Volvo XC90 Complaints (2023)

41 consumer complaints on file.

#11770326October 10, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHAT COMPONENT OR SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, AND IS IT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION? The Pilot Assist / Adaptive Cruise Control system becomes physically stuck, causing sudden unintended acceleration. Additionally, the central vehicle electrical system/wiring harness is experiencing a verified spontaneous failure. The vehicle is currently located in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and is fully available for federal inspection upon request. HOW WAS YOUR SAFETY OR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS PUT AT RISK? My life and the safety of everyone on the road was placed in immediate, catastrophic danger. On multiple occasions, the vehicle took total control away from me, overrode my inputs, and independently accelerated to 100 miles per hour on the highway. This maximum-throttle acceleration severely compromised my ability to slow down, brake, or control the vehicle. As a professional therapist and professor, surviving these multiple near-death events has caused me severe psychological trauma and a profound fear of driving. HAS THE PROBLEM BEEN REPRODUCED OR CONFIRMED BY A DEALER? Yes, a dealer has officially replicated and confirmed part of the underlying electrical failure. The vehicle was held at the dealership service department for an extended diagnostic stay from October 6th until yesterday. While they did not replicate the 100 mph acceleration during their brief initial rounds, a Volvo service mechanic took the vehicle home overnight and successfully reproduced and witnessed the unprompted electrical failure (the cabin lights turning on completely by themselves). HAS THE VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER, POLICE, OR INSURANCE? The authorized Volvo dealership service department has extensively inspected the vehicle. However, despite a mechanic witnessing the spontaneous electrical glitch, the service center said they could not pinpoint the exact source of the failure using standard diagnostic tools and returned the car to me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767568September 28, 2026
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while his son was attempting to latch the seat belt, the seat belt failed to retract. The failure had occurred several times. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V827000 (SEAT BELTS); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 28,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11728493April 1, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The car recently received a 5.05 update of the infotainment system. Since then, the infotainment system would be shut off and auto-restarts itself during driving every 10 or 15 minutes. The car would lose all the functions related to the infotainment system, such as the camera, navigation, sound and air conditioning for a few minutes during driving. It is dangerous that this would happen randomly and so frequently. This incident has been reported by many Volvo car owners in the past few days since the update, and the dealer didn't fix the problem. We are going to a dealer two days later but don't have much hope for the fix.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714120January 29, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While the vehicle was parked, the trunk opened and the alarm sounded. Using the buttons on the trunk, I shut the trunk and locked the car. A few moments later, the trunk opened and the alarm sounded again. This continued for 40 minutes. Today, if I place a battery in the main black key fob, the trunk will open with the car running. I have an appointment next week at the dealer, however, most correspondence with Volvo has been by phone during the time it occurred. Both key fobs are not recognized by the vehicle unless specifically placed in a vertical direction in the cup holder. While driving, I receive messages that the key is not detected (although, I understand the car should NOT shut off while running after started and this has NOT occurred thankfully.). I will provide further documentation once available but want to report in case others experience this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710393January 12, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On the morning of January 12, 2026, I attempted to unplug my 2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge (plug-in hybrid) from my home charging station in order to drive to an appointment. I had turned on the climate control remotely from the Volvo app while inside the house. When I went to unplug the vehicle, the charging connector was locked in the vehicle’s charging port and could not be removed. I contacted Volvo customer service, who instructed me to try several troubleshooting steps, including locking and unlocking the vehicle multiple times with the key fob and resetting the infotainment system. These steps did not resolve the issue. Because the charging plug remained locked, I was unable to use my vehicle and had to borrow a neighbor’s car, causing me to arrive late to a scheduled appointment. While away from home, I contacted my Volvo dealer, whose service representative advised me to use force to remove the plug, stating it would likely break the internal clip in the charging port. When I returned home several hours later and unlocked the vehicle, the charging plug released normally without any physical intervention. This suggests a software or electronic malfunction rather than a mechanical obstruction. The incident temporarily immobilized the vehicle and could pose a safety or reliability concern if it occurs in other situations. Furthermore, we have been experiencing intermittent issues with the infotainment system, including the backup cameras not coming on, random radio stations playing and complete blackout of the screen and/or flickering. The last software update was completed on Aug 15, 2025.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706558December 22, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I was driving on the internstate and my blind spot indicator came on and stayed on even though there were no cars in my blind spot. I needed to change lanes and tried to despite the blind spot indicator being on and the automatic collision avoidance system put me back into the lane I was in. I had to fight the vehicle to get over to be able to exit the interstate.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704030December 9, 2025
WHEELS
Two wheels have cracked in the span of a few weeks. There was no accident or incident that could have caused the cracks. There are mentions online of this issue in several countries but Volvo has not issued a recall or warning regarding the wheel's propensity to crack. First crack was found on one wheel on 11/03/25. The second crack was found on a different wheel on 12/07/25. This vehicle was purchased from McDonald Volvo in Littleton CO on August of 2023.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700143November 18, 2025
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
While driving in a parking lot going around 15 mph my drivers side door opened. No warning, no alarms just fully ajar swung open. Fortunately I was going 15 mph, Im glad I had my seatbelt on and that no one was crossing or passing when the door flung open. Ive documented and recorded my ability to begin driving and open the door including ability to open the door while reversing. I took the suv to volvo and the electrical wiring was replaced along with the door hinges.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698134November 7, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2023 Volvo XC90 on [XXX]. The vehicle was purchased from Guaranteed Motor Cars in Palos Hills, IL. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 39,019. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs. When the instrument cluster was installed, it was discovered that the mileage was 111,914. The contact filed a complaint with the State Attorney General's Office. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697931November 6, 2025
VISIBILITY/WIPER, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
We lease this car from Volvo and are the first and only owners of the vehicle. No history of collision or accidents. The vehicle has a rear backup camera. The camera system also allows the option to select a 360-degree, top down "birds-eye" view of the entire vehicle. The backup camera turns on automatically when the car is shifted into reverse and originally provided a normal view directly behind the vehicle that extended at least a car length or more. At some point, we noticed that the rear backup camera view changed and was angled sharply down to the ground, including a partial view of our rear license plate and back bumper. The view now extends less than 7 feet behind the vehicle, angled down from the height of the camera (40-inches) so we can only see inches above the ground just a few feet behind the car. We can no longer see approaching vehicles, pedestrians, or any obstacles. The service technicians suggested this change in camera angle resulted from a routine system software update that was automatically downloaded to the vehicle. I don't know exactly when that occurred. On June 27, 2025 we received a safety recall notice from Volvo - Recall R10320 - warning us that the rear-view camera image may not show during the start of a backing event. We installed the recommended "Over the Air" software update, but that did not resolve our problem. I took the car to a local Volvo dealership on 9/26/25. They tried software upgrades and reboots, confirmed that the camera hardware was operating correctly, and told me that they could not fix it. They suggested I file a complaint with Volvo. I did that on 10/3/25. The only response to my claim was to "contact your dealer to make an appointment," which I told them I had already done. I have followed up twice since and Volvo has not responded further to this complaint ID #: 251002-000556. The incident date provided below is approximate. I don't recall when exactly the camera view changed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691939October 7, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2023 Volvo xc90 was recalled for issues with the backup camera. Software update was installed twice without success. Finally camera was replaced. No success either.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690759October 1, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There was always an issue with the car software. On several occasions while driving the entire screen will black out. I would need to pull over immediately so that the screen can be reset manually. Other times the screen is on, but there is no sound, such as my signal lights when switched to left or right will not have any sound, just blinking. Other times, when I back up the car, the cameras will blackout making it impossible to know if there are cars approaching or any pedestrians behind the car. This has happened on multiple occasions since I took the car on Oct 15 2023. These issues were brought to the attention of the Volvo dealership where the car is leased, but the problem was never fixed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688622September 20, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
The button to initiate the parking brake frequently does not work. With my foot firmly on the brake, I have had to push the Park button many times to put the vehicle in park. I have video of this incident. Other times, when not expecting it or recording video I have pressed the park button and not realized the vehicle didn’t go into park. When I released my foot on the brake the vehicle rolled forward. Thankfully no one or other vehicle was directly in front of the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686482September 10, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Backup camera stopped working during reverse event. Recall did not fix the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11682382August 22, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
The vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 25V-282 for a rearview camera failure that increases the risk of a crash. First Repair Attempt (August 15, 2025): A Volvo dealership performed the prescribed software update but failed to fix the safety defect. The vehicle was returned to me in the same unsafe condition. Second Repair Attempt (August 20, 2025): The dealership identified the root cause as a failed front parking sensor. They refused to cover the repair, classifying it as "physical damage" despite providing no evidence of an external impact. Manufacturer Refusal (August 22, 2025): Volvo Car USA formally denied my request to have the safety recall completed, improperly claiming the issue was due to "outside influence." They have refused to honor the recall and their new vehicle warranty. The manufacturer and its dealer have failed to remedy this acknowledged safety defect, leaving me with an unsafe vehicle. The dealership returned the vehicle to my home against my wishes while I was at work.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680199August 12, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL, AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving to the residence, the air bag warning light, malfunction light, driver’s side turn signal, parking light, and daytime running light illuminated. The contact stated that the instrument cluster went blank. The contact stated that for approximately five to ten minutes, the scene was visible. The contact called the independent mechanic regarding the missing air bag, but there was no resolution. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the dealer was unable to service the vehicle because of an open work order on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was emailed, but there was no response. The failure mileage was approximately 39,397.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677907August 1, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
Hands-free tailgate feature initiated unintended closure and disregarded obstruction, striking my wife's head to the point of pain as she was holding our toddler. Had my wife not resisted the hatch with her head further or was holding our toddler differently, this would have caused severe injury or death.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11673470July 14, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
**CURRENT RECAL FIX DID NOT FIX MY ISSUE** Often when starting vehicle after hours of parking and entering reverse to back out of parking spot, camera will show "camera temporarily unavailable" and is not usable for a time (30seconds up to several minutes). We have software version 3.5.24 in-which the recall should have already been fixed as per the letter we received. The issue is not resolved and persists.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673016July 12, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
I purchased this vehicle new in October of 2023. From Day 1 I have had issues where the backup camera would display an image and then turn off while backing up. I brought the car in multiple times for this before the recall was issued and then again when the recall was issued. The recall work has been completed and oddly the issue went away for a few days and then returned. I have since brought it back in and they performed a full software restore at the dealer. The problem with the camera has not been rectified. I added to the complaint emergency breaking because this car also has a habit of emergency braking when pulling into or out of parking spaces with no obstacles near. This issue, hasn't really been investigated much as it is much more intermittent and difficult to duplicate.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11668705June 23, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
To Whom It May Concern, I am filing a complaint against Volvo Car USA for unresolved defects in my 2023 Volvo XC90 T8 Recharge, purchased in Indiana. The vehicle’s control systems—infotainment, climate control, navigation, backup camera, and reverse braking—are defective, impairing its use, value, and safety, despite maintenance and updates. Study and searches on owner forums and social media discovered that those issues are widespread among the 2023 model year of Volvo XC-90 T8. Issues: Backup camera often shows “unavailable” when reversing, posing safety risks. -Volvo did a software recall in May, 2025. The issue seemed largely resolved. Automatic reverse braking (ARB) falsely triggers, causing abrupt stops. No permanent adjustment exists. -The issue persists even after multiple software updates including the recall mentioned above. The false ARB activations made drivers and passengers traumatized and panicked for "hitting or being hit by other vehicles or objects. Infotainment and climate control system lags (5+ minutes to respond), displays errors, and is unreliable. That became a bigger problem during inclement weather that driver and passengers may suffer injury from the extreme cold or hot conditions for a long period of time. This is even more dangerous when there are elderlies, pregnant women, or children in the vehicle. This issue was not resolved even after multiple software updates. Further research indicated the issue was not only from software but also from hardware (including but not limited to the CPU chips, RAM, etc. LTE connection is unstable 50% of the time, affecting navigation or emergency assistance. Volvo uses safety and emergency assistance as one of the selling points for its vehicles. However, the instability of its LTE connection makes the "SOS call" unreliable or not functional when customers are in danger. Even after multiple visits of Volvo dealer and contact of Volvo customer care, there is no solution.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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