Volvo · NHTSA safety record

2011 Volvo C30

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 14 safety complaints about the 2011 Volvo C30 with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the steering.

The most complained-about system is visibility and the wipers, named in 7 complaints, 50% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 50,000 miles, the median across the 7 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers May 2012 to June 2023 · How this is counted

What is on file

14 complaints on file

Complaints

Describe a crash

Mention fire

People injured

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system

VISIBILITY/WIPER 7 · 50% 7 50%

STRUCTURE 3 · 21% 3 21%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 · 21% 3 21%

STEERING 2 · 14% 2 14%

SUSPENSION 2 · 14% 2 14%

TIRES 2 · 14% 2 14%

AIR BAGS 1 · 7% 1 7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 · 7% 1 7%

ENGINE 1 · 7% 1 7%

WHEELS 1 · 7% 1 7%

0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 14.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 4.

8 6 4 2

12 2012 14 2014 15 2015 16 2016 17 2017 20 2020 21 2021 23 2023

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2012 to 2023.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2011 Volvo C30. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR

10V255000 · June 8, 2010

The defect: VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 C30, MODEL YEAR 2010 S40 AND V50 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THE GEARSHIFT LEVER STUD ASSEMBLY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THE GEARSHIFT LEVER CABLE OR STUD ASSEMBLY BECOMES LOOSE, IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO ENGAGE, DISENGAGE OR SHIFT GEARS.
The risk: THIS CONDITION CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL TORQUE THE GEARSHIFT LEVER STUD ASSEMBLY TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 14, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552 OR [email protected] .

VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. · up to 536 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS Filed July 17, 2017

crash · towed

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 VOLVO C30. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO ROCKO'S AUTO REPAIR OF BLACKWOOD, NEW JERSEY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint 11005869. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER Filed June 10, 2023

The top of the windshield no longer adheres to the body of the vehicle. My searches of the internet have found multiple instances of the Volvos where the top part of the windshield is no longer attached to the vehicle. Here is a link to the Auto Glass Safety Council describes the issue ( Volvo Car USA LLC recently issued a statement that all windshield replacements on Volvo vehicles must be performed “according to Volvo standards at an authorized facility, using only Volvo Genuine Windshields and adhesives.” Their reasoning for this statement is, “The Volvo windshield is an integral part of our vehicles. Not only does it provide an undistorted view, it serves as a critical structure

NHTSA complaint 11526361, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER Filed May 29, 2023

The entire top edge of the windshield is no longer sealed to the car. Water gets in. If all of the windows are closed, the windshield briefly pops out a little bit as the door is closed.

NHTSA complaint 11524288. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER Filed January 15, 2023

Windshield seal bond at top failed resulting in loose front windshield not being attached to the body. This is leaking water and leading to poor visibility that is dangerous but more concerning is the detachment of the window from the body. This would be extremely dangerous in a collision. The car is parked at this time due to being dangerous to drive.

NHTSA complaint 11501828. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER Filed May 20, 2021

Windshield is not sealed properly- moving as i drive from faulty seal

NHTSA complaint 11417949. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER Filed September 14, 2020

100,000 miles

THE LOOSE WINDSHIELD ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS IT IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE. I HAVE A 2011 C30. YOU CAN PUSH UP ON THE GLASS AND IT IS NOT ADHERED ON THE TOP AT ALL TO THE CAR. NOT JUST ON THE C30 BUT OTHER MODELS AS WELL. IT'S AS IF THE WINDSHIELD IS ONLY ADHERED TO ON 3 SIDES. IT VIBRATES AND LEAKS. DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. AND THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE.

NHTSA complaint 11354970. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER Filed September 5, 2020

51,000 miles

THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY UNTIL I CAN GET THE ISSUE CORRECTED IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. THE WINDSHIELD IS LOOSE. I DISCOVERED A LEAK AND DETERMINED THAT THE ISSUE IS THAT THE WINDSHIELD IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE CAR AT THE TOP. THE SLIGHTEST PRESSURE FROM THE INSIDE CAN MOVE THE WINDSHIELD AWAY FROM THE SEAL ON THE CAR. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE TIN VOLVO'S THAT OCCURS DUE TO IMPROPER GLASS PREPARATION. HOW CAN THIS BE SAFE? SHOULDN'T VOLVO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING THE ISSUE? THANK YOU

NHTSA complaint 11353281. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other 2011 Volvo models

XC60 36 XC90 19 XC70 15 C70 12

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Volvo on this site — 71 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

Complaints: NHTSA's ODI complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed June 8, 2010.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI investigation file, published October 2, 2026.

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst