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2016 Volvo XC90

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most XC90 years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Volvo XC90 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 34.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

89 reports with mileage · 108 unknown

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.

  • Engine. Review the 86 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports10 fire reports4 injury reports

Steering complaints

7 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2024
Air BagsElectrical SystemSteering

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 …

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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 ODI #11578825

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2024
Air BagsElectrical SystemSteering

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 lef…

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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 ODI #11570841

Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 2023
Steering

Yesterday I had my vehicle checked at a Volvo Dealership shop for the malfunction of the DIM (driver/driving instrument module, also known as dashboard; I have filed a separate compliant about this common problem.), their diagnosis also found a critical malfunction of the steering wheel module, which needs to be replaced with st…

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Yesterday I had my vehicle checked at a Volvo Dealership shop for the malfunction of the DIM (driver/driving instrument module, also known as dashboard; I have filed a separate compliant about this common problem.), their diagnosis also found a critical malfunction of the steering wheel module, which needs to be replaced with stalks. This is a potentially very serious safety issue. I'd suggest Volvo to recall this safety issue.

NHTSA ODI #11554657

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2023
Electrical SystemSteering

The indicators do not work randomly and we have had near miss accidents. The bulbs are in good working order. The stalk functions correctly. The computer after several seconds flashes up a message that the system has failed. Clearly the system is not safe as it’s designed. If Volvo are using a computer system to operate the ligh…

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The indicators do not work randomly and we have had near miss accidents. The bulbs are in good working order. The stalk functions correctly. The computer after several seconds flashes up a message that the system has failed. Clearly the system is not safe as it’s designed. If Volvo are using a computer system to operate the lights it should be sufficiently reliable and fault tolerant to maintain safe operation of the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11519587

59,000 miles · Mar 14, 2020
Service BrakesSteering

THE CONTROLS ON STEERING INTERMITTENTLY DISABLED. I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER THEY UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND IT WAS FIXED FOR WHILE, BUT IT REAPPEARED AGAIN! MANY VOLVO OWNERS HAS THE SIMILAR ISSUES MOST OF THEM ENDED UP REPLACING THE CONTROL MODULE PART ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SYMPTOM SINCE MOST DRIVERS LIKE ME RE…

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THE CONTROLS ON STEERING INTERMITTENTLY DISABLED. I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER THEY UPDATED THE SOFTWARE AND IT WAS FIXED FOR WHILE, BUT IT REAPPEARED AGAIN! MANY VOLVO OWNERS HAS THE SIMILAR ISSUES MOST OF THEM ENDED UP REPLACING THE CONTROL MODULE PART ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SYMPTOM SINCE MOST DRIVERS LIKE ME RELY HEAVILY ON THESE CONTROLS TO SELECT VEHICLE SYSTEM OPTIONS AND CRUISE CONTROL. ALSO DEALER ASKING ME TO CHANGE THE BREAK COMPONENTS VERY FREQUENTLY SOMETIMES JUST 20000 MILES. I AM ENDED PAYING HEFTY PRICE OF THESE PARTS TO KEEP THE BREAKS SAFE.

NHTSA ODI #11317970

16,000 miles · Jan 9, 2018
Electrical SystemService BrakesSteering

ON 22 DEC 2017, WHILE DRIVING MY VOLVO XC90 HYBRID R-DESIGN, I RECEIVED AN ERROR LIGHT THAT STATED 12 VOLT BATTERY HAD AN ISSUE. I CALLED THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP IN SARASOTA AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, JOE RICE TO LET HIM KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WHILE ON THE PHONE, AN ADDITIONAL ERROR LIGHT "ABS" AND THEN A FEW SECONDS LATER A…

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ON 22 DEC 2017, WHILE DRIVING MY VOLVO XC90 HYBRID R-DESIGN, I RECEIVED AN ERROR LIGHT THAT STATED 12 VOLT BATTERY HAD AN ISSUE. I CALLED THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP IN SARASOTA AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, JOE RICE TO LET HIM KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WHILE ON THE PHONE, AN ADDITIONAL ERROR LIGHT "ABS" AND THEN A FEW SECONDS LATER A CAR WITH A SQUIGGLY LANES ERROR LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY LOST THE ABILITY TO BRAKE, I LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER, I LOST THE ABILITY TO PUT THE SUV INTO NEUTRAL, I LOST THE ABILITY TO PUT ON MY HAZARD BLINKING LIGHT. ALL I COULD DO IS TAKE MY FOOT OF THE GAS PEDAL BUT BECAUSE I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT THE SUV IN NEUTRAL, AND HAD NO BRAKES, I CONTINUED TO MOVE. THE SCREEN ON MY FRONT CONSOLE WENT BLACK AND THE MIDDLE CONSOLE WENT BLACK. IF I WAS ON ANY BUSY ROAD OR EXPRESSWAY, I WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. LUCKILY AFTER MILES OF FORCED DRIVING, AND WITH THE HELP OF THE SERVICE MANAGER, APPLY MANUAL BRAKES BY FLOORING THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO THE FLOOR AND TAP, NOT PUMP. THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE DEFECT IS SO DETRIMENTAL THAT IT WILL CAUSE ACCIDENTS RESULTING IN DEATH. VOLVO HAS KEPT MY CAR SINCE 22 DEC AND THEY STATED THAT THEY ARE CHANGING OUT THE COMPUTER THAT CAUSED THIS ISSUE. I'M AFRAID THAT VOLVO MIGHT NOT DISCLOSE THIS DEFECT TO NHTSA AND THAT SOMEONE OR SOMEONE ELSE'S FAMILY WITH BE IN AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND BEG NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER EXPEDITIOUSLY TO RECALL VOLVOS WITH THESE DEFECTS. IF NHTSA MOVES QUICKLY, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND DEATH. I'M AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE A SWORN STATEMENT TO THE INCIDENT AND WILLING TO HELP ANYWAY I CAN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, VERY RESPECTFULLY, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

NHTSA ODI #11061466

1,000 miles · Nov 2, 2016
Seat BeltsService BrakesSteering

ON APPROXIMATELY SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM HAS BEEN TRIGGERED ERRONEOUSLY, WHEN NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE NEAR MY CAR, TO THE POINT THAT THE AUDIBLE AND VISUAL ALARMS WERE TRIGGERED, MY DRIVER'S SEATBELT PULLED ME BACK AGAINST THE DRIVER'S SEAT, TWO OF THOSE TIMES THE CAR SWERVED ITSELF AND ANOTHER TWO…

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ON APPROXIMATELY SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM HAS BEEN TRIGGERED ERRONEOUSLY, WHEN NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE NEAR MY CAR, TO THE POINT THAT THE AUDIBLE AND VISUAL ALARMS WERE TRIGGERED, MY DRIVER'S SEATBELT PULLED ME BACK AGAINST THE DRIVER'S SEAT, TWO OF THOSE TIMES THE CAR SWERVED ITSELF AND ANOTHER TWO OF THOSE TIMES THE CAR BRAKED ITSELF, WITHOUT ANY PROMPTING FROM THE DRIVER TO DO SO. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TODAY THAT BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WORKS ON RADAR THAT SOMETIMES THIS WILL HAPPEN. I BELIEVE THAT THESE SYSTEMS NEED TO BE PRACTICALLY ERROR PROOF BECAUSE IF THE CAR BRAKES ITSELF, OR SWERVES ITSELF, WITHOUT ANY ACTION FROM THE DRIVER IT COULD POTENTIALLY *CAUSE* AN ACCIDENT. NOT TO MENTION THAT IT'S VERY SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS AND THEN THERE HAS TO BE SOME EMOTIONAL RECOVERY AS A DRIVER TO OVERCOME THESE EPISODES. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 1000 MILES ON IT. ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS, WHILE THE CAR WAS GOING ANYWHERE FROM 25-45 MPH.

NHTSA ODI #10923904

Official recalls

8

23V827000 · Seat Belts:critical Fasteners

Dec 7, 2023

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2015-2024 XC90 vehicles. The second-row seat belt buckle and lower belt anchor bolts may not be tightened properly.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An improperly tightened seat belt buckle may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing their risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the second-row seat belt buckle anchorage bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2024. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10259.

21V273000 · Electrical System:software

Apr 21, 2021

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2016-2020 XC90 Excellence vehicles. Liquid or condensation on the rear seat control display may cause the front passenger seat to move back as far as possible.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The rear passenger may become trapped by the front seat without the ability to cancel the seat's movement, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will update the rear seat control display software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10093.

19V308000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:hoses/lines/piping/fittings

Apr 17, 2019

Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2016 XC90 vehicles. Exposure to heat and humidity may cause the engine coolant bleeder hose to crack, resulting in a coolant leak.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the coolant leak goes unnoticed, coolant may accumulate in the catalytic converter heat shield insulation and catch fire when the vehicle is stationary, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Volvo Cars will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine side coolant bleeder hose, free of charge. The recall began June 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R29936.

16V798000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

Nov 2, 2016

Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 XC90, S90, XC60, V60 Cross Country, V60, S60 Cross Country, S60, and S60 Inscription vehicles manufactured February 16, 2015, to August 22, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt buckle attaching stud may loosen, allowing the buckle to separate from the seat belt bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages" and number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the seat belt buckle separates from the bracket, the front seat passenger may not be adequately restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seat belt buckle stud, replacing the seat belt buckle as needed, free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89708.

16V690000 · Air Bags; Equipment:appliance:air Conditioner

Sep 26, 2016

Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Volvo XC90 and S90 vehicles manufactured April 15, 2015 through September 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning may leak into the passenger compartment due to a drain hose installation error during manufacturing.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Significant water drainage into the passenger compartment may adversely affect air bag deployment in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain hose for proper installation, replacing the hose as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November the 14, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this campaign is R89707.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Equipment:appliance:air Conditioner

Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Volvo XC90 and S90 vehicles manufactured April 15, 2015 through September 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning may leak into the passenger compartment due to a drain hose installation error during manufacturing.

Consequence: Significant water drainage into the passenger compartment may adversely affect air bag deployment in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain hose for proper installation, replacing the hose as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November the 14, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this campaign is R89707.

Air Bags

Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Volvo XC90 and S90 vehicles manufactured April 15, 2015 through September 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning may leak into the passenger compartment due to a drain hose installation error during manufacturing.

Consequence: Significant water drainage into the passenger compartment may adversely affect air bag deployment in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain hose for proper installation, replacing the hose as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November the 14, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this campaign is R89707.

16V268000 · Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly

May 4, 2016

Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to April 23, 2016. The sunroofs on the affected vehicles have a switch on the overhead console that may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from being unintentionally pressed. When pressed, the sunroof may fully close. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the switch is unintentionally pressed and the sunroof panel closes, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software upgrade that disables the auto-close function, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552 or by visiting http://Volvo.custhelp.com. Volvo's number for this recall is R89702.

15V497000 · Air Bags:side/window

Aug 6, 2015

Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 Volvo XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to July 10, 2015. The third row seating side curtain air bags may not fully inflate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Underinflated air bags may not fully protect third row occupants, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will modify the D-pillar interior panels to allow full inflation of the third row airbags, free of charge. The recall began on September 21, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo Customer Care at 1-800-458-1552.

15V342000 · Air Bags:side/window

Jun 3, 2015

Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 Volvo XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to May 19, 2015. The affected vehicles have front seats whose wiring harness for the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) may have been routed incorrectly.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the wiring harness is routed incorrectly, the wiring may be damaged, disabling the front seat side impact air bag, and increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front seat side impact air bag.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the routing of the SIPS wiring, correcting the routing and installing a protective sleeve as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89571.

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

1

DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.