Volvo XC40 Complaints (2023)

48 consumer complaints on file.

#11774101October 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS, SEATS
Liquid intrusion in the center console from a routine cup holder spill penetrated unshielded wiring harnesses. This caused progressive electrical failures, including loss of engine power and power steering, failure of the SRS passenger airbag occupant sensor, 12V battery drain, and uncommanded movement of the power driver's seat while driving—which surged forward and pinned the driver against the steering wheel. Dealer repairs are approximately $5,000 to date with active hazards remaining
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11768225October 1, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
9/4/26: 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge made an uncommanded collision-avoidance correction at a dead stop. No obstacle ahead, no driver input. No crash/injury. Two prior false alerts (8/25, 8/27). Reported to Volvo Cars Danvers 9/15/26; no finding.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767657September 29, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sometimes when I start the car, the infotainment has no sound and I have to reboot it. This affects maps, blinkers, safety, anything using audio. When I reboot I lose access to all audio and video in the car. This happens a couple times a month. Sometimes I don’t notice it until I’m already under way.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765706September 20, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I was pulling into a parking space at very low speed and was in the final stage of positioning the vehicle in the parking space. I was intentionally controlling the vehicle’s movement by gradually lifting my foot from the brake pedal. Instead of continuing to move forward slowly as expected, the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward with substantial force and speed greater than would be expected from simply releasing the brake pedal, and crashed into a cement wall. I did not intentionally press the accelerator or attempt to accelerate the vehicle. The collision caused substantial damage to the vehicle. The repair estimate is $14,644.25. The vehicle was NOT in cruise control. The Volvo-installed rubber floor mats were securely attached to the factory retaining pegs on the floor and were not loose or displaced. The vehicle’s Forward Collision Avoidance system did not engage or provide an automatic braking intervention before the vehicle struck the cement wall. The airbag did not deploy. The seat belt did not lock into place during the crash. I am submitting this complaint because the vehicle was being maneuvered at extremely low speed during a parking maneuver and unexpectedly accelerated forward with sufficient force to cause a collision with a cement wall, and resulted in significant vehicle damage. I am concerned that this may represent a safety defect. I request that NHTSA investigate whether this incident is part of a broader pattern involving the 2023 Volvo XC40 B5 mild-hybrid, including accelerator/throttle system, brake system, transmission, electronic controls, sensors, software, or communication between these systems. And consider examination of the vehicle’s electronic data, including accelerator-pedal position, brake-pedal position, throttle commands, engine-control-module data, transmission commands, brake-control-module data, diagnostic trouble codes, freeze-frame/event data and relevant software versions immediately preceding the collision.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763812September 12, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
The vehicle intermittently loses all audio output, including music/media, turn-signal sounds, lane-change/blind-spot warning tones, parking/reverse proximity sensor alerts, and other vehicle chimes. I have experienced this problem for more than one year, and it has become significantly more frequent/severe following the latest software update. When the failure occurs, visual displays and cameras may continue to function, but the associated audible safety warnings are completely absent. This creates a safety concern because the driver may not realize that important warning tones are unavailable, including while changing lanes or maneuvering near other vehicles or objects. The issue can temporarily be corrected by rebooting/resetting the vehicle's infotainment/head-unit system, but the problem returns. We have had to perform this reset at least 10 times in the past several months. The problem appears to involve the vehicle's electrical/infotainment audio system and affects multiple safety-related audible warning systems. The issue existed prior to the most recent software update but has worsened since the update. The vehicle is available for inspection if requested.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758689August 22, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEAT BELTS, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Vehicle has 26k miles on it and is under mfr warranty. Dealer-covered warranty has included five (5) visits to address electrical issues with the most recently being 8/13/26. Dealer "system reflash" is not solving the problems. Electrical / safety issues persists, which include: Loss of ALL audio: blinker sounds, all audible safety alerts (seatbelt warning, park assist, blind spot, forward collision alert, and lane keeping). This has also occassionally coincided with a full dark-out of the driver dashboard while the vehicle is running (speedometer, entire instrument panel). This vehicle is for our teenage daughter and dealer efforts combined with my trouble-shooting (car on/off, hard system reset) is not solving the issue. The backup camera also regularly failed to work and on 12/10/24, the dealer addressed as part of earlier recall notice and the camera seems to be working fine. Other than above, the car has operated normally.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752676July 24, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
The car speeds up from 30mph around a curve when the adaptive speed control loses sight of the vehicle ahead of me. A speed of 55mph on the curve posted at 30mph is dangerous. The dealer says “oh just turn off the crisis control by tapping the brake.” This is true but could be too late, since the car has already increased its speed on the curve. Volvo is unresponsive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11749318July 9, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was directed downward towards the bumper and the ground. The rearview camera image was not displaying within a normal viewing range, making it difficult to park. No warning lights illuminated. A local dealer was contacted, but was unable to determine a related fault code. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747055June 28, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
I was driving northbound on XXX, driving from [XXX] to [XXX]. I was driving in the left most lane and was approaching an area of the highway where there was construction currently in progress to my left (this was where Chuckanut Creek intersects the interstate, I was told they were constructing a salmon run there). As my vehicle was approaching the beginning of the construction area, my car's Lane Assist feature activated and the steering wheel turns to follow the yellow dashed lines that were painted on top of the current highway lane I was driving in, and I could not turn the steering wheel to the right as it was locking and completely turning to the left following the yellow dashed construction lane markings. I could not control the car, and I ended up hitting a concrete construction barrier. After impact, I regained control of the wheel and swerved a bit until fully slowing down to pull over onto the right hand shoulder. The front driver side wheel was completely busted and the car was not drivable following the collision. No person was physically hurt, nor other nearby vehicles. We towed the car to the nearest Volvo dealership where it currently remains, and have received an quote of current damages (the problem of what caused the accident is not included in the report nor confirmed by Volvo. When I spoke to their service department manager, he ultimately said Volvo doesn't claim responsibility and says it's the drivers responsibility to respond to Driver Assistance features). I have opened a claim with my auto insurance, and am still waiting on their inspection/response. The car is available for additional inspection if needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744615June 16, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint – 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge Plus Vehicle: 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge Plus BEV VIN: [[XXX]] Date of Incident: [XXX Approximate Mileage: [26,9333] Location: [[XXX]] – occurred while going downhill Component: Service Brakes, Electric; Parking Brake; Vehicle Speed Control Summary: I experienced complete loss of braking while driving my 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge on a highway. One Pedal Drive was active. After coasting downhill for approximately 1.5-2 minutes with no accelerator or brake pedal input, I applied the brake pedal to slow for traffic and discovered the vehicle had no braking capability. The pedal was firm but the car did not decelerate. There were no warning lights, messages, or alerts before or during the failure. This resulted in a collision with other vehicle Damage to my vehicle to the front left etc.]. Police responded and generated report #[XXX]. Additional Details: 1. Drive mode: One Pedal Drive was ON at the time of incident. This matches the failure mode described in NHTSA Recall 25V-392 for 2020-2026 Volvo BEV/PHEV models, which warns of total brake loss after 1 minute 40 seconds of coasting in One Pedal Drive/B mode. 2. No warnings: No dashboard alerts, sounds, or messages occurred before brake failure, inconsistent with a safe design. 3. After incident: Braking function returned intermittently after the vehicle came to a complete stop, also consistent with 25V-392. 4. Recall status: My VIN currently shows no open recalls on NHTSA’s lookup tool. However, 2023 XC40 BEV is explicitly listed in NHTSA Recall 25V-392. I was never notified to disable One Pedal Drive or that my vehicle was unsafe to operate. Vehicle Status: I still have possession of the vehicle and it has not been repaired. It is available for inspection. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11744378June 16, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
While I was driving, the infotainment system turned itself off twice during the same trip. First time was on a highway and was extremely scary. I wasn’t in a place I could easily pull over to assess. Both the main screen in the middle console and the screen behind the steering wheel went dark. Volvo NEEDS to figure it out re infotainment. It shouldn’t be turning itself off mid drive and then ultimately rebooting itself while the car is moving. I have already installed all the updates, but clearly it wasn’t enough/effective.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741990June 4, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I pulled into a parking spot with a concrete barrier pole at a pharmacy to pick up my sister. I had my foot on the brake while she was getting into the vehicle when the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward crashing into the pole. I have also had an incident where I tried to start the vehicle and could not get the vehicle to go from park to reverse. This is concerning that there could be some faults in the electrical system, sensors or brakes.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732029April 18, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
I am submitting this complaint to report a persistent safety-related defect in my 2023 Volvo XC40. Since the vehicle was purchased, the infotainment system has repeatedly crashed while the vehicle is in operation, at times as often as every 5 minutes. The condition has existed both before and after completion of the recall/software update, and it was not corrected after presentation to an authorized dealer for inspection and repair. These repeated system failures materially affect the safe operation of the vehicle. When the infotainment system crashes, the rearview camera becomes unavailable. In addition, the windows and windshield may fog up, and I may lose access to the controls needed to restore visibility. The loss of forward visibility, combined with the loss of rear camera functionality, creates a substantial and unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. Although I suspect the problem may involve inadequate hardware or processing capacity, I am not asserting a definitive technical diagnosis. The critical fact is that the vehicle repeatedly loses important operational and safety-related functions while being driven. Because the defect persists despite the recall update and dealer intervention, I request that NHTSA investigate this condition as a potential safety defect in the 2023 Volvo XC40.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718766February 18, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING
Driver assist failed and brakes failed when vehicle veered to left on its own..Brakes and steering failed when trying to correct failure.. Overcorrection caused vehicle to veer off road and over a sign and continue for approximately 50 feet. Vehicle is currently at State Farm towing lot. My safety and others were put at risk with "reckless" driving. The problem has not been reproduced. A State Farm claims adjuster will inspect the vehicle today 2/18/26 or tomorrow. No warning lamps or messages appeared.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709773January 8, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: AUTOMATIC SYSTEM BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera display intermittently was distorted or inoperative. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The contact stated that the infotainment system was intermittently inoperative and had to be manually reset to return to normal operation. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking and the Back Over Prevention: Automatic System Braking independently activated while there were no vehicles or objects in front or behind the vehicle. The contact was concerned that the failure was causing emotional distress for him and his children and could eventually cause an injury. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the rear taillights were dim and failed to provide adequate illumination behind the vehicle while in reverse. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis; however, the dealer stated that the vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was performing normally. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697427November 4, 2025
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger's side seat belt failed to latch as intended. The contact's mother was attempting to latch the front passenger's side seat belt when the failure occurred. The contact stated that the failure could have occurred while the vehicle was being driven. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the contact was not provided the result of the diagnostic test. In addition, the contact stated that four months prior to the failure, the front driver's side seat belt failed to latch as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that there was a failure with the latching mechanism. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693063October 13, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I am writing to provide an update on an existing recall, 25V282, for the rear-view camera image failing to display during the start of each reversing event. This issue was meant to be resolved via a software update, which my car received and installed. However, this did not solve the issue. I still receive the "Camera Temporarily Unavailable" message regularly when shifting my car into reverse, and I am unable to see the rearview camera image.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691056October 2, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving, and slowly coming to a complete stop and if I drive over a pothole, the car will launched forward and I have to press the brakes fast in order not to jot out into traffic or run into the back of another vehicle. This is very dangerous
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688785September 22, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
backup camera continues to say 'camera temporarily unavailable' even after software update from recall. latest software update has made the problem worse. Camera frequently fails when backing up
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11681683August 19, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The rear-view camera is cutting out and/or unresponsive. Upon going into reverse, the rear-view camera occasionally cuts out to a blank screen. In a recent instance, I was in reverse and was completely unable to get the rear-view camera to operate whatsoever. When this occurs it is impossible to see what is directly behind the car. My car was just at the dealership yesterday (8/18/25) and has the current version of the software (v 3.7) installed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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