Volvo XC40 Complaints

218 consumer complaints on file.

#11715748February 5, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated. The contact was able to pull into a nearby parking lot where the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed the cause of the failure and repaired the vehicle. The contact believed that the battery and drive train were repaired. Approximately 2 to 3 years later, while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle started shaking, lost motive power, and stalled. Law Enforcement arrived on the scene, and while assisting with moving the vehicle from the middle of the road became aware that coolant was leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with coolant intrusion into the engine. The contact was informed that the inverter drive system and wiring harness had caused a catastrophic drive failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713966January 28, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I am reporting a safety-related defect involving the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system in my vehicle. The AEB system has repeatedly activated without any apparent reason, causing the vehicle to brake suddenly when there are no obstacles, vehicles, pedestrians, or road hazards present. These events have occurred under normal driving conditions. I have taken the vehicle to the dealership at least five times (possibly more) for this same issue. Each time, the dealer has stated that the vehicle is “operating as designed” or that they were unable to identify or correct the problem. Despite these visits, the unintended braking continues to occur. There have been passengers in the vehicle during these incidents who witnessed the sudden, unnecessary braking and can confirm that no hazard was present at the time. This defect creates a serious safety risk, as unexpected braking could easily result in a rear-end collision or loss of control. I am increasingly fearful that this issue will cause an accident. I am submitting this complaint so NHTSA can investigate whether this defect affects other vehicles with the same system and take appropriate action to protect public safety.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713785January 27, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
My car randomly has a battery charging fault. An alert stating “stop safely 12V battery critical charging fault” will just pop up while driving and then put the vehicle in turtle mode. This is an intermittent fault and is likely a false indication. This could cause an accident because it causes the car to slow down. This could happen on a highway.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711852January 19, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR ODI#11708898. I am providing additional documentation to this ODI case. I had to create a new complaint since there appears to be no way on-line to add this information. Gunther Volvo has not provided ANY status updates of my vehicle which has been in their possession since Sunday, January 4, 2026. The Director of Customer Experience, Nyam Smith had not responded to my email sent on 1/4/2026. Volvo Customer Care had assigned a case # for towing and for the safety incident but both the dealership and Volvo Customer Care have been unresponsive. I did not receive responses to my texts to the dealership asking for any updates, and Nyam Smith said in an email that I needed to get any updates from Volvo Customer Care. I called them to get an update but Pablo had no update and said he had to call the dealer! The Service Tech I had talked to on 1/5 about the car left me a voice mail at 5:05 PM on 1/5 stating that the foreman has been in contact with Volvo Engineering and that they had a few questions -- how many times had this issue occurred, how did I get the car to stop running and they requested a photo of the shoes I was wearing. I sent that photo that evening but I never received any response from numerous texts asking for a status. They have not provided a courtesy loaner for the past 15 days so I have had to incur incidental rental charges. 1/9/26, I spoke to Jocelyn at Volvo - she was unable to give any updates but she sent me a form (one of the questions asked where the vehicle was!) -- I emailed the completed form that same day but received no acknowledgement from them until 1/15. They sent me a form authorizing an investigation of my car. I have not received any further communication from Volvo Cust. Care or the dealer. They are withholding diagnostic. data (BCM/ECU logs following the unintended surge event on 1/4/26. I am calling the dealer 1/19 to speak with Vasil Blagoev, Service Mgr. for a status
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710865January 14, 2026
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2024 Volvo XC40. The contact stated while in reverse (R) and backing up at approximately 2 MPH, the vehicle rear view camera proximity warning lights had failed. The contact described the proximity warning as dots that show a visual progression of how close the rear bumper was to objects, yellow, orange, and red. The contact stated that the red dot signaled to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the colored dots had been working as she was adjusting the vehicle to allow her to open the trunk, however when she had again shifted to reverse (R) to park the vehicle, the warning dots had disappeared from the display panel, and the contact crashed into some shelving located behind the vehicle. The contact stated that a shelf at the level of the rear windshield had shattered the windshield. The contact had not yet taken the vehicle to a glass shop or to a dealer. The contact stated that she had only called the dealer for information and was advised to bring the vehicle to the dealer's repair shop. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact reported that in 2025, she had had a recall, NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V282000 (Back Over Prevention), completed, but was not sure if the current failure was related. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
Crash:
Yes
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
#11708898January 5, 2026
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
On 01/04/2026, while operating a gas-powered 2024 Volvo XC40, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) event while stationary at a red light. With the service brake fully depressed, the internal combustion engine began to surge and rev uncontrollably, making loud noises. The engine torque increased in direct response to increased brake pressure, eventually overcoming the braking system and forcing the vehicle forward into the 3-way intersection. Technical Details: Brake-Throttle Override (BTO) Failure: The vehicle’s safety logic failed to prioritize the brake signal over the uncommanded throttle increase. Shifter Interlock Malfunction: During the surge, the electronic gear selector was unresponsive, preventing shifting into Neutral (N) to disconnect power. Shifting capability only returned once the vehicle was brought to a forced stop. Prior Symptoms: Intermittent "idle flaring" and surging were noted 48 hours prior to the failure. Safety Risk: The vehicle moved into traffic against my intent and physical input, posing a high risk of collision. The car was towed by Volvo Road Assistance on 1/4/26 to the Volvo dealership later that evening. This incident mimics the "Powertrain Control System" defects currently documented in NHTSA Campaign 25V392 and the Becker v. Volvo class action, suggesting the software defect extends to ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) models. The car is currently at the Volvo Dealership for diagnostics. The service intake person has not provided an update on whether they have been able to duplicate the issue. I do not know what diagnostics have been performed on the car at this point. There were no warning signs or messages prior to the failure. Some minor surging had been noticed a couple of days before, but this latest incident was catastrophic and a safety risk. I felt trapped in my car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708396January 2, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The vehicle experienced a complete loss of propulsion, causing it to freeze and become unable to move. The first occurrence happened during the original factory warranty period and required towing to a dealership, but the root cause was not identified at that time. The same loss-of-propulsion failure has since recurred, rendering the vehicle inoperable. A dealership has now diagnosed a failure of an electric vehicle propulsion/inverter component. The vehicle is currently in the dealership’s possession and available for inspection. Loss of propulsion presents a safety risk, particularly if it occurs while driving or in traffic, as it can result in sudden loss of power and inability to move the vehicle out of hazardous situations. The failure has been confirmed by the servicing dealership. There is also concern that a related cooling system component may be involved, but that has not yet been confirmed, as the primary propulsion failure must be addressed first. As of the date of this complaint, the vehicle remains inoperable and has been at the dealership since mid-November awaiting repair authorization.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707391December 28, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My Volvo XC40 front sunroof cracked wavy crack across front in internal glass. There was frozen ice on top of car which I left alone because of the glass roof underneath. When driving home today from work a huge chunk of ice lifted off top of car and the sunroof cracked internally across the front glass. I heard it crack. I am reporting this because apparently this is not an isolated issue. Many others I've discovered have had their panoramic sunroofs cracked and fail with no inciting incident on XC40Forum.com and apparently Volvo is not admitting to failure but telling owners there must have been something that hit the roof which hasn't been owners' experiences. If the sunroof is cracked and fails it can break off glass ultimately and cause others harm on the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703383December 6, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Even after the last recall campaign, my vehicle still frequently fails to activate the backup camera with a message stating Backup Camera unavailable. The software update that was intended to resolve the issue has not worked. I've seen multiple other Volvo drivers complaining about the same issue online. This is regarding the following previous recall: Recall R10320 WAM Upgrade, Model Year 2021-2025 S60, V60, V60CC, S90, V90, V90CC, XC60, XC90, XC40, EX40, C40 and EC40 vehicles The supposed fix was provided in software version 3.5.14, and my vehicle is currently on 3.7.0
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701801November 27, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
When attempting to park the vehicle, at low speed, the vehicle performed an unintended acceleration leading the vehicle to crash.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699484November 14, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Two Issues: 1. "Check Engine Light" comes on for no reason. This has happened six times (I have video recordings and maintenance reports from the dealership.) In the last maintenance report, Volvo technicians acknowledged the issue and stated that "AS OF NOW NO SOLUTION FOR THIS TO BE FIXED, VOLVO WILL BE LOOKING INTO THIS FOR FURTHER NOTICE." They also told me to just ignore the light if it comes on again. So, if there is a real and dangerous engine malfunction, there is no way to be alerted. 2. The entire sound system goes off while driving. This has happened few times. When this issue occurs, there will be no sound of alerts (turn signals, collision warnings, parking warnings, air conditioning, Google Maps, radio, etc.) The sales associates and manager told me this happens to their vehicles as well, and told me to reboot the screen whenever it happens. In one incident, I had to pull over in a shopping center parking lot to reboot the screen. No permanent solutions to this issue as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11698511November 10, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
Ever since I bought the vehicle new in 2021 I have had perpetual problems with the software and technology. The cruise control system has gone out completely, all electrical fails in the vehicle, apple car play regularly goes out. What is even more of a safety concern is multiple times my car has been automatically braking and suddenly accelerates nearly causing me to rear end the vehicle in front of me. Several times I have been traveling down the road straight ahead with the cruise control system enabled and the vehicle will suddenly automatically turn sharply throwing me towards oncoming traffic or towards the side of the road. Fortunately I have been able to prevent an accident every time because of quick action but this is deeply concerning and an extreme safety concern for me and others on the road.
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
#11690630September 30, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The complaint is for Software Update 7.3 and the previous update for the 2024 Volvo XC40. Those updates modified the rear backup camera view, directing the camera downward. This is a critical problem when backing out of diagonal parking, where an adjacent vehicle blocks the backup view. The revised backup camera setting directs the view downward toward the pavement directly behind the car. The critical view area is in the upper right-hand corner of the lower camera view and occupies a very small area. This format causes two flaws. First, the small area requires a greater focus, which takes the driver's eyes off the exterior surrounding events. Second, the rear view should be positioned above the overhead view, making it easier to check the camera view and double-check for pedestrians and vehicles that are outside the camera's field of view. I contacted the dealer and checked Volvo online, but there is no reporting method for this problem, and no fix to redirect the camera upward. Note the red box in the photo to see the difficulty in early awareness of approaching vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690240September 29, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
Back up camera consistently does not turn off. Audio system, including turning signals and reverse alert do not activate. This continues to be a safety risk despite numerous software updates that have allegedly fixed the issues.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688879September 22, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
2024 Volvo xc40 with 10,000 miles suddenly became completely disabled on the express lane of a highway. The flashers were inoperable. The windows could not be opened. Road ranger was called. Nothing was wrong with the battery. Car was towed to a safe spot. Car was taken to Volvo dealership. Volvo determine that serpentine belt came apart and the tensioner was the cause - a manufacturer defect. This was very dangerous situation for the driver and unusual for a car with such low miles to have such a break in the serpentine belt. Fortunately there was an accident ahead and cars were traveling slowly in the express lane.
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

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