2020 Volvo XC40

The cooling system cracked, malfunctioned and caused a domino effect of multiple repair issues costing at least $5,200. My car is currently at a Volvo dealer. My Safety: The possibility of the hot engine and hot wires could have resulted in a fire. This problem HAS been reproduced and confirmed by a Volvo dealer. The vehicle overheating was witnessed by the Fire Department and local police.. As far as sufficient Warning Lights or dashboard indications, the ONLY messages I received were 1} About 5 p.m. EST Battery indicator (at which point I pulled over immediately into Batteries Plus who said the battery wasn't fully charged- so they charged it and the light went off and they did not mention or report any other problems; About 9 p.m., 2 blocks from home, the "High Temperature" indicator went "ON" and so I pulled over into my driveway immediately. At 3 a.m. the car security alarm sounded and the hood was smoking at all angles so the Fire Department arrived in 5 minutes and disconnected the battery and stabilized the car within an hour and a half. The car was towed first thing in the morning. I am shocked that a 2020 Volvo would do this to me.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR ODI#11708898. I am providing additional documentation to this ODI case. I had to create a new complaint since there appears to be no way on-line to add this information. Gunther Volvo has not provided ANY status updates of my vehicle which has been in their possession since Sunday, January 4, 2026. The Director of Customer Experience, Nyam Smith had not responded to my email sent on 1/4/2026. Volvo Customer Care had assigned a case # for towing and for the safety incident but both the dealership and Volvo Customer Care have been unresponsive. I did not receive responses to my texts to the dealership asking for any updates, and Nyam Smith said in an email that I needed to get any updates from Volvo Customer Care. I called them to get an update but Pablo had no update and said he had to call the dealer! The Service Tech I had talked to on 1/5 about the car left me a voice mail at 5:05 PM on 1/5 stating that the foreman has been in contact with Volvo Engineering and that they had a few questions -- how many times had this issue occurred, how did I get the car to stop running and they requested a photo of the shoes I was wearing. I sent that photo that evening but I never received any response from numerous texts asking for a status. They have not provided a courtesy loaner for the past 15 days so I have had to incur incidental rental charges. 1/9/26, I spoke to Jocelyn at Volvo - she was unable to give any updates but she sent me a form (one of the questions asked where the vehicle was!) -- I emailed the completed form that same day but received no acknowledgement from them until 1/15. They sent me a form authorizing an investigation of my car. I have not received any further communication from Volvo Cust. Care or the dealer. They are withholding diagnostic. data (BCM/ECU logs following the unintended surge event on 1/4/26. I am calling the dealer 1/19 to speak with Vasil Blagoev, Service Mgr. for a status

On 01/04/2026, while operating a gas-powered 2024 Volvo XC40, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) event while stationary at a red light. With the service brake fully depressed, the internal combustion engine began to surge and rev uncontrollably, making loud noises. The engine torque increased in direct response to increased brake pressure, eventually overcoming the braking system and forcing the vehicle forward into the 3-way intersection. Technical Details: Brake-Throttle Override (BTO) Failure: The vehicle’s safety logic failed to prioritize the brake signal over the uncommanded throttle increase. Shifter Interlock Malfunction: During the surge, the electronic gear selector was unresponsive, preventing shifting into Neutral (N) to disconnect power. Shifting capability only returned once the vehicle was brought to a forced stop. Prior Symptoms: Intermittent "idle flaring" and surging were noted 48 hours prior to the failure. Safety Risk: The vehicle moved into traffic against my intent and physical input, posing a high risk of collision. The car was towed by Volvo Road Assistance on 1/4/26 to the Volvo dealership later that evening. This incident mimics the "Powertrain Control System" defects currently documented in NHTSA Campaign 25V392 and the Becker v. Volvo class action, suggesting the software defect extends to ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) models. The car is currently at the Volvo Dealership for diagnostics. The service intake person has not provided an update on whether they have been able to duplicate the issue. I do not know what diagnostics have been performed on the car at this point. There were no warning signs or messages prior to the failure. Some minor surging had been noticed a couple of days before, but this latest incident was catastrophic and a safety risk. I felt trapped in my car.