39 of the
326 complaints filed about the Volvo XC40
are about the other systems —
12% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2019.
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”.
NHTSA complaint #11756190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I believe this is a major (and known) software issue, but the car has on several occasions, when stationary, entered a state where all of its controls are unresponsive and the engine cannot be turned off. *Nothing* related to the operation of the car works, including the electronic handbrake, gear selector OR the stop/start button. This is an exceptionally dangerous fault, as the car engine cannot be turned off, and the "handbrake" cannot be engaged. Getting out of the car and locking/unlocking it with the remote does not initally clear the problem. Sometimes it resolves by itself after several minutes. We think that maybe pushing and holding the stop/start button sometimes helps, but it is not clear that this is the case. Rebooting the software system onces the car has "woken up" again has not fixed the problem. Volvo dealers are apparently aware of the issue, but a massive software update by Volvo has not resolved it in any way -- if anything it is worse. Frankly, Volvo should not be permitted to sell cars to the public until this is completely resolved, and cars are recalled for a *real* (as opposed to supposed) fix. I thought you should know. (The date given below for "when this incident occurred" is simply the most recent occurrence.)
NHTSA complaint #11743215 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Despite multiple repair attempts by Volvo Cars Sugar Land — including software reloads, module reprogramming, and the completion of Recall R10333 — the vehicle continues to experience failures that directly compromise my safety and the safety of my wife. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle. My XC40 has undergone five documented repair visits, including: • Electrical system failures • Infotainment instability • Parking sensor and camera malfunctions • Multiple software reloads and module reprogramming • Recall R10333 “Total Upgrade” On March 11th, while driving at approximately 60 mph on the highway, the IHU screen froze, went completely black, and all audible safety indicators inside the cabin were lost, including: • Turn signal click • Hazard flasher sound • Parking sensor tones • Multimedia audio This condition lasted for nearly 10 minutes, during which I had no ability to safely signal lane changes or rely on audible warnings. I was forced to continue driving until I could safely pull over. After parking, shutting the vehicle off, and waiting several minutes, the IHU restored itself. This incident occurred five days after the most recent repair attempt and represents a serious safety hazard and a complete loss of trust in the vehicle’s reliability.
NHTSA complaint #11724948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11707391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11699484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11693063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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
NHTSA complaint #11691056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
360 degree Camera not available. 360 Degree Camera is malfunctioning sporadically. It will completely disappear and a message on the infotainment display will not “Camera Temporarily Unavailable. We have reset the unit as per manufacture specification and it doesn’t solve the issue. We can sometime lock the doors, leave it overnight and it will set-reset and grin the camera back on line. This has now napped twice in the space of 500 miles from new. There are multiple owners report regarding this defect. Volvo has not heat solved the issue from happening thru software or hardware updates.
NHTSA complaint #11681358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11679819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On Wednesday, July 16, 2025 I was sitting at a stop light, using the Auto Hold system. A few minutes later, my car took off and accelerated on its own and hit the rear of a truck. I hit the truck so hard as he was sitting at the light as well, it pushed his vehicle into the vehicle in front of him. I was unable to stop my Volvo, it was like it took full control over.
NHTSA complaint #11674216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Under Engine Cover came loose and fall during highway driving. It tuned out that 5 bolts that suppose to secure that cover were missing (per repair shop) . Fallen cover broke on few pieces and those pieces could impact breaking and vehicle instability causing incident with injuries and fatalities.
NHTSA complaint #11658493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11655323 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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)
NHTSA complaint #11642785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11629892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11626306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11614571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Backup camera frequently flickers between video stream and black screen, creating a dangerous situation while backing up. Display screen also frequently displays message sharing camera is not available when shifting into reverse. After multiple trips to Volvo dealership they state the problem is common but nothing they can do about it.
NHTSA complaint #11595667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Describe what happened: While driving my Volvo, both right side tires simultaneously went flat on a deserted road. I was traveling with my [XXX] daughter, who was hungry and tired, making this situation extremely stressful and unsafe. There were no warning lamps or messages indicating any issues before the tires went flat. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The GPS navigation system failed to report an accurate location to Volvo Roadside Assistance. Yes, the GPS navigation system is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Our safety was severely compromised as we were stranded on a deserted road with no immediate help available. I had to drive on flat tires to find assistance, which could have caused further damage to the vehicle and posed additional risks. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, the problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? No, the vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lamps, messages, or any other symptoms prior to the tires going flat. Additional Details: Despite being a loyal Volvo customer, the GPS location provided to the tow truck by Volvo Roadside Assistance was incorrect, and the tow truck never arrived. I had to drive on flat tires to find help and eventually flagged down a park service vehicle to get an address for roadside assistance. Additionally, Volvo wouldn't provide an Uber due to my phone's unstable connection, leaving us feeling completely abandoned. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5
NHTSA complaint #11595208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When using the power liftgate, in normal day to day use, the strut had seized and the lift gate was stuck open. As we were parked, we attempted multiple times and different ways to lower the lift gate by the buttons provided for their lift gate, the key fob and by manually attempting to close. The lift gate would not close nor latch and it appeared to be misaligned. When we called Volvo Santa Ana Ca, Mina, a representative who assisted, advised to hold the center button to reset the electricals. That did not work. He then advised to manually push the lift gate closed in order to drive it to them and be serviced. When advised by Mina, a Volvo associate, the liftgate still would not close and we were only able to close it half way before taking it to them to be examined and serviced as it is still under warranty. This became a HUGE health and safety issue when using a component of the car that is expected to function flawlessly day in and day out. If this had happened in our garage, we would not be able to get out. After a few attempts we drove the car to Volvo Santa Ana Ca, and dropped it off, they took several days to respond to let us know what was happening. The service department director, Mark, had advised that the strut seizure causing the lift gate to not function is a common occurrence and that the struts would be covered by the warranty but the liftgate WOULD NOT BE; as it was no longer aligning (due to faulty, defective strut) and thus Mark claimed it was on us, to replace or repair. This was absolutely ridiculous. The defective part of the Volvo is what caused the issue. If one is covered then both should be. We did not get into an accident. We were parked. There is absolutely no damage to the liftgate prior to this date. We then opened a case with Volvo customer service and they also denied it. We feel this is unethical and a health and safety issue that Volvo does not care about nor care to inform their customer that faulty struts are common.
NHTSA complaint #11594175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This submittal is concerning the backup camera viewing area and the 360 degree camera view. The backup camera doesn't provide the same view as did our 2021 XC-40 R-Design rear back up camera view. The 360 degree view is very confusing when there are other cars or objects around the car. When going into the garage the surrounding objects give a distracting and distorted view.
NHTSA complaint #11565403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.