Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2005 Volvo V50, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling6
- Electrical system3
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Fuel system, gasoline3
- Suspension3
- Structure2
- Unknown or other1
- Exterior lighting1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Steering1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2005 Volvo V50 failed the safety check 2.30% of the time — 0% more often than the average 2005 passenger car (2.30%). Median odometer at inspection: 123,671 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2005 Volvo V50 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.4 petrol (103 kW, 138 hp), 1.8 petrol (92 kW, 123 hp) and 2.4 petrol (125 kW, 168 hp), out of 6 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 petrol | 103 kW 138 hp | 980 |
| 1.8 petrol | 92 kW 123 hp | 859 |
| 2.4 petrol | 125 kW 168 hp | 279 |
| 2.5 petrol | 162 kW 217 hp | 226 |
| 2.0 diesel | 100 kW 134 hp | 121 |
| 1.6 diesel | 80 kW 107 hp | 35 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
2,543 first registered in 2005 are on Dutch roads; 23% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €34,159.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde1,247
- Band onvoldoende profiel1,169
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd848
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld671
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm536
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af530
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt519
- Slijtage/beschadiging wiellager hoorbaar of voelbaar417
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
1,322 cars built in 2005 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 754 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 2,471 of these cars first registered in 2005 took their annual MOT test. 51% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2005 the figure was 56%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 24.5% | 17.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 17.6% | 21.5% |
| Brakes | 14.0% | 13.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 12.3% | 8.9% |
| Tyres | 12.3% | 7.0% |
| Visibility | 6.3% | 7.5% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
1,757 of these cars first registered in 2005 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 299,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
143 2005 cars are on the New Zealand register; 87% arrived as used imports, 10% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 6 variants: combined 10.4–12.0 L/100 km (about 20–23 mpg US), CO₂ 239–276 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| V50 2.5T Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.2 | 8.2 | 10.4 |
| V50 · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.2 | 8.7 | 10.6 |
| V50 · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.3 | 8.8 | 10.7 |
| V50 2.5T Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 12.6 | 8.7 | 10.8 |
| V50 2.5T AWD Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 13.6 | 9.5 | 11.8 |
| V50 2.5T AWD Turbo · Station wagon: Small · Premium gasoline | 13.8 | 9.8 | 12.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2005 Volvo V50.
| 2010396 8 Nov 2010 | Accessories On certain vehicles, there is a possibility of overheating issues of batteries in the Garmin nüvi® 760 when certain batteries manufactured within a limited date… |
| 2008023 28 Jan 2008 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, insufficient sealing of the Fuel Pump Electronic Module may lead to water ingress corrosion, possibly causing the unit to fail. This may r… |
| 2006094 26 Apr 2006 | Fuel System On certain vehicles the fuel line near the turbo/exhaust manifold may be damaged due to excessive heat. A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, cou… |
| 2006066 27 Mar 2006 | Seats And Restraints Certain Volvo 850, S40, V40, V50, V70, XC70 and XC90 equipped with integrated child booster cushions were incorrectly labelled during vehicle assembly. The lab… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH GARMIN 760 PORTABLE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) UNITS BECAUSE THE BATTERIES ON THOSE UNITS MAY OVERHEAT.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, REOCCURRING, LONG-TERM EXPOSURE TO CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS SALTY-WET CONDITIONS, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE PUMP ELECTRONIC MODULE (PEM) TO BECOME CORRODED INTERNALLY. THIS CAN CAUSE A FAULTY SIGNAL TO THE FUEL PUMP, RESULTING IN LOW OR NO FUEL PRESSURE TO THE ENGINE.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH T5 TURBO ENGINES, THE POLYAMIDE TUBE IN THE FUEL LINE IS SENSITIVE TO THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES THAT MAY OCCUR IN THE AREA WHERE THE TURBO/EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS LOCATED.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volvo told its dealers about the 2005 Volvo V50: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11009811 | This is a Technical Journal: Software Upgrade / Download Guide. If one control unit is upgraded and not all, it may result in various problems. |
| 11007925 | Information about valid Software partnumbers to order and download Software for "PDS" Pre-Delivery Service |
| 10249191 | This is a Technical Journal: 12V Battery Testing Method |
| 10241661 | COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADE C00009 DESCRIPTION. |
| 10241651 | Rubber cushion |
| 10219421 | Engine Control Module (EMS) Software (MSW) Information August 2022; Improvement List (Change Log) - US21+OBD22 (13L VGT, TC) And US17+OBD22 (11L) Emissions |
| 10213885 | The Deutronic DBL-1200 is an advanced battery maintainer/charger with the flexibility to be updated as products and repair methods evolve. |
| 10213883 | ICUP/Google Built-In Diagnostic Operations |
| 10213882 | Battery Charger/maintainer requirement |
| 10212892 | Shipping and Handling of Volvo Lithium-ion 48V Mild Hybrid Battery to Global Battery Solutions (GBS) |
| 10212891 | VIDA QR Scanner Mobile App |
| 10205651 | News Letter 70 |
| 10188881 | Volvo?s Warranty Department tracks Retailer warranty spending by utilizing the Warranty Retailer Counseling Process (WRCP). The WRCP is used to gauge individual retailer performance on objective measures over time. By setting clear performance expectations and parameters and assisting retailers in focusing on individual processes and procedures, all retailers are provided with adequate tools to help achieve the ultimate goal of qualifying for self-authorization status. |
| 10181041 | Mandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians to properly diagnose and repair Volvo cars. They are used in development of Volvo labor operations and repair methods, and promote safety and quality repairs in a timely manner. Tools are classified as mandatory because associated repairs and/or diagnostics cannot be completed properly without them. |
| 10179681 | This is a Service Manager Bulletin: Service 2.0 Software & Total Upgrade Reminder |
| 10178520 | This is a Service Manager Bulletin: Volvo Lithium-ion Hybrid Battery Packs shipping and handling to Volvo Reman |
| 10178516 | This is a Service Manager Bulletin: Volvo Lithium-ion Hybrid Battery Packs shipping and handling to Volvo Reman |
| 10178503 | Mandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians to properly diagnose and repair Volvo cars. They are used in development of Volvo labor operations and repair methods, and promote safety and quality repairs in a timely manner. Tools are classified as mandatory because associated repairs and/or diagnostics cannot be completed properly without them. |
| 10177392 | Effective immediately, all 12V batteries may be tested using the hand held battery tester 9513030 (BT3300). The VIDA test is still available but no longer required. For battery replacements under warranty, the code generated by the BT3300 must be manually copied into the repair order text. It must also be printed and attached to the hard copy of the repair order. |
| 10177386 | Service Manager Bulletin: Vehicle Type and Platform Information |
| 10173760 | This is a Service Manager Bulletin: Service 2.0 Software & Total Upgrade Reminder |
| 10171676 | Mandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians to properly diagnose and repair Volvo cars. They are used in development of Volvo labor operations and repair methods, and promote safety and quality repairs in a timely manner. Tools are classified as mandatory because associated repairs and/or diagnostics cannot be completed properly without them. |
| 10170147 | Service Manager Bulletin TITLE : Service Action Notification Re - Mails GROUP : NO : ISSUING DEPARTMENT : CAR MARKET : Product Safety & Compliance United States and Canada 00 325 REFERENCE BULLETINS : DATE : SMB00 - 323 and SMB00 - 323A YEAR MONTH DAY SERVICE SERVICE WARRANTY 2013 02 15 MANAGER WRITER ADMINISTRATOR Service Personnel : Read and initial Page 1 of 1 Volvo monitors completion rates for all service actions and will complete notification re - mails to vehicle owners when necessary . Listed below are the latest notification re - mails . Please refer to SMB 00 - 323 and SMB 00 - 323A |
| 10169394 | This is a Technical Journal: Swapping control modules from vehicle to vehicle for diagnostics should be avoided. Swapping control modules may result in consequential damage to the swapped control module and in certain cases several other control modules in the vehicle. Swapping the Driver Information Module (DIM) is strictly forbidden as the DIM it is the main carrier of the odometer function, and will, in case of swapping, result in manipulated odometer value. Service: Please do NOT swap any control modules from vehicle to vehicle for testing, unless instructed to do so in a Vehicle Report by |
| 10169393 | This is a Technical Journal: Swapping control modules from vehicle to vehicle for diagnostics should be avoided. Swapping control modules may result in consequential damage to the swapped control module and in certain cases several other control modules in the vehicle. Swapping the Driver Information Module (DIM) is strictly forbidden as the DIM it is the main carrier of the odometer function, and will, in case of swapping, result in manipulated odometer value. Service: Please do NOT swap any control modules from vehicle to vehicle for testing, unless instructed to do so in a Vehicle Report by |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)