FaultScore

FaultScore report

2018 Volvo S90 problems

Owners have filed 25 complaints about the 2018 Volvo S90 with NHTSA between 2018 and 2026. The largest single group is the electrical system.

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

25

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

How 2018 compares with every other Volvo S90

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2018 Volvo S90

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Other & Unspecified 4 16.0%

Median failure at 47,778 miles

Electrical System 4 16.0%

Median failure at 75,000 miles

Doors, Latches & Locks 3 12.0%
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance 2 8.0%
Wheels 2 8.0%
Tires 2 8.0%
Brakes 2 8.0%

Median failure at 23,550 miles

Seats 1 4.0%
Fuel & Propulsion 1 4.0%
Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 4.0%
Body & Structure 1 4.0%
Airbags 1 4.0%
Engine & Cooling 1 4.0%

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

Under 1,000 miles 1 25.0%
25,000 – 49,999 miles 2 50.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 1 25.0%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 2018 peak 3 Jul 2026

NHTSA investigations into the 2018 Volvo S90

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

DP22005 Opened 27 Jan 2023 Closed 7 Aug 2023 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM

Pedestrian alert sounds

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after Marc...

Recalls on the 2018 Volvo S90

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

United States — NHTSA

19V220000

SEATS

Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2018-2019 XC60 and S90 vehicles. The driver and passenger front seat rail rear flange nuts may not have been installed during assembly.

Risk: If the nuts are missing, in the event of a crash, the front seat structure and position may be affected, increasing the risk of injury.

18V800000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Volvo XC90, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, XC40, XC60, and V90 Cross Country vehicles. The software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) may have an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improperly. As a result, the GPS will not provide location information to emergency personnel in the event of an emergency.

Risk: If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 2018618 1,461 units in Canada

Accessories

On certain vehicles, the Telematics and Driver Support Systems may not function as designed due to a software error. In the event of a crash, this could mean that the Emergency Assist system would not alert Volvo and provide the GPS coordinates of the vehicle. This could create a risk of no response from emergency services. Correction: Dealers will update vehicle software.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Estacada, OR

AIR BAGS

Volvo is aware of a major safety issue that has to do with the drain hose of AC. They have issued a recall on models 2016 and 2017 and produced replacement parts.My car was purchased in 2017, but is a 2018. I have had the AC hose leak into my passenger compartment and cause my filter behind my glove box to be soaking wet. This has also damaged my speaker in my passenger door. I have paid over two thousand dollars.Trying to get this a c fixed with no results before finding out about the recalls. I have since found out.This leakage can prevent the passenger airbag from deploying in an accident. I have reached out to volvo directly they are denying any responsibility. I not only can not afford what could end up being over 5,000 dollars if not more to repair the AC the speaker and potentially the airbag as I am disabled. Although volvo is refusing to do the right thing, even though they know this is a problem. I have asked them what changes were made between 2016 to 2018 in the production of my vehicle. They are not responding.

NHTSA complaint #11754063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Estacada, OR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Volvo is aware of a major safety issue that has to do with the drain hose of AC. They have issued a recall on models 2016 and 2017 and produced replacement parts.My car was purchased in 2017, but is a 2018. I have had the AC hose leak into my passenger compartment and cause my filter behind my glove box to be soaking wet. This has also damaged my speaker in my passenger door. I have paid over two thousand dollars.Trying to get this a c fixed with no results before finding out about the recalls. I have since found out.This leakage can prevent the passenger airbag from deploying in an accident. I have reached out to volvo directly they are denying any responsibility. I not only can not afford what could end up being over 5,000 dollars if not more to repair the AC the speaker and potentially the airbag as I am disabled. Although volvo is refusing to do the right thing, even though they know this is a problem. I have asked them what changes were made between 2016 to 2018 in the production of my vehicle. They are not responding.

NHTSA complaint #11754063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mantoloking, NJ

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

ISSUE 1 – VOLVO ON CALL / VCM "SERVICE REQUIRED" MESSAGE: My vehicle has displayed a persistent "Volvo On Call Service Required" error message in the Driver Information Module (DIM) for over one year. This is directly covered by: • Volvo Technical Journal TJ 36916.1.0 (NHTSA ID: MC-10253788), issued April 2024 • Fault code: VCM-U105000 (Vehicle Communication Module) • TSB explicitly covers 2018 S90 vehicles • The TSB states the required software packages are free of charge I contacted Volvo Cars USA at [XXX] , who acknowledged the issue and arranged a complimentary diagnostic and fix with the Manasquan dealer. But, the dealer would not perform the diagnostic at no charge, leaving me unable to confirm the fault code or proceed with the TSB-specified remedy without paying out of pocket. I have had this unresolved warning message for over one year now. The dealer told me that if I did not pay for the repair my car could lose power and stop suddenly. ISSUE 2 – PARK ASSIST SYSTEM FALSE ALERTS: My Park Assist System sensors generate false proximity warnings for objects more than 20 feet away — far beyond the system's normal detection range. Cleaning the sensors did not resolve the issue. This is directly covered by: • Volvo Technical Journal TJ 31558.8.0 (NHTSA ID: 10161789), issued April 2019 • Root cause: Water ingress into park assist sensors and connectors due to a defective splice in the cable harness • Volvo introduced a harness splice correction in production starting June 2018 — meaning vehicles built before that correction may contain the defective harness • TSB covers 2016–2019 Volvo vehicles A malfunctioning park assist system is a direct safety concern — drivers rely on accurate proximity alerts when maneuvering, and persistent false alerts undermine confidence in the system and may cause drivers to disregard genuine warnings. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11735364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mantoloking, NJ

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

ISSUE 1 – VOLVO ON CALL / VCM "SERVICE REQUIRED" MESSAGE: My vehicle has displayed a persistent "Volvo On Call Service Required" error message in the Driver Information Module (DIM) for over one year. This is directly covered by: • Volvo Technical Journal TJ 36916.1.0 (NHTSA ID: MC-10253788), issued April 2024 • Fault code: VCM-U105000 (Vehicle Communication Module) • TSB explicitly covers 2018 S90 vehicles • The TSB states the required software packages are free of charge I contacted Volvo Cars USA at [XXX] , who acknowledged the issue and arranged a complimentary diagnostic and fix with the Manasquan dealer. But, the dealer would not perform the diagnostic at no charge, leaving me unable to confirm the fault code or proceed with the TSB-specified remedy without paying out of pocket. I have had this unresolved warning message for over one year now. The dealer told me that if I did not pay for the repair my car could lose power and stop suddenly. ISSUE 2 – PARK ASSIST SYSTEM FALSE ALERTS: My Park Assist System sensors generate false proximity warnings for objects more than 20 feet away — far beyond the system's normal detection range. Cleaning the sensors did not resolve the issue. This is directly covered by: • Volvo Technical Journal TJ 31558.8.0 (NHTSA ID: 10161789), issued April 2019 • Root cause: Water ingress into park assist sensors and connectors due to a defective splice in the cable harness • Volvo introduced a harness splice correction in production starting June 2018 — meaning vehicles built before that correction may contain the defective harness • TSB covers 2016–2019 Volvo vehicles A malfunctioning park assist system is a direct safety concern — drivers rely on accurate proximity alerts when maneuvering, and persistent false alerts undermine confidence in the system and may cause drivers to disregard genuine warnings. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11735364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Olmsted Falls, OH

WHEELS

There is a great deal of vibration at highway speeds. It has been like this since I purchased the car.

NHTSA complaint #11717421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boone, IA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The AC system releases refrigerant into the cabin due to Volvo improperly engineering the climate control and allowing the evaporator core to freeze and crack. They acknowledge the issue and have released a resister cable to prevent the evaporator core from cracking. I have tested the air in the cabin, and the VOC level is at a dangerous level due to the refrigerant leak. I have the car currently at a dealer, where they have quoted over $3,800 to repair the issue. A quick search shows a large and quickly growing number of people complaining about this. The leaks in some cases are so bad that you can smell the refrigerant when you open the car door, as was the case with ours. This is a huge environmental and health safety issue. I have reached out to Volvo, and they refuse to assist with the repair, despite acknowledging that it is an engineering error. I don't feel safe having my kids be exposed to that level of refrigerant gas, and we don't know what to do with the car.

NHTSA complaint #11692511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Merrimac, MA

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

Rear right door lock failed, stuck closed. Extremely unsafe if someone was sitting in the back and unable to leave vehicle. It has been confirmed by others. It has been inspected by an independent mechanic. There has been zero warning lights to indicate the issue

NHTSA complaint #11647854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Merrimac, MA

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LOCK

Rear right door lock failed, stuck closed. Extremely unsafe if someone was sitting in the back and unable to leave vehicle. It has been confirmed by others. It has been inspected by an independent mechanic. There has been zero warning lights to indicate the issue

NHTSA complaint #11647854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saratoga Springs, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

At 5pm while driving home, which was 2 hours away, I needed to stop and refuel. At the pump I pushed the fuel door and it would not release to open. After many tries it would not open. I called Volvo On Call and informed them of the problem. The agent relayed that I should go to the back of the car near the fuel door, and with the remote lock and unlock the door which should release the door. It did not work. I tried it again with no success. The agent then informed me that there is no other way to open the door and to go to a Volvo dealership to get repaired. I asked the agent is there a way to open the door from the trunk, for instance like a rope to pull to manually open the door. He said unfortunately no. So, I am no where near a dealership and if I was it would be closed, it is after 5pm on February 17 and its 20 degrees outside and I need fuel to get home. I get in my car and search the internet on a possible way to open the door and I see that this is a big problem with Volvo that has affected many families and individuals that, as I, have been put in a compromised possibly dangerous position. While at the gas station I fortunately saw a tow truck and asked the driver if I could borrow a screw driver to try to pry open the door to which I was successful. A simple pull cord in the trunk, as some vehicles have, would have solved this issue without putting anyone in a precarious situation. I took my car to a mechanic and he replaced the fuel door lock solenoid.

NHTSA complaint #11643791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Eatontown, NJ

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

The rear door will not open from the inside or the outside. Apparently this is a door lock actuator issue experinced by many volvo owners. It is extremely dangerous not to be able to open a rear door in the case of an accident or other incident where you need to enter or exit the car. Dealer confirms that there is an issue with these. No warning message appears when inoperable.

NHTSA complaint #11573556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Eatontown, NJ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The rear door will not open from the inside or the outside. Apparently this is a door lock actuator issue experinced by many volvo owners. It is extremely dangerous not to be able to open a rear door in the case of an accident or other incident where you need to enter or exit the car. Dealer confirms that there is an issue with these. No warning message appears when inoperable.

NHTSA complaint #11573556 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

College Grove, TN

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

255/35 R20 Bleb in sidewall with air leak through tread adjacent. No unusual trauma to tire.

NHTSA complaint #11551417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

College Grove, TN

TIRES:SIDEWALL

255/35 R20 Bleb in sidewall with air leak through tread adjacent. No unusual trauma to tire.

NHTSA complaint #11551417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bound Brook, NJ

SEATS

water get inside the car in the back on the floor mat behind driver seat. was not aware of this problem at all.

NHTSA complaint #11490684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bound Brook, NJ

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

water get inside the car in the back on the floor mat behind driver seat. was not aware of this problem at all.

NHTSA complaint #11490684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 47,000 miles Matawan, NJ

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

The contact owns a 2018 Volvo S90. The contact stated that upon the depression of the brake pedal, the steering wheel would violently shake without warning. The contact has had two sets of brake rotors replaced on the vehicle due to the failure. Since owning the vehicle, the contact stated that the failure would occur approximately every 8,000-10,000 miles. After the third failure, the contact was informed that the repair for the rotors would not be covered under warranty. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and filed a claim; the contact was called back and was informed that the claim was denied. The vehicle had been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA complaint #11469647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Kissimmee, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2018 Volvo S90. The contact stated that the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) had an error causing the Telematics and Driver Support Systems to function improperly. The contact stated the "Volvo on Call Service Required" warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the software installed in the Vehicle Connectivity Module (VCM) needed to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V800000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA complaint #11463882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albuquerque, NM

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Hi, When you drive over 70mph, steering, floors and whole cabin start vibrates, I have changed tires as Volvo recommended, alignment done. Everything dealer requested I have done. I have driven couple of more volvo as a loaners and noticed they all vibrates , but not bad as mine. Try to reach out Volvo head office but no proper resolution. They are keep blaming tires which I have changed 3 times but actually vibration happen from engine or somewhere else. Lots of Volvo owners online shares same issues online. Please help me out on this matter.

NHTSA complaint #11429514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albuquerque, NM

WHEELS

Hi, When you drive over 70mph, steering, floors and whole cabin start vibrates, I have changed tires as Volvo recommended, alignment done. Everything dealer requested I have done. I have driven couple of more volvo as a loaners and noticed they all vibrates , but not bad as mine. Try to reach out Volvo head office but no proper resolution. They are keep blaming tires which I have changed 3 times but actually vibration happen from engine or somewhere else. Lots of Volvo owners online shares same issues online. Please help me out on this matter.

NHTSA complaint #11429514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albuquerque, NM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Hi, When you drive over 70mph, steering, floors and whole cabin start vibrates, I have changed tires as Volvo recommended, alignment done. Everything dealer requested I have done. I have driven couple of more volvo as a loaners and noticed they all vibrates , but not bad as mine. Try to reach out Volvo head office but no proper resolution. They are keep blaming tires which I have changed 3 times but actually vibration happen from engine or somewhere else. Lots of Volvo owners online shares same issues online. Please help me out on this matter.

NHTSA complaint #11429514 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Winter Park, FL

STRUCTURE

2018 VOLVO S-90. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A PRODUCT FLAW. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLES FLOOR MAT HAD UNSNAPPED AND BECOME WEDGED UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE FORWARD OR IN REVERSE.

NHTSA complaint #11354712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 47,778 miles Longview, TX

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I PURCHASED A VOLVO S90 2018 FROM ECAR ONE . ON JULY 6 2019. I WAS TOLD BY THE SALEMAN VIRGIL . THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE DASHBOARD AND ALL I HAVE TO DO WAS CALL VOLVO DEALERSHIP AND THEY WOULD FIX FOR FREE. WHEN I CALLED VOLVO AFTER MY PURCHASE THEY SAID NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. 0709

NHTSA complaint #11232055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100 miles Massapequa, NY

SERVICE BRAKES

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THERE IS A LOUD SCREECHING SOUND WHEN BREAKING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR 4 TIMES, THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 10,100. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT TOLD US WHAT IS THE ISSUE BUT THE NOISE REMAINS. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE I DRIVE WITH MY KIDS AND THEIR FRIENDS IN THE CAR AND WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE BREAKS. WE DO NOT KNOW IF THE CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THEY HAVE TOLD US NOTHING. WE HAVE MANY AUDIOS WITH THE NOISE, WHICH THE DEALERSHIP RMCHOOSES TO IGNORE BUT THE NOISE PERSISTS AFTER EACH REPAIR. WE ARE AFRAID THEY ARE HIDING THE REAL ISSUE AND IT MAY BE DANGEROUS.

NHTSA complaint #11210221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Lauderdale, FL

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLVO S90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN WHAT WAS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (GUNTHER VOLVO CARS COCONUT CREEK, 4300 SR 7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073, (954) 590-3760) MORE THAN TWICE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND TO BE TEST DRIVEN, BUT THERE WAS NO PERMANENT REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND HAD NOT ISSUED ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #11084567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fort Lauderdale, FL

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLVO S90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL MILEAGE WAS LESS THAN WHAT WAS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (GUNTHER VOLVO CARS COCONUT CREEK, 4300 SR 7, COCONUT CREEK, FL 33073, (954) 590-3760) MORE THAN TWICE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND TO BE TEST DRIVEN, BUT THERE WAS NO PERMANENT REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND HAD NOT ISSUED ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #11084567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.