68 of the
2,252 complaints filed about the Volvo XC90
are about the airbag system —
3% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2004.
I am reporting a serious safety concern involving a 2018 Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV. On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] CT, the vehicle experienced a sudden multi-system safety and actual brake failure while in a parking-lot/low-speed setting near [XXX} in Austin, Texas. The vehicle displayed multiple urgent warning messages and indicators, including power steering failure / stop safely, brake/ABS warning, SRS airbag service urgent warning, stability/traction warning, battery/electrical warning, check-engine warning, and tire-pressure warning. The vehicle ended in an irregular/distressed parking position after trying to locate a concrete block to force stop the car due to ABSOLUTE BRAKE FAILURE, E BRAKE SEEMED TO NOT WORK EITHER. The concern is not simply that a warning light appeared. The event involved steering, braking, airbag/SRS, stability, and electrical warnings at the same time, making the vehicle unsafe to operate AND SOMEHOW THE BRAKES WEREN’T OPERATING DUE TO THE LACK OF FUNCITONING. Photos were taken of the warning messages and vehicle position. Prior related history: This vehicle has prior safety-system history involving SRS Airbag Service Urgent warnings and braking/vehicle malfunction and movement concerns. Earlier review and discussion involved Volvo engineering, VDDM replacement, CAN/network concerns, calibration requirements, voltage/12V battery considerations, software/module updates, and post-repair validation. The VDDM is understood to participate in vehicle dynamics, stability control, brake coordination, and PHEV regenerative/hydraulic brake interaction. Prior documentation also raised concern that intermittent brake, SRS, VDDM, CAN, and calibration issues may not reproduce during a short dealer test drive. Safety risk: The safety risk is that the vehicle may experience sudden or intermittent loss, degradation, or warning of systems involved in steering, braking, stability control, and airbag readiness. A simultaneous power steeri INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA
NHTSA complaint #11746058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2016 VOLVO XC90. The contact stated that while coming off a red light at 10 MPH, the contact was involved in a vehicle accident. The front end of the vehicle impacted the vehicle on the passenger side, which impacted more of the contact's front side on the passenger side. The vehicle came to a full stop in the middle of an intersection. No air bags were deployed in the vehicle. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. A police report was filed. The contact stated there were 2 subjects injured. The passenger in the contact vehicle was injured, and the driver of the vehicle that was impacted was also injured. The passenger injuries had been medically treated. The passenger was hurt in the knees, back, neck, and head; no severe injuries were reported. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V342000 (AIR BAGS) as the cause of the failure; the VIN was never included in the recall repair. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
NHTSA complaint #11733694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Safety Complaint – Volvo XC90 Electrical and Airbag Malfunction Issues I am reporting ongoing safety concerns with my Volvo XC90 related to electrical malfunctions and unexpected engine shutdowns while driving. The vehicle has suddenly turned off multiple times, including: •Once before merging onto a highway, •Once while entering a roundabout, and •Once while driving in traffic. Each incident occurred without warning and created a hazardous situation with the potential for a collision. Additionally, the vehicle displayed an airbag malfunction warning once, raising concern about the reliability of the vehicle’s safety systems. The vehicle has been serviced multiple times, but the issues persist. I am requesting a formal investigation into these failures, as they pose a significant safety risk to the driver, passengers, and others on the road.
NHTSA complaint #11691492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SRS warning light and was told that is is due to a faulty misassembled wiring in the seat harness. Possibility of the airbags not deploying correctly in case of a crash. The dealer has confirmed that it is the seat harness that needs to be replaced. Due to the Month/Year of the vehicle it does not fall under the original recall which was only for vehicles that were manufactured between Jan/May 2015.
NHTSA complaint #11683113 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11680199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11675796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was getting off the highway and made a left turn. As I was accelerating the motor gentle cut off.. (You wouldnt even notice if you wasnt driving) Full Traffic was behind me, so luckily I was able to get out of the way and pull to shoulder. It was the day before Christmas and car hasn't ran since. Upon investigation I found the CEM was effected. When the car died I was in left hand lane and I had to make my way to right, the shoulder. Yes the problem was diagnosed by myself. However I did investigation and researched using all data at library. It has not been inspected by anyone else. There where no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure. It happened all of a sudden in the middle of traffic when I was getting off the highway.
NHTSA complaint #11646424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Volvo XC90. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the air bag light illuminated, and a message to return the vehicle to the dealer was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a software installation failure. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and remained with the dealer for further diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
NHTSA complaint #11645568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that after stopping and parking the vehicle, the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact's fiancée arrived on the scene and was able to turn off the vehicle; however, the vehicle later failed to restart, and the gear shifter seized. The message "Gear Lever Lock" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the panoramic sunroof seal strip had a gap, allowing debris and water into the vehicle, clogging the drain, and rendering the vehicle inoperable. The mechanic disassembled the entire interior and allowed it to dry before reassembling. The contact was informed that the front passenger’s side air bag sensor, seat belt buckle, and seat belt tensioner needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: TJ 35503.3.0 (Panoramic sunroof, sealing strip has a gap). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
NHTSA complaint #11635297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I received an SRS airbag, service urgent, drive to workshop warning. I took the car in six times the first two times they said it was a software update and they failed to update the software the third time they updated the software. It didn’t work the fourth time they said it was the passenger seat and the scale wasn’t working or connecting so it was throwing off the airbag. They fixed that, it didn’t change that warning. I still got the warning. And the last time they said it was a battery issue the battery wires weren’t connecting. They fix that, but after five minutes of driving out of the dealership and a repair shop, the warning came up again.I’ve sent an email to Corporate asking for either a refund or or a new car in accordance with the lemon law of California. They want me to take it in the seventh time which I refuse to do because the car is on safe safe to drive and I have two kids that I cannot keep driving in this car.
NHTSA complaint #11615583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The airbag system detected a fault and caused an automated vehicle warning message, which, with further dealer diagnosis, caused the driver seat belt to have a ground fault issue, preventing the normal, safe, and fully operating vehicle airbags. The cause and what must be replaced to rectify the problem are unknown. Volvo has poor customer support and satisfaction regarding avoidable repairs, along with various documented airbag failure incidents confirming a severe issue with its system components that require government oversight and correction through a recall to ensure the safety and reliability of the safety systems that protect lives.
NHTSA complaint #11584613 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hi, I had a 2016 XC90 which has serious safety problems. The sunroof has a factory defect, leaking water into the car and causing failures in electronic systems and airbags. Many other owners have sued Volvo and won their cases. Additionally, the issue has been certified by the court, and there are technical bulletins published by Volvo addressing the problem. Yes. The water leak can damage entire electronic systems, such as airbags, the start-stop system, braking system, and lidar system. Once water enters any of these systems, it can lead to accidents and fires due to short circuits, posing a deadly risk. This issue can cause accidents or fires. No, but Volvo has published a bulletin, and there have been many court cases filed against Volvo since 2016. No, the vehicle has not been inspected. It's causing numerous random errors on the dashboard. This issue occurred approximately two weeks after I purchased the vehicle. link for class action [XXX] .) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11578825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There are many form online stating that Volvo has an issue with water leaking/water drainage line from the sunroof. The water leaked into some components of the airbag and electrical system. After the first time taking to the dealership they were no issue with the system and the vehicle was fine that incident happened back in 2020. The same issue happened again where water was leaking in from the sunroof area (I am assuming because it looks the same as last time) this time the water is in the driver side, and there was a puddle of water forming where the gas and brake paddles are. After noticing the water puddle I try to close the sunroof and turns out the sunroof no longer functions with the electronic control right in front of the sunroof. I also took the initiative to open some of the trims where the side air bags are and it turns out that the area are completely soaked. I do no know if this will cause an issue to the airbag or not but I am worries that prolong exposure to water will compromised the integrity of the airbag system. What's was is that since it affected the electronic for the sunroof what if it affect the sensors for the air bag system.
NHTSA complaint #11575869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When driving slowly to enter a parking garage, the steering wheel on the car started to feel stiff, and as I completed the turn, there was a loud snapping sound. The dashboard showed an urgent fault saying “SRS Airbag Urgent - Drive To Workshop”. I drove it to the Volvo dealer. The steering wheel was having problems turning left. When the dealer attempted to move the car, it was then unable to turn left at all. So, the steering wheel completely failed.
NHTSA complaint #11570841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2007 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrument cluster. The local dealer was contacted, and it was diagnosed that the failure was due to the air bag module. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the result was unknown. The manufacturer was contacted, and a recorded message referred her to the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11562608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. DEALER VERIFIED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON. CONNECTED TO VIDA AND RECEIVED CODE (SRS-BB15381B HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY POWER SUPPLY DISCONNECT DEPLOYMENT LOOP CONTROL. GENERAL ELECTRICAL FAILURES. CIRCUIT RESISTANCE ABOVE THRESHOLD ). THEY REPLACED TERMINALS 11 & 12 IN THE LOW VOLTAGE CONNECTOR AT THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY. REFERENCING TJ 37119-0. MY VOLVO FACTORY EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD NO COVER THE REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #11542433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Every 1500 miles or less, engine looses oil. Adding a quart of oil each week once it passes the 1500 trip mile. Also SRS warning light has come on, was told it was the seat harness that has a airbag module in which the airbag possibly won’t deploy in an accident. Dealer indicated it is not covered nor will the manufacturer repair it. These two issues can cause the engine to get on fire and the airbags not deploy in an accident which I believe are safety related.
NHTSA complaint #11480226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SRS Airbag Service Urgent Drive to workshop light has come on twice. I was told by dealership it is a faulty wire harness where the airbags could possibly deploy if I was in an accident. Volvo does have a recall for the exact issue yet my VIN does not fall in this recall.
NHTSA complaint #11469160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the air bag and check engine warning lights intermittently illuminated. Additionally, the message "Pullover Engine Overheating" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that failure was caused by the drain hose for the air conditioning leaking into the passenger’s side compartment due to a drain hose installation error during manufacturing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V690000 (Equipment, Air Bags). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 92,000.
NHTSA complaint #11455808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.