NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
197 reports80,000 miles · Dec 12, 2023
Latches/locks/linkages
The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the rear door latches and locks were frozen and no longer opened or closed as designed. The contact stated he no longer attempts to open the door out of concern that the door will no longer be able to be closed properly. The contact stated no warning light was illuminat…
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The contact owns a 2016 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that the rear door latches and locks were frozen and no longer opened or closed as designed. The contact stated he no longer attempts to open the door out of concern that the door will no longer be able to be closed properly. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that water had entered the rear door locking mechanism. The door locks had not been repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA ODI #11559646
Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 2023
Unknown Or OtherFire
Car had a known issue regarding inappropriate oil consumption and was awaiting repair by Volvo dealership. While merging onto highway and accelerating, car lurched, check engine light came on, and shortly after there was a warning regarding reduced performance. The car was maneuvered to the closest exit and parked. During this t…
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Car had a known issue regarding inappropriate oil consumption and was awaiting repair by Volvo dealership. While merging onto highway and accelerating, car lurched, check engine light came on, and shortly after there was a warning regarding reduced performance. The car was maneuvered to the closest exit and parked. During this time, approx 90secs, all major warning lights came on and smoke started coming up from engine. We quickly pulled to the side of the road (was unable to put car in park) and exited the vehicle as smoke was entering the cabin. There was a fire under the engine compartment that quickly engulfed and consumed the front of thr car.
NHTSA ODI #11554683
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 · Nov 11, 2023
Electrical System
The DIM (driver/driving instrument module), also known as the dashboard, on my vehicle suddenly stopped showing anything (speed, gas or battery charge level, etc.) recently, although there is still power (I could see the background lighting in the dark) and the vehicle can still be driven. This is certainly a severe safety issue…
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The DIM (driver/driving instrument module), also known as the dashboard, on my vehicle suddenly stopped showing anything (speed, gas or battery charge level, etc.) recently, although there is still power (I could see the background lighting in the dark) and the vehicle can still be driven. This is certainly a severe safety issue. I had my vehicle checked at a Volvo Dealership shop; their diagnosis concluded that the entire DIM needs to be replaced; software update alone won't solve the issue. I shared this issue at a social media site (Volvo XC90 Owners Club at Facebook) and several others said to have had the same or similar issues with the DIM. I'd suggest Volvo to recall this safety issue.
NHTSA ODI #11554655
Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2023
Engine
What seems to be a plastic coolant line cracked and is leaking antifreeze everywhere. Found a recall that mentions this but my vehicle is not listed. NHTSA campaign number: 19V308. Volvo's own number for this recall is R29936.
NHTSA ODI #11545499
Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2023
Back Over PreventionElectrical SystemForward Collision Avoidance
It came to my attention this summer that my 2016 Volvo XC90 has an extensive sunroof drainage problem that has resulted in major leaks in the interior of the car and that has destroyed the electrical system which impacts everything (airbags, speed control, back up camera, object alert warnings, etc. It was impossible to have k…
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It came to my attention this summer that my 2016 Volvo XC90 has an extensive sunroof drainage problem that has resulted in major leaks in the interior of the car and that has destroyed the electrical system which impacts everything (airbags, speed control, back up camera, object alert warnings, etc. It was impossible to have knowledge of this problem until it was too late (like cancer). Many dashboard lights came on, the car was acting funning, back-up camera did not work, AC worked intermittently, standing water in trunk, headliner water damage, etc. Onboard diagnostic system also not working. I have attached the preliminary report but dealership saying they need to pull up carpets, seats and dash to get to a full diagnosis. Here's summary I put together(Volvo Corp won't really communicate w/consumer). I have photos if needed: I also spent time the last several days continuing to do my research. It takes little more than a google search to understand the widespread sunroom drainage/leak issue with many Volvos. There are too many articles to list, but here is one: [XXX] recalls 127K vehicles due to leak The recall covers 2016 and 2017 XC90 SUVs and S90 sedans Myriad Facebook complaints I also spoke to service managers at various other Volvo dealerships. They have seen and continue to see this sunroof drainage problem and according to them, it is not minor nor unique. They agreed that the first incomplete estimate (~$3,500) that dealership is just that: incomplete. They said there is no way to know extent of the damage until carpets, dash, etc., are removed to see what full damage is but that they often see the need for full body harness replacement. It is special order + requires time to get and considerable labor hours to replace. That can push estimate up to $8,000-$9,000, well above estimate thus far from dealer. And the car will never be the same. Undriveable now. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ODI #11545283
Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2023
Electrical SystemEngine
Main Cooling system hose burst while driving down the road. Volvo Dealer said extremely rare for this to occur. Car overheated, all warning lights appeared and coolant exploded under hood all while driving.Had to have repaired $1000. Also a water leak inside 3rd row & leaks from rear view mirror area. Caused electrical damage to…
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Main Cooling system hose burst while driving down the road. Volvo Dealer said extremely rare for this to occur. Car overheated, all warning lights appeared and coolant exploded under hood all while driving.Had to have repaired $1000. Also a water leak inside 3rd row & leaks from rear view mirror area. Caused electrical damage to main system computer module, had to have replaced $2000+. All work done at volvo dealer. No frame damage,no missing parts, dealer stated unknown reason. Same thing is now happening a 2nd time and warranty will not cover water damage. Have spoken with others experiencing the same problem with roof leak. No alarms came on prior to combustion/main hose top engine area before break. Happend immediately, unexpectedly
NHTSA ODI #11545025
Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2023
Engine
The low coolant warning went off and the turn off engine notification came on. I turned off my vehicle and noticed all the coolant leaking out the bottom underneath the car. I had the vehicle towed to the nearest mechanic and I was given this diagnosis: Found cooling system low, pressure tested and located a slip line that runs …
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The low coolant warning went off and the turn off engine notification came on. I turned off my vehicle and noticed all the coolant leaking out the bottom underneath the car. I had the vehicle towed to the nearest mechanic and I was given this diagnosis: Found cooling system low, pressure tested and located a slip line that runs from the coolant crossover tube to under the intake manifold. Coolant pipe runs from the crossover pipe down to the engine oil cooler. Volvo has an updated part number due to high failure rate of the component.
NHTSA ODI #11538326
Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2023
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion SystemFire
I own a 2016 XC90 that was regularly serviced by the Volvo dealer we bought the car from. My son and I were in my car on 08/02/2023 and we were at a stop light and something smelt a little off so my son put his window down to get fresh air. Then, we accelerated when the light turned green. Within 100 yds of accelerating my check…
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I own a 2016 XC90 that was regularly serviced by the Volvo dealer we bought the car from. My son and I were in my car on 08/02/2023 and we were at a stop light and something smelt a little off so my son put his window down to get fresh air. Then, we accelerated when the light turned green. Within 100 yds of accelerating my check engine light when on and simultaneously I lost acceleration. It was clear that something was wrong. I told my son we needed to unbuckle our seat belts and jump out of the car when I could get us safely stopped. We coasted into a parking lot where I found a safe spot to stop. While coasting I looked at my car screen to see if there was oil or other fluid that was low, but there was no indicator of a problem other than the check engine light that had just gone on at the same time as I lost the ability to accelerate. When the car stopped, I grabbed my purse next to me and before we were to the sidewalk the car was engulfed in smoke and then flames. Our lives were at risk within two minutes of the check engine light coming on. This car was on fire in a parking lot of a pediatricians office around other cars with young families inside. It was scary and extremely unsafe for my son and I and many other people who were around the vehicle. Our car received each recall replacement/fix that was identified. This was extremely scary and unsafe, it put our lives and others' lives at risk within 2 minutes. We along with many others called 911, the situation was immediately out of control.
NHTSA ODI #11536157
Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2023
EngineUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed ControlFire
Previous issues with brakes, suspension, leaking sunroof, electrical and gauges. Vehicle became disabled due to defect with coolant system, smoke from engine compartment, towed to Monterery Volvo (dealership/service center identified issues with coolant leak present turbo & cooling Plastic pipe. Cruise control-Vacuum Pump: Fou…
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Previous issues with brakes, suspension, leaking sunroof, electrical and gauges. Vehicle became disabled due to defect with coolant system, smoke from engine compartment, towed to Monterery Volvo (dealership/service center identified issues with coolant leak present turbo & cooling Plastic pipe. Cruise control-Vacuum Pump: Found vacuum pump leaking oil. Estimated repair $5,414.38
NHTSA ODI #11534889
Official recalls
8Dec 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
1DP22005 · 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.