Volvo maintenance: cost, plans and service schedule

Are Volvos expensive to maintain?

Like many luxury vehicles, Volvos require special components and often specialized technicians, which can result in pricier maintenance costs. Modern Volvos are also packed with advanced technology, including complex electrical systems and intricate safety features, which may require specialized diagnostic equipment to repair and maintain. Generally, the brand’s reliability and safety features can offset some long-term costs.

How Volvo compares to other automakers

According to RepairPal estimates that have been adjusted for inflation, the average Volvo costs its owner $1,051 per year in maintenance and repairs. That’s well above the industry average ($891) but not as high as some European luxury brands, like BMW ($1,323). Here’s how Volvos compare to other makes.

According to RepairPal, Volvo also has a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5, which places it 17th out of 32 automakers. The data shows that Volvo cars average slightly more visits to the mechanic each year than the average vehicle, but there’s only a 9% chance of your Volvo’s problem being severe.

This suggests that Volvos are more likely to need minor repairs but less likely to cause catastrophic repair bills.

Volvo maintenance and repair costs by model

If you want to know how much your individual vehicle may cost you in upkeep, it’s important to check model-specific data. Let’s look at estimates for a few of the most popular Volvo models to see how their expected costs can change.

It’s also worth noting that, so far, all of these statistics have conflated maintenance costs and repair costs, even though they’re technically different things with different demands on your budget. Let’s take a look at each to see how they can affect you and your Volvo.

Dionna, a ConsumerAffairs reviewer from California, wrote: “I purchased my top of the line Volvo XC90 and have not [had anything] but problems. The auto hold/brake keeps malfunctioning. I took it in two times in six months and they kept saying it’s a ‘software update’ then the third time it did it."

Dionna continued: "I said DO NOT just say it’s a software update and send me on my way. So they said it was the module that is directly under the cup holder and that something must have spilled in the cup holder, so it’s not covered under warranty. … I had to pay out of pocket to fix it. Then one week later, the auto hold/brake malfunctioned again.”

Volvo maintenance cost and schedule

Scheduled maintenance is an important part of keeping your car running smoothly, and it’s often required by warranty agreements. That means if you don’t keep up with your scheduled maintenance, your warranty claims might be denied when your car breaks down. Luckily, routine maintenance costs are almost 100% predictable — once you know your schedule.

It’s difficult for us to say exactly what kind of maintenance your Volvo needs because Volvo has different recommended maintenance schedules for different models. However, you can find the recommended schedule for your vehicle in your owners manual or by contacting your local dealership for more information.

Author’s note: Your maintenance needs may vary based on what type of parts you use. As a professional mechanic, I’ve often advised customers to get oil changes more frequently if using conventional motor oil instead of synthetic. However, you should always follow the recommendations of your Volvo mechanic, especially if you want to maintain your factory warranty coverage.

Example: Volvo XC60 recommended maintenance schedule

To illustrate what a given maintenance schedule might look like, we’ve included the recommended schedule for a Volvo XC60 below.

Maintenance costs are relatively easy to budget for because the services involved are needed on a regular schedule. That means you can look at what your maintenance schedule recommends, check your mechanic’s prices for those services and plan out how much maintenance will cost you for the next several years, assuming prices don’t change.

If your Volvo is new, you might not have to pay for maintenance yet, though. Volvo’s Complimentary Factory Scheduled Maintenance covers a new Volvo’s first three maintenance visits over its first three years on the road.

Example: 2019 Volvo XC60 maintenance costs

We collected some estimated costs for common maintenance services using a 2019 Volvo XC60 in Austin, Texas, as an example. Your costs may differ depending on your vehicle and location.

Schedule maintenance for severe driving conditions

Volvo offers maintenance schedules tailored for severe driving conditions, which may include vehicles that take frequent short trips, are often in stop-and-go traffic, tow or drive in extreme temperatures or on dusty or rough roads.

In these circumstances, Volvo recommends more frequent maintenance intervals to ensure the car’s longevity and prevent potential damage. Check out your owners manual for the specific frequency.

Volvo repair costs

Estimating repair costs is much more difficult than estimating maintenance costs because you rarely know what’s going to fail on your vehicle ahead of time. However, some mechanical problems happen more often than others on certain vehicles, so you can make an educated guess at what’s in store for your vehicle by looking at others’ experiences.

According to RepairPal, some of the most common complaints for Volvo vehicles include transmission failures (2001 to 2014 S60s; 2003-2011, 2013 and 2016 XC90s), malfunctioning mass air flow sensors (2012 S60s) and worn sway bar links (2013 S60s).

Example: 2019 XC60 repair costs

These estimates partially back up what we had previously assumed about Volvos — that they’re prone to frequent, less serious visits to the mechanic. However, the estimate we got for replacing the transmission in our sample XC60 is more than double what it costs to replace the transmission in some other vehicles we’ve gotten quotes for.

Volvo’s new-car warranty only lasts for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. That includes both bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage, so once your warranty ends, you’re responsible for paying any repair bills, and unless you have thousands of dollars set aside for auto repairs, you could be in trouble.

» LEARN: What is a manufacturer’s warranty?

How can an extended warranty or maintenance plan help?

Extended warranties and prepaid maintenance plans can help you save money on vehicle upkeep, but they work in different ways:

• Prepaid maintenance plans let you lock in a price for maintenance services ahead of time, which can shield you from rising costs and inflation.
• Extended warranties pay to repair covered components when they break down.

Volvo offers both types of plans, but it’s not your only option. For example, when we compared Volvo’s extended warranties with third-party options, we found that the results were mixed, with the best rates shifting between providers based on the vehicle in question. That’s why we recommend getting quotes from different auto warranty companies and comparing the results before you buy.

If you’re considering buying an extended warranty for your Volvo, do your research, shop around and weigh the pros and cons of your purchase before you put down your hard-earned money.

» MORE: Car warranty vs. car insurance