Used car guide

2016 Volvo V60 diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the diesel Volvo V60 first registered in 2016 (diesel cars only): we looked at the 10,654 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

10,654MOTs of 2016 diesel cars, done in 2023–2025
78%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 77%)
10,400typical miles a year
2.6×the usual rate for number plate lights

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2016 Volvo V60 diesel?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2016 Volvo V60 diesel than on all cars registered in 2016.

  • Number plate lights2.6× usual
    Volvo V60
    6.9% All 2016 cars
    2.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.3%, against 0.8% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints2.1× usual
    Volvo V60
    3.2% All 2016 cars
    1.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.1%, against 0.9% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Number plates1.9× usual
    Volvo V60
    3.2% All 2016 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.2% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 2.3% here, against 4.9% of all 2016 cars.

Common 2016 Volvo V60 diesel MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2016 Volvo V60 diesel MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    33% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    23% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    13% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Suspension
    9% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    3% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Known faults on the 2016 Volvo V60 diesel

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Engine fire recalls

    All engines

    About 70,000 UK 2.0 diesels are recalled for a fire risk, five-cylinder engines for fuel lines that could leak, cars built July 2010 to April 2015 for a coolant leak that could start a fire, and 2015–16 cars for a cracked fuel hose.

    At the viewing: Ask a Volvo dealer to check the VIN for outstanding recalls.

    Source: What Car?: used Volvo V60 (2010-2018) reliability

  • Parking brake and steering recalls

    Built 2010 to 2016

    On manuals with stop-start built Dec 2010 to Feb 2015 the parking brake could release, and cars built Jan 2015 to Feb 2016 could lose power steering through a software fault.

    At the viewing: Ask for proof the updates were done.

    Source: What Car?: used Volvo V60 (2010-2018) reliability

  • EGR faults (D4) and particulate filter

    Diesel

    D4 diesels can have EGR faults and go into limp mode, and early diesels can clog their particulate filter.

    At the viewing: Watch for the engine light and lost power.

    Source: What Car?: used Volvo V60 (2010-2018) reliability

  • Gearbox oil every three years

    Automatic

    The automatic gearbox needs its fluid changed every three years.

    At the viewing: Check the paperwork for gearbox oil changes.

    Source: What Car?: used Volvo V60 (2010-2018) reliability

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2016 Volvo V60 diesel

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Have the fire-risk recalls been done?
  2. Have the parking brake and steering updates been done?
  3. Any recent work on the number plate lights? (Flagged at MOT 2.6× as often on the 2016 Volvo V60 diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 2.1× as often on the 2016 Volvo V60 diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  5. Any recent work on the number plates? (Flagged at MOT 1.9× as often on the 2016 Volvo V60 diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  6. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Volvo V60?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Volvo V60 compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023–Too new for MOT data
20221,518Tyres 28%
20217,278Tyres 29%
20208,274Tyres 28%
201913,683Tyres 28%
201811,512Tyres 29%
20179,434Tyres 33%
20159,828Tyres 34%
201410,798Tyres 35%
201310,571Tyres 36%
201213,547Tyres 36%
20117,467Tyres 36%
2010697Tyres 39%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Volvo V60 cars first registered in 2016. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score