434 of the
2,252 complaints filed about the Volvo XC90
are about the electrical system —
19% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2004.
At first I was having issues with stop and start, replaced the battery then was told I wasted coffee in my center Console and it cause electrical issues and was told the repairs would be 3,400 in which collision issuance paid for. After the repairs my driver side seat belt would latch then the passenger side wouldn’t latch either so I currently don’t have working A/C or working seatbelts which is known problem for these vehicles.
NHTSA complaint #11757883 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the window power switch was enabled; however, the window switch failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the rear-view camera, the door switch, and the air conditioner failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact became aware of water on the front passenger’s side floorboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
NHTSA complaint #11756005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2024 Volvo XC90 has experienced complete battery and electrical failure three times in approximately ten months. The failure pattern is identical each time. The battery discharges fully with no prior warning. A jump start restores power briefly, but the vehicle does not hold a charge and shuts down again, so it must be towed. The battery has been replaced three separate times by authorized Volvo retailers and the failure keeps recurring, which indicates the underlying cause has not been identified. Component: Electrical system, specifically a suspected parasitic current draw causing complete discharge of the 12V battery. The vehicle is available for inspection on request. Safety risk: The vehicle becomes completely inoperable without warning and has stranded me three times, requiring towing on each occasion. There is no advance indication that the battery is failing. Because the failure is sudden and unpredictable, the vehicle cannot be relied on to start in an emergency or to remain operable, and I have no confidence that a failure will not occur at a time or place that puts occupants at risk. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. Each failure was confirmed by an authorized Volvo dealer, which replaced the battery each time. Repairing dealers include Independence Volvo and University Volvo. The failures occurred in approximately October 2025, approximately March or April 2026, and [date of current failure]. The vehicle is currently at [dealer] for the third occurrence. Inspection by manufacturer or others: Volvo Car USA corporate has not inspected the vehicle. No police or insurance inspection. To my knowledge no dealer has performed or documented a parasitic draw test to locate the source of the discharge. Warning lamps or symptoms: None. There were no warning lamps, dashboard messages, or symptoms of any kind before any of the three failures. The vehicle operated normally and then would not start. Total days out of service: at least 15 days across the three times
NHTSA complaint #11756051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the safety alert audible sounds failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the alerts failed to provide an audible alert. The contact turned off the vehicle and started and the system independently reset. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and an unknown software update was performed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The failure became persistent. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera screen seized. The contact stated that the rear-view camera displayed a still image. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,500.
NHTSA complaint #11753962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2020 Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid has been out of service for 78+ days due to a hybrid battery defect covered under an active manufacturer warranty (Claim Type XXX, valid through XXX). The vehicle was towed to Volvo Cars Arrowhead (Glendale, AZ) on XXX after a hybrid battery failure. The dealer confirmed in writing on XXX that multiple hybrid components require replacement and that parts are on extended backorder, and that Volvo Cars USA had authorized a rental vehicle because a loaner could not be offered "for an indefinite period of time." On approximately XXX, my service advisor advised me by phone that more than 700 vehicles nationally are waiting on the same backordered part and that the repair has no estimated completion date. I sent a formal written demand to Volvo Car USA ([XXX]) on XXX requesting repair by a firm date, a replacement vehicle, or repurchase. Volvo did not respond within the stated 14-day deadline or at any point thereafter. The defect appears related to NHTSA's existing recall action on 2020–2022 Volvo plug-in hybrid vehicles for high-voltage battery thermal runaway risk. I am filing this complaint to add to the federal record on this recall and to document Volvo's failure to repair an affected vehicle within a reasonable time or provide any remedy despite formal demand. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11752094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
My 2018 Volvo XC90 T8 Plug-In Hybrid experienced a catastrophic, premature component failure of the Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) propulsion system while driving. The ERAD unit suffered a total failure of internal bearings and sensors, completely disabling the electric rear wheel propulsion system and suddenly forcing the vehicle into a reduced-power "limp mode" on the road. This sudden loss of hybrid propulsion creates an immediate highway safety hazard, removing expected acceleration and vehicle control in traffic. Volvo has documented this exact engineering flaw internally under Technical Journal TJ 36665, recognizing a manufacturing vulnerability in these specific hybrid components. However, the manufacturer is refusing to provide remedy or financial cost-sharing to repair this vital propulsion and safety defect, leaving a hazardous, compromised vehicle on the road.
NHTSA complaint #11744495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Infotainment Head Unit (IHU) on my 2024 Volvo XC90 has experienced repeated total system blackouts, spontaneous power-cycles, and critical thermal failures while operating at highway speeds (46–77 MPH). The IHU displays a "Cooling Infotainment System" critical warning and fails completely, resulting in total loss of the federally mandated rearview/backup camera (FMVSS 111 violation), GPS navigation, and all safety interfaces while in motion. The dealer confirmed the defect and attempted repair twice but only performed software resets rather than hardware replacement. The dealer documented "FIXED FAILED." Failures have continued and worsened after both repair attempts. Video documentation exists for all incidents (Exhibits A–H, dated May 2–7, 2026, odometer 41,900–42,151 miles). The vehicle's own diagnostic system issued a Critical Thermal Warning on the driver cluster while navigating traffic, confirming a hardware cooling defect. Two failures occurred during active driving maneuvers including a reverse maneuver and highway operation on I-20, creating immediate safety risk to the driver and public. The component is available for inspection. The defect has been confirmed by the Volvo dealer. A Texas Lemon Law complaint has been filed.
NHTSA complaint #11736880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The suspension module failed due to water accumulation on floorboards. Suspect other electronics may be at risk. Water ingress cause by a combination of what dealer said was a worn out sunroof gasket and two of four drains that became plugged. Further examination from dealer found the plugged drains were crimped from when the vehicle was manufactured. The dealer blamed the excessive water ingress was further allowed by a failed sunroof seal. The vehicle has always been serviced by the dealer and problem areas like that were either not inspected or not reported. The seal appears as good as the day we purchased vehicle from dealer. It seems it needs a more expert eye to detect how it fails. The result was standing water in the floor boards and body cavities, which then caused the suspension module to fail. The entire interior had to be disassembled to verify there was no further electrical damage. The dashboard and other interior pieces needed to be removed to replace or correct the drains. This appears to be a common problem with this model although no service advisories seem to have been issued. Total estimated damage is about $5200. Vehicle has only 60K miles. Volvo has rejected responsibility for the compromised drain and failed sunroof seal. Service documentation attached, not including the estimated $1700 to remove dash for repairs.
NHTSA complaint #11736779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving on highway. Selected another route on map, but the screen lagged in response. Screen then went dark, shut off electronics on dashboard and infotainment, and AC turned off; seems like car also slowed down. Able to pull over and wait for everything to restart. Safety put at risk: sudden change in environment causing attention to shift to safely getting off road incase car shut off entirely. Previously: Infotainment has been off at start-up before; never had this problem while driving, though. One incident in drive-thru where I pressed infotainment and whole car shut off. Vehicle has been taken to dealership services for annual and as needed, codes have been ran extensively, and no faults have been found. The concerning incident occurred an hour ago so I have not brought to dealership yet, but seeing online that the problem is not just with my vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11736039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
To whom it may concern. Our 2017 XC90 unexpectedly, spantaneously, and catastrophically caught fire under the hood and was a total loss 5 minutes after parking it on April 19, 2026. There were no leaks or other signs of mechanical issues. The vehicle had all regular maintenance completed at the Byers Volvo Service Department in Columbus, OH. It had no open recalls. It was always parked overnight in a garage. The Fire Inspector noted a possible vehicle manufacturing defect as the cause of the fire, however the vehicle was too heavily damaged to be definitive. We do have video of the entire incident as the Volvo was parked on Federal Government Property at the time. We are happy to share any and all information if this helps future vehicles to be safer. It should be noted that there is an active recall for the 2016 XC90 for a coolant hose leak that can cause a fire. Given that the 2017 XC90 is of the same design. Upon checking the internet and Reddit, it appears that our situation is not unique and there are other instances and reports of similar fires.
NHTSA complaint #11734076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUPPLEMENTAL TO NHTSA COMPLAINT #11713668. This is a supplemental filing regarding the 2020 Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription, VIN [XXX] . The hybrid battery cell module failed in December 2025, disabling the vehicle's hybrid propulsion system, all-wheel drive, and electric-only mode. As of this filing, the vehicle has been without hybrid functionality for over four months. The replacement part remains unavailable. Since the original complaint, the owner initiated civil proceedings against Volvo Car USA LLC and Volvo Car North America LLC in the State Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia (Case No. [XXX]). Through that litigation, the following facts have been established as deemed admissions under Georgia law, which neither Defendant contested: 1.This vehicle is excluded from Recall 25V-179, yet experienced a catastrophic hybrid battery cell module failure. 2.Battery failures in 2019-2022 XC90 T8 vehicles are not exclusively caused by the "LG supplier process deviation" identified in Recall 25V-179. 3.Volvo is aware of battery failures in 2019-2022 XC90 T8 vehicles outside the Recall 25V-179 population. 4.Volvo possesses internal engineering data showing the battery defect affects vehicles outside the population reported to NHTSA in Recall 25V-179. 5.Volvo has not issued a recall for the specific failure mode affecting this vehicle. 6.Expanding Recall 25V-179 to cover the full 2019-2022 XC90 T8 population would cost Volvo tens of millions of dollars. These facts were established against both Volvo entities through separate sets of Requests for Admission that went unanswered within the statutory deadline. The owner requests that NHTSA evaluate whether Recall 25V-179 is adequate to protect the full population of affected vehicles. Supporting documentation, including copies of the deemed admissions and service records, is being submitted by mail to the Office of Defect Investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11733717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A software update (version 5.0.5) was complete on my 2024 Volvo XC90 at the end of March. The software was marketed in emails to have an enhanced infotainment display to support a safer experience. Since the upgrade, I have experienced the opposite of enhanced safety. My infotainment screen and dash displays randomly go black and it restarts itself several times a day while driving. In addition to that, the blinkers malfunction when this happens. The most important safety issue is navigation outage on the displays. The inability to rely on the Google maps navigation within Volvo, or within CarPlay, results in my having to use my phone to input and view directions, taking my eyes off the road. It also disables to cameras when I need them. On 3/31 I emailed my sales rep asking if he'd heard of others having this complaint, he did not appear to be aware and asked me to make an appt with service center. I brought the car to Volvo on 4/2 where the service check-in employees did mention they were seeing many cars coming in with the same concerns. The technician was not able to confirm the issue but said they would contact Corporate and let me know of a response, which was 15 days ago. According to online searches, multiple other Volvo drivers are experiencing the same. Since we have become so dependent on the driver assistance features, and this issue is now occurring, I have become a nervous driver in a brand of car that is marketed as one of the safest vehicles in the world. I get worried that my BLISS or lane assistance or other driver assisted features will malfunction as well. No notifications from Volvo have been received thus far. I have not contacted the Corporate offices of Volvo yet. Please take this safety issue seriously.
NHTSA complaint #11731827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2018 Volvo XC90, VIN [XXX] , 54,618 miles. Original owner. All service performed exclusively at Volvo Cars West Houston (same dealer, all three failures). Volvo Technical Journal TJ 34648.1.2, titled "Prior Approval - Lack of airflow causing poor cabin cooling," is classified as a Product Fix and explicitly lists the 2018 XC90 as an affected vehicle. This TJ required the dealer to submit a Prior Approval report to Volvo Corporate when installing the resistor fix. At 12,017 miles (August 2020), the dealer installed the evaporator resistor per TJ 34648.1.2, Part No. 32241228, under VST Operation 98734-2 — meaning Volvo Corporate has documentation of this vehicle's evaporator vulnerability on file since 2020. At 15,930 miles (March 2021), the AC compressor failed and was replaced under warranty, consistent with refrigerant starvation from the same underlying evaporator leak. The evaporator has now failed completely at 54,618 miles despite Volvo's own corrective measure being applied at 12,017 miles. The current failure (April 2026) includes a confirmed front evaporator refrigerant leak and AC discharge hose leak, documented by dealer borescope inspection showing corrosion on the evaporator fins and visual evidence of refrigerant oil residue at the discharge hose fitting. Dealer repair estimate is $4,406. This is a documented pattern failure across 2016-2018 Volvo XC90 models. Volvo Cars USA was contacted for goodwill assistance and denied the request within 24 hours without meaningful review. Case number [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11730540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear door on the driver side will not open. The child lock will not deactivate. No accident. I took my son to school and when I returned to open the door for my [XXX] old the door would not open. No warnings. A regular maintenance appeared days later. I do not understand why this is not being recalled based on online research showing the same thing happening with other Volvos. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11728812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving 35-40 MPH, the message "Vehicle Not in Park" was displayed intermittently, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts and was driven to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that no failure was found. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. While investigating the failure online, the contact became aware that it was a common failure, and that the dealers were unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
NHTSA complaint #11727942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle experienced a major electrical system malfunction involving multiple critical components. The issue began with the Volvo On Call system light remaining illuminated continuously, which suggested a possible communication or battery-related fault. Shortly after, additional systems failed, including the turn signal system, windshield wipers, and high beam headlights. These components are currently non-functional and can be made available for inspection upon request. The failure significantly impacted vehicle safety. The loss of turn signals made it impossible to properly indicate lane changes or turns to other drivers, increasing the risk of collisions. The failure of the windshield wipers created a serious hazard in adverse weather conditions, reducing visibility. Additionally, the loss of high beam headlights limited nighttime driving visibility. While daytime running lights and hazard lights remain functional, they are not sufficient substitutes for the failed systems. The problem has been consistent and reproducible. Each time the vehicle is operated, the same warning messages appear, including “Turn Indicator System Malfunction” and “Wiper Failure – Service Required,” and the affected systems do not respond. At this time, the issue has not yet been formally confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, but diagnostics codes (including communication-related fault codes) have been observed. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, law enforcement, or insurance representatives. However, based on the symptoms, the issue appears to involve a failure in the vehicle’s central electronic or communication control systems. Prior to the complete failure, warning signs were present. The Volvo On Call light remained on persistently, indicating a potential underlying electrical or module communication issue. This warning appeared before the loss of the turn signals, wipers, and high beams, suggesting a progressive system failure.
NHTSA complaint #11725903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The failure involves the instrument cluster (driver information display) on my 2017 Volvo XC90. This component is responsible for displaying speed, warning indicators, and all critical driving information. The failed component remains installed and is available for inspection. The issue began while driving on public roads. The display intermittently showed distorted, “barcode-like” patterns that would appear suddenly, disappear, and then return. The condition progressively worsened over time. The failure is now consistent and reproducible. When starting the vehicle, the cluster may appear normal for a few seconds before becoming severely distorted or completely unreadable. Now it is nonfunctional from the moment of ignition. This creates a significant safety hazard because I cannot view speed, warning lights, gear position, or any system alerts. The initial failures occurred while the vehicle was in motion, which increased the risk at the time of occurrence. The vehicle is not safely operable in this condition. The vehicle has approximately 24,000 miles, has never been in an accident, and has been properly maintained. There were no external factors that could explain the failure. The only prior symptoms were the intermittent display distortions described above. An authorized Volvo retailer inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the instrument cluster as failed, recommending replacement. No repair has been completed. Volvo Car USA declined goodwill assistance despite the extremely low mileage and safety‑critical nature of the failure. I am aware of similar instrument cluster failures reported by other 2016–2017 Volvo XC90 owners, suggesting this may be part of a broader pattern.
NHTSA complaint #11725921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that upon shifting to Drive(D) while the vehicle was on an incline, the vehicle rolled back before moving forward as intended. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring, causing the vehicle to hit a garage door and a brick mailbox on two different occasions. The contact stated that the tailgate was opened and sustained a dent when the vehicle hit the garage door. The contact stated that upon shifting to Reverse(R) on a decline, the vehicle rolled forward before reversing as intended. The contact stated that the failure had caused the vehicle to hit two pedestrians. There were no reported injuries. No police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions, and several unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had experienced difficulty starting on several occasions, leaving the contact stranded while the contact was in the process of taking his son to the emergency room. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The message "Press Knob To Start" was displayed. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stopped. The message "Hybrid System Failure - Service Required" was displayed, and the message "Performance Reduced" was displayed along with a turtle. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to exceed 5 MPH while driving. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that the failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where unknown repairs were performed; however the failure persisted. The dealer had recommended the vehicle sale due to the persistent failure. The vehicle was taken to Park Place Volvo(3515 Inwood Rd, Dallas, TX 75209), where the battery cells were recharged, and the hybrid system module and an unknown hybrid system part were replaced; however, the failure persisted.
NHTSA complaint #11724066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.