Volvo XC90 Complaints

1,540 consumer complaints on file.

#11680358August 13, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While on the highway, the system reported that engine coolant was low and to pull over safely. I pulled into a parking lot and within a couple of minutes the engine burst into flames. The local fire department responded and extinguished the fire. The car is totaled.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680108August 12, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
I am filing a safety complaint regarding a failed rear door latch actuator in my 2016 Volvo XC90. This is a known issue among Volvo owners, yet there appears to be no recall or corrective action. The defect causes the door latch actuator to seize, rendering the affected rear door completely inoperable from both the inside and outside. This means passengers seated in the rear are unable to open the door to exit the vehicle. This is an extremely dangerous and potentially life-threatening hazard. In the event of an emergency—such as a fire, collision, or submersion—rear seat passengers would be trapped inside the vehicle with no way to escape. This failure compromises basic vehicle safety standards, as all doors should be fully functional to allow for emergency egress. I strongly urge the NHTSA to investigate this recurring defect in Volvo vehicles and require Volvo to address it promptly before it results in serious injury or death.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11680248August 12, 2025
ENGINE
This car is consuming oil and has the potential to catastrophically fail, or catch fire.
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
#11679507August 9, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
The screens and backup camera are repeatedly crashing, even after the recall "fix" from the dealership. This happens multiple times a week.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11678085August 3, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
The vehicle’s Start/Stop system began displaying warning messages and malfunctioning prior to the expiration of the factory warranty. The issue first appeared before 50,000 miles and reappeared at 49,997 miles, when a warning was displayed on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. A diagnostic review confirmed the need to replace the Start/Stop auxiliary battery and repair the Park Assist system. A diagnostic fee was charged, and both system failures were documented. The Start/Stop system’s failure raises a potential safety concern because the vehicle may not reliably restart after automatically stopping at intersections or in traffic. This could lead to dangerous situations if the vehicle stalls unexpectedly or fails to re-engage power at a critical moment. Although the issue has not caused a crash or injury, it introduces unpredictable behavior that could compromise safe operation. The Park Assist system also failed, triggering system warnings and disabling parking assistance features. If a driver is relying on these systems during low-speed maneuvers, a sudden or silent failure may increase the risk of collision with objects, pedestrians, or other vehicles. The dealership confirmed the problem through inspection and diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was contacted and declined to cover the repairs under warranty, despite the vehicle being within the mileage limit when the issue was first documented and presented for service.
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
#11677665July 31, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Several times a month the infotainment system on my car completely freezes. When this happens, my blinkers do not work, my CarPlay does not work, I cannot use voice commands, I cannot play the radio or answer calls, the backup and parking sensors do not make an audible sound. The only way to fix this is to hold down the home button to restart the entire system which does take a few minutes so not ideal to do while driving. Turning the car off and back on does not even fix it. This is an extreme safety issue, as when this happens I am driving without the use of blinkers until my system finishes restarting. Not only am I unable to use blinkers, but I am unable to make calls over Bluetooth or CarPlay which is incredibly dangerous in the event of an emergency. I am unable to park or backup and be able to hear the beep of the sensors. I cannot hear the audio of my gps. It happens out of the blue and is so unsafe.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11677323July 30, 2025
ENGINE
Piston ring failure, excessive oil consumption. There was an extended warranty regarding the issue, but it has since been closed. I know there have been multiple lawsuits regarding this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676768July 28, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
3 weeks ago we had the transmission module fail on our vehicle while it was being driven. According to Volvo forums, this is a multi-model year, multi vehicle issue for those with sunroofs. Accrding to the dealer in our case, the seal failed, and water runs into the compartment where the transmission module is located, causing it to fail. We had it happen twice, and both times on the highway, with the engine running ragged causing it ot accelerate and then quickly decelerate. There were 3 warnings that popped up-"Gear lever locked," "transmission acceleration performance reduced," and "Parking Brake unaavialble." It happened twice and and was towed to the dealer both times, as it was not drivable-once the vehicle was parked it would no longer move out of park. The first time the diagnosis and module reset was comped by the dealer (Borton Volvo, Golden Valley, MN) and the second time, the transmission module was "dried out," and the sunroof seal was replaced, which was just under $700. It is available to be inspected if necessary. The vehicle was a hazard to others on the road while it was "acting up." Dealer was familia with the issue. No inspection was done other than by the dealer Warning lamps as outlined above
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675796July 24, 2025
AIR BAGS
Title: Possible Defect – Uneven Airbag Deployment Description: On July 20, 2025, around 5:30 PM, i was driving a 2021 Volvo XC90 on a main road when another vehicle suddenly entered from the right side without stopping at a stop sign. I was unable to avoid a collision and my vehicle T-boned the other car (front impact on my vehicle). During the crash, I believe the front airbag system did not deploy properly or deployed unevenly. I felt like the left side of the airbag (from the steering wheel) was full of air but not the right side (that side was flat when it deployed), and I believe I hit my head on the steering wheel. I experienced severe injuries to my head, face, and right eye, including commotio retinae, lens displacement, corneal abrasion, corneal edema, phacodonesis, iridodonesis, and concussion. I am concerned that the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) malfunctioned, contributing to the severity of my injuries. No modifications have been made to the airbag system. I request that NHTSA investigate whether there is a defect in the airbag deployment of the 2021 Volvo XC90, particularly for asymmetric or partial deployment. The automatic emergency braking (AEB) system also did not activate despite the imminent collision. There were no warning lamps, messages, or unusual symptoms prior to the crash. The issue has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center, but The police was at the scene. My insurance company has inspected the vehicle. I have also reported this to the customer care team at Volvo.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11675656July 23, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2024 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear-view camera became inoperable. The contact stated the rearview image was blank. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V282000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that several local dealers were contacted and confirmed that the contact would be added to a waitlist to have the recall repair performed. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,500. Parts distribution disconnect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675202July 21, 2025
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS, BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
The safety sub system completely stop working periodically. When it occurs: - the blind spot indicators do not light up when a car is in blind spot - turn signals stop making sound. Not sure if they still function - collision system stops making sound. Sometimes stops showing near objects and walls. This has happened about 7 times since purchase of the car, and requires a full computer reboot to fix it. It’s random, so you don’t know it’s failed until driving and something doesn’t work. I don’t have pictures but I have a video of it I can share if someone wants to see some of the issues. It just happened again today, and happens maybe once every couple months
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11675175July 21, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I park my Volvo in my driveway which has a blind exit to a pedestrian sidewalk. When I start the car and put it in D or B mode, it does not make any sound. This happens in any of the vehicle modes including "Pure" electric where the ICE is not engaged unless the battery runs out. There is no way for oncoming pedestrians to hear the vehicle or to understand that it might pull out of the blind corner. According to the NHTSA Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 141 "The final rule requires hybrid and electric vehicles to emit sound at minimum levels while the vehicle is stationary (although not when the vehicle is parked, i.e., when the transmission is in “park”), while in reverse, and while the vehicle is in forward motion up to 30 km/h. (sic) full compliance should be by September 1, 2020" Our 2022 XC90 T8 Recharge does not make any sound while stationary in N, D, or B tranmission modes or while in Hybrid or Pure drive modes. I see this as a serious safety issue and wanted to report it before I have an actual safety incident. Volvo claims that my vehicle is in compliance with all NHTSA safety standards. Their response is attached.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11674114July 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The park button does not always engage the park setting. Instead it takes 2-3 presses for park to engage. It happens several times a week when I am driving the vehicle multiple times per day. I come to a complete stop, press the park button, wait for my dash to show I’m in park, if it doesn’t, I press it until it does. This has resulted in the vehicle rolling forward several times while passengers were trying to exit the vehicle, because I had not first checked to be sure the park button worked. Huge safety concern. I have owned this vehicle since August 2023 and it has happened at about this frequency since I’ve owned the vehicle. For the first time, my vehicle actually trolled enough to hit an appliance in my garage. I have a maybe related issue with the infotainment system freezing since I’ve owned the vehicle as well. The screen will freeze and we have to reset it by holding down the clean screen button for like 20 seconds.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
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
#11673211July 13, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
ERAD (Electronic Rear Axle Drive) clutch failure. Upon depressing accelerator pedal, when in drive modes that rely more on ERAD (Hybrid/Pure modes), the clutch occasionally does not engage correctly, resulting in no power for a full 1-2 seconds, then power kicking in, in full. Not being consistent means not having a good way to anticipate when the problem will arise in order to compensate for it. The hazard came when attempting to cross traffic (to take a left into a commercial driveway), the delay happened, then before the ability to fully "cancel the attempt" (by releasing the accelerator and pressing the brake while still in the turn lane), the power kicked in and sent the vehicle into traffic. The delay-then-subsequent full-power meant that the gap was suddenly significantly smaller when pulling into the oncoming lanes, and attempting to correct for a delay in power meant the possibility of then not having the accelerator down, which could have left me in in the lane of oncoming traffic for much longer than necessary due to human reaction times in addition to vehicle "reaction times" to inputs. This is apparently a relatively common issue on Volvos of this generation, with multiple "ERAD versions" to account for transmission clutch failures within these units, as well as other failures.
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
#11672740July 11, 2025
POWER TRAIN
After pushing "P" button to shift into park, the car moves slightly several seconds after the button is pushed. This can be a hazard if someone opens to door and the car then moves.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11671009July 3, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
URGENT SAFETY CONCERN: Intermittent Total Loss of All Vehicle Audio Alerts This issue has occurred multiple times and poses a serious safety concern. While driving, the vehicle intermittently experiences a complete loss of all audio output. This includes: •Turn signal indicators •Hazard warning sounds •Blind spot monitoring alerts •Park distance control tones •Navigation guidance •Audio system playback (music, radio, etc.) •All other safety-related audio warnings and notifications The vehicle becomes completely silent, eliminating essential auditory cues that are critical for safe operation. Temporary Workaround (While Driving): The only way to restore functionality is by performing a forced reboot of the infotainment system. This requires the driver to press and hold the home button until the system power cycles—a distracting and unsafe action that must be done while the vehicle is in motion. Please note that while rebooting does not disable the vehicle’s ability to drive, it temporarily resets multiple core systems, including the climate control and infotainment interface. This creates a significant distraction and impairs the driver’s ability to safely monitor vehicle status and surroundings. This malfunction poses a significant safety risk and must be investigated immediately.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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