The Volvo C30 has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2007–2011. On average a defect was admitted 1 years after the car was built, the slowest took 3 years. The most recalled system is Steering (2 campaigns). Owners also filed 46 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Volvo C30
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Steering 2 Read
What's wrong. 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
Risk. This condition can increase the risk of a vehicle crash
Fix. 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]
What's wrong. 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
Risk. This condition can increase the risk of a vehicle crash
Fix. 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]
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling my 2008-2009 vehicles. A section of the power steering return line hose was not properly vulcanized (cured) and does not meet specifications. If the power steering return hose fails, a sudden rupture of the hose can occur
Risk. This can result in a rapid drainage of the power steering fluid in the system and a complete loss of power assistance, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the steering return line hose assembly free of charge. The recall began on august 13, 2008. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552
Equipment 1 Read
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units may overheat
Risk. An overheated battery could lead to a fire
Fix. Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of…
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units may overheat
Risk. An overheated battery could lead to a fire
Fix. Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of…
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling certain vehicles equipped with garmin 760 portable global positioning system (GPS) units because the batteries on those units may overheat
Risk. An overheated battery could lead to a fire
Fix. Volvo advises owners to please stop using the garmin portable GPS device immediately, and visit the garmin website to determine if their unit is affected. The unit's battery will be replaced with a new battery and a spacer will be inserted on top of the battery next to the pcb. This service will be performed free of…
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 1 Read
What's wrong. Volvo is recalling 1,114 my 2007 c30, c70, s40, and v50 passenger vehicles. A soft anodized layer in the master cylinder may trigger early wear on a rubber seal that can result in internal leakage of brake fluid. If affected, the driver may experience reduced brake performance when applying and maintaining force of the brake pedal
Risk. The capacity to brake will gradually deteriorate forcing the driver to use a higher than expected force on the brake pedal when compared to an intact brake system. The deterioration can eventually result in complete loss of the brake system functionality increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. Dealers will inspect the master cylinder. The brake master cylinder and brake fluid reservoir will be replaced and certain brake lines cleaned free of charge. The recall began on march 11, 2008. Owners may contact volvo at 1-800-458-1552
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 1 years |
| Slowest campaign | 3 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | —% |
| Campaigns on record | 4 |
Which C30 years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Steering | |
| 2010 | Steering | |
| 2009 | Steering | |
| 2008 | Steering | |
| 2007 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
Check your own car
Each of these 4 campaigns covers a range of production, not every Volvo C30 ever built — two cars of the same year can differ by a single week at the plant. Whether yours is among them, and whether the free repair was already carried out, is answered only by the number on its windscreen: check this C30 by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
A campaign on one model says little about the brand as a whole — see how the Volvo C30 compares in the full recall check by make and model →
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Volvo C30 have?
4 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2007–2011. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my C30 still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 1 years, and the slowest campaign came 3 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.
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