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2012 Volvo XC90

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 3 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Back Over Prevention. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Equipment. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Steering complaints

1 reports
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51,500 miles · Mar 5, 2020
SteeringUnknown Or Other

ON MORNING OF 2/15/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY XC90 (2012, BASE, AUTO TRANSMISSION) ON A CITY STREET WHEN I REALIZED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NO LONGER IN CONTROL. IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWING LEFT AND RIGHT BETWEEN THE 2 LANES. I PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN -- THANK GOD THAT CARS BEHIND ME WERE ABLE TO AVOID ME. AFTER 10 …

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ON MORNING OF 2/15/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY XC90 (2012, BASE, AUTO TRANSMISSION) ON A CITY STREET WHEN I REALIZED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NO LONGER IN CONTROL. IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWING LEFT AND RIGHT BETWEEN THE 2 LANES. I PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN -- THANK GOD THAT CARS BEHIND ME WERE ABLE TO AVOID ME. AFTER 10 SECONDS OR SO OF MANEUVERING, I MANAGED TO PULL OVER BY THE STREET. AN ORANGE TRIANGLE LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD, WITH A WARNING MESSAGE: "AUTO-SKID TEMPORARY OFF". I CALLED THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO TOW IT TO MY GO-TO DEALERSHIP. AN HOUR LATER, A FLATBED TOW TRUCK CAME. THE TOW GUY MANAGED TO STILL DRIVE IT UP THE SLOPE OF THE FLATBED. WHEN WE GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE TOW GUY HAD A HARD TIME UNLOADING THE VEHICLE. AS HE REVERSED THE XC90 BACK DOWN FROM THE SLOPE OF THE FLATBED, WE COULD TELL THE FRONT TWO TIRES WERE POINTING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EVEN MOVED BACK AND FORTH. IF THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED LEFT, THE LEFT TIRE WOULD CRUSH INTO THE BACK OF THE FRONT BUMPER; IF THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED RIGHT, THE LEFT TIRE WOULD BACK OFF. THE GUY HAD TO INSERT A SMOOTH PLANK UNDER THE FRONT LEFT TIRE TO UNLOAD. ON MONDAY 2/17/2020, A REP FROM DEALERSHIP CALLED ME, SAYING THAT THE CONTROL ARM WAS DAMAGED WITH SCREWS AND BOLTS COMPLETELY MISSING!!! SHE SPECULATED THAT WE DROVE OVER A VERY LARGE POTHOLE OR HIT SOME CURB. MY WIFE DID HIT A CURB ON 2/14/2020, ONE DAY PRIOR, BUT IT WAS JUST A NORMAL SIZED CURB, IMPACTING ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE. BETWEEN MY WIFE AND MYSELF, WE COULDN'T RECALL ANYTHING SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE THIS SORT OF DAMAGE! QUESTIONS: (1) HOW COULD HITTING SOME CURBS OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS CAUSE THE BOLTS TO SHEAR/LOOSEN AND RESULT IN SUCH A GRAVE INCIDENT! (2) HOW AM I EVER GOING TO TRUST THAT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE AGAIN? HOW DO I CONVINCE MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN TO RIDE IN IT EVER?

NHTSA ODI #11316201

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.