Volvo XC40 Complaints

169 consumer complaints on file.

#11661552May 16, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
When I tried to back up my car, the backup camera on the screen keeps displaying temporarily unavailable warning on the screen. This happens 5 out of 10 times...
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
#11648726March 17, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Cameras Temporarily not available when backing up from garage. This is the third time it has happened. I reset the software as instructed by the tech advisor each time. until it finally worked. Reset from EST to DST, Cameras were reset also. This is happening too often. Approximate mileage is 1000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11646827March 6, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Back up camera repeatedly fails. Often when put in reverse it says “camera temporarily unavailable “. Sometimes while actively backing up the camera fails. Service center says Volvo is aware but unable to fix.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11642785February 14, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My car was sitting inside my garage, and just formed a crack, with no external disturbance. There is absolutely no way this was caused by external damage. You will see in the pictures that there is no external damage, and you can mainly see the crack looking up from inside the car. If you look at pictures of the glass, you see that the crack is on the underside of the glass, and that there is no single point of impact (like a radial crack, or chip, or anything on the outside surface). The Volvo dealership I took my car to said that even if it is a defect or an installation issue, that Volvo would do everything in their power to deny my claim. The dealer said they will document that that this was caused by external damage like a rock hitting the roof, even though I told them several times that the car was not being driven and was sitting inside my garage for months. I asked the dealer if they could show me exactly where the damage was, if they could point out to me where he initial outside impact or chip was. The dealership could not specifically point out where the chip was. I have contacted Volvo customer service and filed ethical complaints. They have more or less admitted to denying warranty claims on false evidence. It is also clear that the dealer gets paid more if it is not done through warranty, so they have no incentive to tell the truth (that this was a manufacturing/installation defect) I have done plenty of online research and found that many many other Volvo xc40 owners have the same defect in cars between 2020-2022 (their roof glass forms a horizontal crack completely unprovoked.) [XXX] 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
#11641583February 9, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
When pulling out my pack up camera often say camera is not available at this time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640000January 31, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The rear reverse camera cuts out with a message on the driver display stating "Camera temporarily not available". This occurs ~10% of the time. Other times the camera will flicker in and out but both scenarios result in partial or complete obstruction of view while reversing. With my children and other little children on the street, this is very concerning. The issue was reported to the dealership and software was updated but the problem remains.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11639147January 28, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE, STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:SUPPORT DEVICE/STRUT
On January 22, 2025 on a clear sunny day (no wind) I was putting groceries in the trunk of my car when the trunk lid came down on my head injuring me. I was leaning from the right side of my car across to the left side. My key was in my pocketbook on my right shoulder. Volvos should be "Mom" cars where one should be safe putting groceries in the trunk. Instead of popping back open with an obstruction, it continued to press down on my head before eventually popping back open. According to Volvo chat boards, this has happened to others. On January 6 my car had its two year servicing at the dealer on my leased vehicle. The service department's initial reaction to this malfunction was to BLAME me for having the key too close to the kick open sensor and to leave the key in the car while loading groceries. When I got the car, we were told (and it was demonstrated) that the kick open feature was on the left side of the trunk under the first "V". It appears that there was an update which electrified the entire back of the trunk without any notice to owners. Even so, I am 5 feet 2 1/2 inches tall. It is extremely difficult for me to kick open the trunk which is why I always open it from the button in the middle of the trunk and close it with the controls on the top right of the trunk lid. Buried in the owners' manual is a statement that you can kick the trunk lid closed, but no one ever told us that or that it can be kicked closed from the right side of the trunk. I did not kick the sensor to activate the trunk lid closing on my head. Only after a second call to the service department did the dealer agree to "look at" my car, but that they were booked up for the next two weeks.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11637199January 20, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
On Wednesday morning [XXX] at [XXX] I was parking my 2023 Volvo XC Recharge in the parking lot on Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara where I was meeting my walking group for our regular morning walk on the pier and along the waterfront. While I was slowly finishing pulling into a parking spot, with my foot solidly on the brake, the car suddenly lurched and accelerated. It jumped the parking spot wooden stop and then jumped the orange iron barrier that divides the parking lot from the pier road. It felt as if I were suddenly on a runaway horse. My instincts kicked in as the car bounced fully onto the pier road, and I immediately turned the car so that I would not crash through the other barrier on the ocean side of the pier road and dive into the ocean. I immediately drove the car back into the lot and parked it. The pier is not a standard asphalt/concrete road or lot. It is wooden beams placed one after the other. It is very bumpy and the speed limit is 10 miles per hour, but usually you cannot even drive that fast because it is so rough and bumpy. I was going the slowest you can go just before coming to a full stop in my parking spot, with my foot fully on the brake, when the sudden acceleration occurred. It is a very bumpy and uneven surface and maybe that contributed to a failure in the vehicle monitoring system or automatic braking system. I feel incredibly fortunate that this malfunction did not cause more damage than a blown tire. I am grateful there were no pedestrians or cars in the path of the car and that I was not parked on the ocean side of the parking lot. This could easily have been a fatal and catastrophic incident. My trust in the car to function properly is severely compromised. Volvo kept the car for 2 months while investigating. They said there was no malfunction, but refused to release any report substantiating their conclusion. 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
#11634084January 4, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The 12-volt battery has failed on 5 occasions. Each time, I tried to unlock the vehicle after being away from it for a short period (e.g., 5-40 minutes). I had to use the manual key to unlock the vehicle, but the vehicle wouldn't start. I had the vehicle towed 4 times. One time it started on its own. I have taken the vehicle to my Volvo dealership 3 times for this issue. The most recent time this happened the dealership instructed me to have Volvo Roadside Assistance tow the vehicle to the dealership, even though the vehicle was 91 miles from the dealership. The tow operator confirmed to me that the car wouldn't operate, and that she reported this to the dealership. Still, because the dealership has be unable to replicate the problem, it refuses to replace the 12-volt battery system. There have been no warning lights. This is a safety issue because it has occurred at night, far from my home and outside of mobile phone coverage. I am also concerned that it may occur while I am driving, although that has not occurred.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633941January 3, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Backup camera not working: Repeated get no backup camera image - just see a black screen with message "Camera unavailable" or "Camera temporarily unavailable". This happens more often than the camera works. Seems to be related to OTA software update - had no camera problems for a most of the year and then after an OTA the camera issues began.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11629892December 10, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I went through a car wash and then pulled into the first parking spot near the vacuum cleaners. As I was braking and coming to a stop, the car suddenly lurched forward and accelerated on its own. Despite pressing the brake pedal multiple times, the car did not stop until it went about 15ft. To avoid hitting the building wall directly in front of me, I swerved to the left. The car collided with the metal pole supporting the vacuum cleaner structure, causing significant damage to the entire side of the vehicle, and also clipped the corner of the building on the right as it went through the area. There were no warning lights, messages, or other indications of an issue before the incident. I have videos of the incident from the car wash. -The issue involves unintended acceleration, potentially related to the accelerator pedal sensor (APS), throttle control system, or braking system. It may also be electrical, as similar issues in 2021 and 2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge vehicles were reported due to water damage and corrosion in the cable harness, leading to unintended APS signals. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. -The vehicle suddenly accelerated without input causing a collision. To avoid hitting a building wall in front of me, I swerved to the left, and the car struck the metal pole supporting the vacuum cleaner structure. The impact caused significant damage to the side of the car and clipped the corner of the building as well. This incident could have resulted in severe injury or damage had anyone been nearby or if the car had collided directly with the building (which held the car wash electrical panel). As it stands I have a stiff neck and some PTSD. -No, the problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center. It's at the collision center. -No, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance, etc. -No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms appeared before/during/after the incident.
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
#11623705November 5, 2024
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
-The forward automatic braking system/City Safety has misfired multiple times in all weather conditions, on surface streets and on the highway. -This causes automatic braking which could cause an accident. -The car is currently at the dealer for inspection since 10/25/2024. It is now 11/5/2024. -There was a message on the dash saying that the dashboard screen was blocked- this began a few months ago. This issue with the automatic braking began after my last service for an oil change about two months ago.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11622739October 30, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
The check engine light has been on my vehicle since April 1, 2024. I have taken it in twice to a Volvo dealership and they cannot give me an answer as to why this is happening. They reset it and it comes right back on after a few miles. They tell me when they get an answer they will call me back in to have it fixed. It still has not been fixed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11620826October 19, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This issue has happened multiple times while owning this vehicle. Sometimes the car does engage into Park after pushing the park button. Sometimes we have to push the Park button 2-3 times just for it to move from Drive to Park. We have been into some close calls with the car not engaging in Park and coming close to crashing into either light pole or another vehicle. Could cause injury even anyone was present in front of the vehicle
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11619951October 15, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
I am a new leasee of a Volvo XC40 Recharge (leased September 13, 2024). When starting my car from a decline on my driveway, or in a parking spot on a decline, after putting the car in reverse, the car immediately surges forward 20 inches before I have to hit the brakes again to make it stop from hitting a car in front of me. The same behavior occurs if I am parked on an incline and put the car in drive - it immediately surges backwards and I have to hit the brakes to make the car stop. This issue puts my and other cars parked in front or behind me at risk of being hit when trying to leave a parking spot. This issue was confirmed by the dealer (see attachment) and replicated on another XC40 Recharge that the dealer tested it on. The service rep stated that "As far as Volvo is concerned at this time the vehicle is working as designed and this is a normal characteristic of the vehicle." I am not sure why they would say this as a car should not surge forward when it reverse or backward when in drive. No other car in the history of my driving cars has ever done this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11618188October 4, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While driving, car suddenly stoped and all electrical functions stoped working. Could not even turn on hazard warning flashers. Very lucky for not being rear ended.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11614571September 14, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My wife pulled into a neighbor's driveway and put the car in Park. The car stopped. She reached over to the passenger's seat to pick up an item and the car lurched forward, crashing into the closed garage door before she could stop it. There were no warning lights alerting her that this would happen. She later told me, though, there had been previous instances of the car "bucking" after she had put it into park. The incident clearly posed a safety risk to my wife and others. Had someone been standing in front of the car when this happened, they could have been seriously injured or killed. Had the car not stopped after hitting the garage door, my wife, too, could have been seriously injured or killed. Had this happened in an area such as a parking lot, others also might have been injured. Volvo advised me not to file a police report at this time. The vehicle was inspected at Wallace Volvo in Stuart, Florida, and would be available for additional inspection. Volvo claims to have found liquid on internal parts. The larger, and more important question, though, is how the vehicle’s design could have allowed that to happen. Facts clearly point to a design flaw. The vehicle design clearly allows liquid to reach the parts in question and create the problem we experienced. If Volvo had designed the vehicle with a “tight” interior – a design that would have protected internal parts and not left them vulnerable – no amount of liquid in any amount from any source under any circumstance would have ended up in the vehicle’s internal parts. In my claim to Volvo, I asked that they make repairs to assure that this never happens again. They conceded that they did perform "repairs" to the vehicle but called it a "one-time good will gesture." I also asked Volvo to pay for the body damage to my vehicle and the damage ($2,364) caused to my neighbor's garage door by the malfunctioning vehicle. Volvo has refused to compensate me for the damage caused by their malfunctioning vehicle.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11614296September 12, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message "Do Not Drive - Stop Immediately" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the START/STOP feature was inoperable and was the cause of the failure. The dealer attempted to recharge the START/STOP battery; however, the battery failed to hold a charge. The dealer then decided to replace the main battery but that repair also failed to correct the failure. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 4,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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