates excellent resistance to corrosion even with significant mileage. At high mileage, slight peeling of paint from the wheel arches and in the area of door handles may be observed, but overall it's difficult to have serious complaints about the quality of the metal.

Owners of cars equipped with servo drives for folding mirrors may need to pay attention to this assembly during operation. Problems are usually solved by adding lubricant, but in some cases, replacement of mirror brackets may be required.

Headlights on restyled cars can sometimes fog up due to a thin layer of sealant through which moisture penetrates. The problem is usually localized in the upper part of the headlight and on the side near the wing. To eliminate the problem, the headlight must be disassembled, a thicker layer of sealant applied, and reassembled.

Door locks on the second generation Volvo S60 may occasionally malfunction due to a small electric motor in their design. Fortunately, to solve the problem, it's enough to replace the electric motor without purchasing the entire lock assembly. If the door lock stops responding to the outside handle, but the door opens from the inside, cable replacement may be required.

On cars with keyless access, wires may break near connectors or water may get into them, causing the system to stop functioning. In this case, it is necessary to replace the handle with fragments of wiring.

The windshield gradually wears down from the impact of small stones and other abrasives. Restyled cars were equipped with a fully heated windshield with heating wires.

Comfort and Interior Features

In the interior of the Volvo S60, over time, a whistling sound from the fan motor may appear. Access to it is possible through the glove compartment, but lubrication usually helps only temporarily, so ultimately fan replacement will be required.

In hot weather, the fan may operate at high speeds and not stop after turning off the engine. To solve this problem, it is recommended to replace the thermistor of the ventilation system.

If the car is equipped with a sunroof, it is recommended to regularly (at least once every two years) clean the drainage tubes that run from it through the body pillars downward. If the drains are clogged, water can seep past them, wetting the pillar trims and penetrating the carpets. Under the carpets are electronic units that can be damaged by contact with water.

On some Volvo S60 specimens, the transmission mode indicator on the automatic transmission selector may stop working. In this case, replacement or repair of the cable will be required.

Cooling and Air Conditioning System

Sometimes on the Volvo S60, radiator fans may suddenly turn off. If they have stopped working, the problem may be in worn brushes of electric motor collectors. An experienced electrician can easily fix this malfunction.

If the fans turn on irregularly, the control unit located at the back of the fan assembly is likely faulty. In some cases, the unit can be repaired.

It is important to keep the space between the main radiator and condenser clean. When dust and debris accumulate, it is necessary to remove the entire assembly and thoroughly clean the system, replacing the coolant at the same time. A functional and clean cooling system is key to the long service life of Volvo S60 engines, especially gasoline ones.

During the warranty period of the second generation Volvo S60, the upper air conditioning compressor hose was often replaced due to buzzing occurring during compressor operation. A modified tube solves this problem.

Restyled Volvo S60s are equipped with a hydraulic steering rack with an electric pump immersed in an oil reservoir. Regular replacement of hydraulic fluid will prevent failure of the pump and control unit. You can also replace the reservoir if a lot of contaminants have accumulated in the old one, especially if the coarse filter is clogged.

Engines: From Problematic to Reliable

Ford Engines (EcoBoost)

The main engines of pre-facelift Volvo S60s were 1.6 and 2.0 liter gasoline engines — four-cylinder units with direct injection, known as EcoBoost. These engines often failed both during the warranty period and after its expiration. The main problems were related to fuel quality and long service intervals (up to 20,000 km).

Typical malfunctions included breaking off of piston partitions, accompanied by a strong knocking in one of the cylinders, as well as scoring. The cause was most often detonation caused by poor quality fuel and calcium additives in motor oil. Often such problems ended with the need to replace the cylinder block.

The 1.6-liter engine could lose oil through worn seals, and the turbocharger shaft with a lack of lubrication could lead to turning of connecting rod bearings. However, for many owners, these engines serve for a long time with proper maintenance. It is recommended to use quality fuel and reduce the oil change interval by at least half.

Swedish Engines (Five-cylinder)

The T5 version was equipped with a sprightly Swedish engine, and from 2014, its two-liter modification appeared. These engines have distributed fuel injection, one turbocharger, and five cylinders. With proper maintenance, they are capable of crossing the threshold of 500,000 km.

It is recommended to change the oil every 10,000 km, which will help avoid problems with variable valve timing and clogging of the crankcase ventilation system. If oil begins to seep through the camshaft seals, this indicates increased pressure in the crankcase or that the engine has been operating with a low oil level for some time. It is also recommended to change the timing belt every 120,000 km.

Until 2016, the Volvo S60 was equipped with the proprietary inline turbocharged six-cylinder T6 — a reliable engine that even with intensive operation with chip tuning can last up to 300,000 km.

New VEA Engines

Ford gradually stopped supplying its four-cylinder engines for the Volvo S60 in 2013, and the company began to abandon the inline five-cylinder engines as well. They were replaced by completely new modular architecture VEA engines, which have nothing in common with Ford engines.

These engines resemble five-cylinder ones in design: they do not have a separate valve cover, and the lightweight alloy cover presses the camshafts from above. Following Volvo tradition, there are no hydraulic valve lifters in these engines. They are equipped with a belt-driven timing system, one or two turbines, direct fuel injection, an electric cooling system pump, and an electronic dipstick.

The smallest engine in the VEA family has a displacement of 1.5 liters, but Volvo S60s with this engine are extremely rare and mainly among cars imported from Europe. The two-liter version is much more common, which was installed on various modifications with power ranging from 152 to 306 horsepower (with Polestar chip). These engines are also known as Drive-E and are still installed on third-generation Volvos.

In the early years of production, VEA engines had increased oil consumption due to an unsuccessful oil separator in the crankcase ventilation system. Additionally, until 2016, the oil scraper rings quickly became coked due to tiny openings for oil drainage in the pistons. Owners had to replace pistons at their own expense due to excessive oil consumption. However, since 2016, these problems have been eliminated, and the engines have become significantly more reliable.

Diesel Engines

The smallest diesel engine under the hood of the second generation Volvo S60 is the French 1.6 HDi turbo diesel in an eight-valve configuration. This is a fairly reliable and economical engine.

Pre-facelift inline turbocharged five-cylinder Volvo diesel engines were discontinued around 2014. These are reliable engines, but there have been cases of cracks appearing in the cylinders, especially in versions with 215 horsepower. This problem is usually associated with improper chip tuning and engine overheating, so it is important to monitor the cleanliness of radiators and intercooler.

The five-cylinder diesels were replaced by four-cylinder engines of the new VEA modular architecture. In these engines, the cooling system pump is driven by the timing belt, an oil pump with variable capacity is used, and an electronic sensor is installed instead of a dipstick.

In the first years of production, these engines were included in a recall campaign due to the likelihood of melting of the intake manifold and even its ignition. The cause was the EGR valve, which was replaced on a large number of Volvo cars with this engine, produced from 2013 to 2019. Otherwise, no serious problems with Volvo diesel engines have been observed.

Transmission: From Robots to Automatics

MPS6 Robotized Transmission

The second generation Volvo S60 with non-native engines (Ford 1.6 and 2.0 turbocharged gasoline, as well as the French 1.6L turbo diesel) was equipped with an MPS6 robotized transmission in a variant with wet clutch. This transmission is also known as 6DCT450, which means that the clutch discs are immersed in transmission oil, which also serves the hydraulic unit.

Since all dust from the clutch friction linings gets into the oil and hydraulic unit, it is recommended to change the oil every 40,000 km, as well as replace the external filter. Additionally, installation of an external radiator and cold thermostat is recommended, but even with this, by 120,000 km the transmission may begin to show signs of malfunction.

There are quite a few weak points in this transmission. The clutch works with a mass flywheel located in the transmission housing. The flywheel damper springs wear out themselves and wear out their seats, causing metal dust to appear in the oil, clutch beating, and oil may begin to leak through the seal on the clutch cover.

The MPS6 robot may start to "kick" during gear changes, and one of the gears may also disappear, as evidenced by corresponding errors. In this case, replacing tired solenoids may help, which do not require complete disassembly of the transmission to access — they are accessible after removing the vertically installed pan.

Aisin Automatic Transmissions

Turbocharged five-cylinder gasoline Volvo engines work in tandem with a six-speed Aisin TF80SC automatic. To increase the service life of this transmission, it is recommended to install an external radiator and change ATF every 80,000 km. Under these conditions, the transmission is capable of traveling about 250,000 km until major repairs.

With the 2.5-liter turbo engine, a slightly different automatic transmission was available — TF71SC, which has factory cooling that is not very efficient, so installation of an external radiator is mandatory.

Modern TG81SC Transmission

New gasoline and diesel two-liter engines are equipped with an eight-speed Aisin Warner TG81SC transmission. This transmission was originally developed for the Lexus RX, and then appeared on many other models, including BMW X1, BMW X2, Mini, Toyota, Opel, Volkswagen, Geely, and all modern Volvos. This is a reliable and comfortable transmission.

Brake System and Suspension

The second generation Volvo S60 is equipped with parking brake servo drives, which after 5-7 years of operation may fail due to dirt and water entering their gearbox. The servo drives are easily removed from the calipers, but if dirt has caused serious wear of the gears, the gearboxes will have to be replaced with new ones.

The front wheels are suspended on MacPherson struts with triangular arms. Interestingly, many front suspension parts are compatible with Ford Mondeo 4, Ford S-Max, and second generation Ford Galaxy. The weak spot in the arms is their rear bushings, which can crack at around 120,000 km. As cracking progresses, the driver feels wobbling of the front suspension when driving, especially when braking.

The ball joint is sold together with the arm and bushings, but it can be replaced separately by sawing off the rivets and installing a non-original ball joint, which comes with mounting bolts.

The support bearings of the front shock absorber struts are insufficiently protected from dirt and moisture, causing them to crunch by 120,000 km. Steering rods and tips are sold separately. Stabilizer struts serve approximately 50,000 km, depending on operating conditions, road quality, and driving style.

Front hub bearings on some Volvo S60s begin to make noise at around 150,000 km.

In the rear suspension of the second generation Volvo S60, there are four arms for each wheel. The weak spot is the front bushing of the longitudinal arm. Good manufacturers offer a repair kit consisting of two bushings with mounting screws. The shortest arm of the rear suspension also doesn't last long.

The second generation Volvo S60 could be equipped with electronically controlled shock absorbers manufactured by Monroe. If these shock absorbers begin to leak, they will have to be replaced with new ones.

Conclusion: Is It Worth Buying?

The second generation Volvo S60, especially in the restyled version with new engines, is an excellent car. It differs from many competitors in its originality and quality.

The main advantage of this model is that it does not have a tendency for minor malfunctions and is generally designed for hundreds of thousands of kilometers of operation. When choosing, attention should be paid to the service history, condition of the engine and transmission, as well as the general condition of the body and suspension.

If you are looking for a reliable, comfortable, and stylish car with character, different from mass models, the second generation Volvo S60 will be an excellent choice. With proper maintenance, this car will serve for many years, pleasing the owner with its driving qualities and Swedish reliability.

Find Your Pre-Owned Volvo S60 Second Generation (2010-2018)

We've collected second-hand listings from Facebook Marketplace, Kaidee, One2Car, and TaladRod all in one place. Compare prices, check seller types, and find the perfect match for your needs.

Find second-hand Volvo S60 II (2010-2018) here → Volvo S60 II