Volvo XC90

Where it stands out against its peers

• Engine: more complaints than 90% of 2016 cars — 44% of its 591 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 21%.
• Structure: more complaints than 90% of 2016 cars — 12% of its 591 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 6%.
• Latches/locks/linkages: more complaints than 93% of 2016 cars — 3% of its 591 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 1%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ENGINE — 159 owners reported this, 12 involving a fire
• STRUCTURE — 36 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 33 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 15 owners reported this, 3 involving a fire
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE — 12 owners reported this
• ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 12 owners reported this
• LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES — 12 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 12 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE — 9 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

37% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 15V342000

  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.

  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.

• 15V497000

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

  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.

• 16V268000

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

  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.

• 16V690000

  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.

  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.

• 16V798000

  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.

  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.

• 17V104000

  If the IC air bags do not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury.

  Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 1, 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89714.

• 17V370000

  Although, the seat belt will operate as intended in the event of a crash, if the MGG detaches, it may be a projectile within the vehicle cabin, increasing the risk of injury.

  Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will replace the third row passenger's side seatbelt retractor, free of charge. The recall began August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89716.

• 18V800000

  If the GPS location is not provided to emergency personnel it can inhibit emergency response in the event of a crash or injury.

  Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software, free of charge. The recall began December 26, 2018. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R39917.

11 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Pedestrian alert sounds

  Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.

• Central Electronic Module Failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 2010, closed November 2010.

• Fuel pump leak

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2009, closed December 2009.

• Volvo xc90 battery cable failures

  Engineering analysis, opened March 2006, closed June 2007.

• Windshield wiper arm performance

  Preliminary evaluation, opened December 2005, closed May 2006.

• Volvo xc90 battery cable failures

  Preliminary evaluation, opened November 2005, closed March 2006.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Volvo filed 80 bulletins about the 2024 XC90.

• Electrical system: 35
• Equipment: 18
• Power train: 5
• Engine and engine cooling: 3
• Exterior lighting: 3
• Forward collision avoidance: 3
• Engine: 2
• Hybrid propulsion system: 2
• Parking brake: 2
• Suspension: 2
• Other: 5

• This is a Technical Journal: Chirping noise from engine during engine shutoff. Replace both front camshaft seals · May 2024
• This is a Technical Journal: Check Engine Light in DIM (BCM2 P25A268 / U003700). Download software. · May 2024
• This is a Technical Journal: Check engine light and DTC - ECM P061C48/P060C48. Change engine oil and filter. · May 2024
• This is a Technical Journal: Google acceptance required for SW 3.0.3. Software download. · May 2024
• This is a Technical Journal: LR PHEV IGM P060700/P061A00 Control Module Performance DTCs. Software download · May 2024
• This is a Technical Journal: MY23+, ICUP - scratchy sound on Premium Sound Audio; AUD faults. Replace the AUD unit. · May 2024
• This is a Technical Journal: DIM Message and DTC IEM P0A4000. Erase DTC. -Let the vehicle go to "Abandoned mode" - this can take up to 20 minutes. -Perform a new VIDA readout · May 2024
• This is a Technical Journal. If you experience difficulty programming remote keys on Hybrid vehicles, please follow the advise in Technical Journal under service. · May 2024

72 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.