Volvo XC40 Complaints (2024)

28 consumer complaints on file.

#11756190August 11, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Right when I turned the car on, a million different alarms went off saying different systems weren’t available. Then I started driving, and it accelerated normally, but when I took foot off accelerator: it didn’t slow down. This was really noticeable because I had one pedal drive on, which means taking foot off the gas acts as a very light brake. I could slow down with the brake, but then as soon as I took my foot off the gas, it would speed back up. Really weird feeling: it was like the cruise control had set itself and it was taking me back to that speed. But braking worked, so I could stop and control the car with just the regular brake. But then when I came to a full stop, it just locked up: parking brake on and wouldn’t come off. I just basically kept trying things to get it going again and it finally did. But then it happened again, where it would accelerate on its own and I had to control the car with just the brake. I had the car towed for repair the next day, and the tow truck driver said he noticed it accelerating on its own as he drove it up onto the truck. Volvo maintenance also confirmed the problem. They had the car forever and ultimately decided it was a problem with my “external audio module”.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755741August 9, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Randomly, the sound from the infotainment system stops working. This impacts the turn signal sound inside the car, the cross traffic alert sound, blind spot warning sounds, etc. This can be fixed by restarting the infotainment center, but this is not safe to do while driving. Being unable to hear the turn signal increases the chance of forgetting to turn it off, causing confusion for other drivers. This issue has not been confirmed by the dealer or manufacturer, although other infotainment issues have been acknowledged. The failure is random, with no indication before hand.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748717July 7, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Blindingly bright passenger-side map light came on for no reason, illuminating the car and startling the driver AND other nearby drivers (it was night). Light would not respond to touch-sensitive on/off control. Had to cycle dome lights (another distraction and even more light) to get light to turn off.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748329July 5, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Front camera stop working . Today it's the second time. Not sure if a software glitch but first time need to be replaced.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747706July 1, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
passenger side map light keeps activating. It will not shut off via touch controls. only cycling the dome light manually (not by opening a door) tends to rectify the problem. Shutting off and restarting the vehicle does not work. It's particularly distracting at night for both driver and nearby traffic. Repeated trips to service deny the activity, although it is discussed heavily on discussion boards and forums, particularly centering on recalls of the infotainment head unit (which the dealer also denied there was a recall despite notices and even carfax reports).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732814April 21, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Passenger side map light activates and locks on for no reason. This can be particularly disruptive at night. The only way to switch off the light is by cycling the dome lights disruptive and dangerous at night. Light may still activate and lock on for no reason.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727849March 29, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Brake system failed. I was NOT in one pedal mode. I have up to date software. After break system failed I was unable to put vehicle in park. Parking break could not be applied. Could not turn car off or lock doors. I was driving on interstate when it occurred. I got multiple warnings on display. I was lucky to pull over and not crash.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11723648March 11, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE, SERVICE BRAKES, ENGINE
The contact owned a 2024 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that his wife was entering a parking lot at approximately 10 MPH when she heard the vehicle engine abnormally revving and the vehicle independently accelerated. The vehicle drove through the parking lot and crashed into a tree. The contact stated that the driver's and passenger front air bags deployed, and the front collision avoidance had not engaged. The contact stated that the vehicle crashed into the tree almost at the center of the front bumper and grill. The hood had been crushed, the grill cracked, and the bumper had been torn off. The contact stated that the police arrived on scene but did not write a report since no other vehicles were involved. The contact stated that his wife had scrapes and bruises on both arms and scrapes on her nose and forehead. The wife was not attended to by EMT, but later went to the ER for neck and back pain. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and later declared a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. The contact had contacted the manufacturer, who sent a technician to download information from the vehicle computers. The contact stated that a summary was released by the manufacturer that indicated that the crash was a driver error. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11718226February 16, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
On two separate occasions, brakes failed completely in snow. Vehicle did not appear to be hydroplaning, and anti-lock function did not kick-in despite the pedal being floored. Pumping had no effect either. Safety sensors around the car should have detected motion even if the wheels were locked-up and should initiate anti-lock procedures as well. Distance traveled (at low speed due to snow and heavy traffic) was well over 100 feet. Emergency stopping feature finally engaged anti-lock brakes about 1/2 second before impact. To avoid a second crash (someone two vehicles ahead caused a pileup) a year later, driver had the wherewithal (and space) to leave the roadway when brakes failed to even slow the vehicle.
Crash:
Yes
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
#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
#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
#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
#11679819August 11, 2025
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I pulled over right side of street to park behind a parked vehicle to a visit house across the street. Was too far out from curb so I backed up about 12-15 feet or so. Put car in drive and slowly started to drive toward curb when car suddenly accelerated very hard. I turned steering to left to avoid hitting the car in front, straightened car out but could not stop it until it stopped about 20-30 feet down the road. Brake was not stopping my car. The acceleration was something like being on a ramp to get on highway and pressing pedal down to get to highway speed. It was a very hard acceleration. Very frightening. I got an appointment tomorrow for volvo service to look at this. Drove the car after this happened and today without any incident. I bought the car new in Mar 2024 and have NEVER experience this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677425July 31, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
am writing to formally report a serious issue involving the sale of a Certified Pre-Owned Volvo by a franchised Volvo dealership in Pennsylvania that I believe violates consumer protection standards and certified vehicle regulations. On [XXX], I purchased a 2024 Volvo XC40 from Volvo Cars Fort Washington, represented and sold to me as a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle. However, I have since discovered that this vehicle had an active safety recall as of May 1, 2025, prior to the sale. The recall was related to a malfunction in the safety camera system, which could potentially lead to severe accidents and endanger the driver and passengers. Despite this open recall, the vehicle was still certified and sold to me without any disclosure of the safety issue. I only learned about the recall after experiencing a problem with the camera system and independently seeking service. This violates the core standards of manufacturer-backed CPO programs, which clearly state that no certified vehicle may be sold with an unresolved safety recall. I believe this sale represents a misrepresentation of the vehicle’s condition, a failure of duty to disclose, and a potential violation of consumer protection laws in the state of Pennsylvania. I am requesting that this matter be investigated and that appropriate action be taken against the dealership for selling a vehicle as “certified” when it did not meet the required safety and certification standards. Details: •Dealer Name: Volvo Cars Fort Washington •Vehicle: 2024 Volvo XC40 •VIN: [XXX] •Purchase Date: [XXX] •Recall Issue Date: May 1, 2025 •Nature of Recall: Safety camera malfunction that could lead to accidents •Consumer: [XXX] •Address: [XXX] •Email: [XXX] •Phone: [XXX] I am happy to provide additional documentation, including sales contracts, service records, and communications with the dealer, upon request 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
#11673678July 15, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Volvo xc40 recharge back up camera views Front, Left and right side, rear Views don’t show any video view. Instead I get a black screen with 4 yellow circles with a camera in the center of the circle and a diagonal line through the circle…signifying an inoperative camera
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11666908June 14, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The Infotainment system in this automobile freezes frequently denying access to critical auto controls such as, one pedal EV driving, air conditioning/heating controls and many other controls. I have received a message that the, "Camera is Unavailable" and the screen goes dark. The dealer has attempted to reload the software and update the software multiple times all without any remedy.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11665414June 6, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
Brake failure. I was slowing to stop at traffic light when “brake failure” warning came on. I then stepped on the brake and it was not working. I turned on a side street just bf the traffic light and coasted to a stop amd turned car off. Airbag not operative light came on and seatbelts were tightening then loosening. I could have hit cars stopped at the light.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11655323April 17, 2025
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car suddenly accelerated/stuck accelerator in the parking lot hitting several vehicles. Issues: sudden acceleration AND the car did not apply the emergency braking system.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11626306November 20, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Trunk does not fully open when you less the open button. It partially opens maybe 75%. My husband and I have both hit our heads - my forehead was cut and now I have scar. This malfunction has happened 3-4 times. No pattern discernible.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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