2023 Volvo XC90

On the morning of January 12, 2026, I attempted to unplug my 2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge (plug-in hybrid) from my home charging station in order to drive to an appointment. I had turned on the climate control remotely from the Volvo app while inside the house. When I went to unplug the vehicle, the charging connector was locked in the vehicle’s charging port and could not be removed. I contacted Volvo customer service, who instructed me to try several troubleshooting steps, including locking and unlocking the vehicle multiple times with the key fob and resetting the infotainment system. These steps did not resolve the issue. Because the charging plug remained locked, I was unable to use my vehicle and had to borrow a neighbor’s car, causing me to arrive late to a scheduled appointment. While away from home, I contacted my Volvo dealer, whose service representative advised me to use force to remove the plug, stating it would likely break the internal clip in the charging port. When I returned home several hours later and unlocked the vehicle, the charging plug released normally without any physical intervention. This suggests a software or electronic malfunction rather than a mechanical obstruction. The incident temporarily immobilized the vehicle and could pose a safety or reliability concern if it occurs in other situations. Furthermore, we have been experiencing intermittent issues with the infotainment system, including the backup cameras not coming on, random radio stations playing and complete blackout of the screen and/or flickering. The last software update was completed on Aug 15, 2025.

This afternoon for no reason, the car flashed a non-stop message “Drive to workshop. Propulsion system Service urgent.” I drove about 3 minutes at 15 mph to get the car somewhere safe, all the while the engine not turning correctly and could not accelerate safely. This appears to be a VERY common and dangerous issue for Volvo hybrids and there was a recall last year. It clearly did not fix the issue though.

On May 18, 2023, the vehicle was not driveable and it was not able to be taken out of the park mode. The vehicle had no power so the engine would not start regardless of what the tow truck driver tried. The car had to be pulled onto the tow truck so the tires did not move. On June 10, 2023, Due to a backlog. The Volvo dealership was finally able to look at the vehicle. They stated "error codes in the computer indicate an internal defect in the high-voltage battery. Even after consultation with Volvo technical support, we cannot avoid removing and opening the battery to replace a part inside the battery." Due to a backlog and waiting for parts, they stated it would be 6 weeks before they could repair. On July 28, 2023, The Volvo dealership repair stated, "the first spare part (for the defective battery) that was delivered was unfortunately defective and had to be sent it back." They will keep us up-to-date. The dealership is aware of the R10198 Recall for the Electronic Control Module.