Owners filed 197 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 8 times.
When it fails
02000020,000 milesMedian miles at failure
89 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 0–10,000 miles.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
64
0
6
0
Electrical System
38
2
1
0
Unknown or Other
22
0
3
3
Structure › Body
19
2
0
0
Service Brakes
11
0
0
0
Air Bags
8
1
0
2
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly
3
0
0
0
Power Train
3
0
0
0
Fuel/Propulsion System
3
0
0
0
Electronic Stability Control (esc)
3
0
0
0
8 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Seat Belts › Critical Fasteners23V827000
Filed Dec 7, 20232,911 vehiclesVolvo Car Usa, Llc
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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.
Electrical System › Software21V273000
Filed Apr 21, 2021162 vehiclesVolvo Car Usa, Llc
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings19V308000
Filed Apr 17, 201934,006 vehiclesVolvo Car Usa Llc
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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.
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly16V798000
Filed Nov 2, 201674,027 vehiclesVolvo Car Usa Llc
Defect. 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."
Risk. 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.
Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner16V690000
Filed Sep 26, 201643,766 vehiclesVolvo Car Usa Llc
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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.
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly16V268000
Filed May 4, 201630,214 vehiclesVolvo Car Usa Llc
Defect. 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."
Risk. 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.
Air Bags › Side/Window15V497000
Filed Aug 6, 20153,911 vehiclesVolvo Cars Of N.a., Llc
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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.
Air Bags › Side/Window15V342000
Filed Jun 3, 2015584 vehiclesVolvo Cars Of N.a., Llc
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Engine
Filed Aug 17, 2026AZ
I discovered an engine coolant leak from a crack near the end of the Plastic Coolant Bypass Pipe (part #31368673/32382362) after noticing coolant puddling on my garage floor. There are numerous comments with pictures on-line about how common this part fails on this model Volvo. What's also interesting is that the "pipe" fails in exactly the same location (on top and near the end). Seems to me if this is a known defect and the part is not performing with reasonable reliability, Volvo should provide an allowance to car owners when the part fails.
Engine
Filed Jul 17, 2026NC
Piston rings inside the engine failed due to a known oil consumption issue with this model vehicle. The engine failed while the car was driving 85 mph and consequently slowed down to 15mph on the highway, leaving the owner of the car stranded alone on the highway. Volvo has a known fix for this issue and there was a class action lawsuit for it, but since it was settled, there was no recall. This is, in fact, a dangerous issue that is preventable. Additionally, the sunroof drains also leak. Water frequently leaks down the A-pillar directly onto the Central Electronic Module (CEM) causing unsafe electrical issues and potential engine failure. This was a known issue on other models, but it is also present in this model vehicle. When I tried to fix this under a warranty contract, I was denied by the certified repair shops.
Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 8, 2026TX
The AC evaporator has a leak. I am reporting as this is a well known issue on the Volvo's, especially the 2016 XC90 which has a large amount of issues that cause issues of safety and undue amount of financial burden on owners who operate the vehicle in normal conditions. I have been told by the dealer after they repaired a another issue of the engine (8 times this vehcile has been in for repair on engine issues that are due to a block issue) the ac evaporator is well known by Volvo to be poorly designed and manufatcurered where they last under ten years. I have asked dealers and mechainc shops who see dozens a week of these repairs needed. The avergae cost I have been quote is $4000 for repair and the volvo service dealer I could told me, these keep the shop going. There is no way that this is not a issue to the public that puts a undue burden to owners, one that Volvo HQ in USA acknowledges is a issue but is not required to do anything.
Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jun 26, 2026ND
My 2016 Volvo XC90 suddenly lost power while I was driving, requiring me to pull over and have the vehicle towed. This is a documented safety issue associated with a known piston ring defect in 2013-2016 Volvo vehicles equipped with 2.0L and 2.5L engines, which was the subject of a federal class action lawsuit ([XXX] et al. v. Volvo Car USA, LLC, Case No. XXX, filed XXX. No there we NO warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. I purchased this vehicle as a second owner from Carvana [XXX] — one month after the class action was filed. I was never notified of the defect, the litigation, or any service campaign or extended warranty coverage associated with this VIN, through Carvana nor Volvo. Since the power loss, I have spent $11,543.75 in out-of-pocket repairs (replacement engine, labor, towing). Despite a new engine being installed, the vehicle enters limp mode within one mile of driving. A Volvo-authorized dealer has quoted an additional $19,959.65 in repairs without certifying that the work will resolve the safety issue. Volvo Customer Care has declined to assist, stating their internal service campaign has concluded. I am submitting this safety complaint because sudden, unexplained power loss in a moving vehicle is a significant safety hazard, and because second owners of affected vehicles were never properly notified of the defect. I never knew nor was this disclosed to me before purchase from Carvana nor told to me by Volvo. I was in t
Power Train
Filed May 12, 2026WA
The eRAD (Electric Rear Axle Drive) on my 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV failed completely. The warning light appeared approximately 11/3/2025, within one week of purchasing the vehicle at 88,000 miles. The failure was confirmed by a Volvo dealership. The eRAD is the component that powers the rear electric motor and provides AWD and hybrid function — its failure results in complete loss of rear wheel drive and hybrid system operation. Safety risk includes unexpected loss of AWD traction control in adverse weather conditions. This is a known systemic defect acknowledged in Volvo’s own Technical Journals (TJ33358). I contacted Volvo Cars USA customer service to invoke the SULEV emissions warranty and they were unable to locate my claim or explain the warranty coverage. Volvo has not addressed this through a recall despite this being a widespread known failure mode affecting XC90 T8 models. The vehicle is available for inspection.
Engine
Filed Apr 29, 2026NV
Vehicle start shaking Violently out of control. AAA picked up the vehicle and took it to their European shop and discovered it’s the piston rings . I asked Volvo to do a goodwill repair and they rejected my claim on a well know issue that I was not brought aware while having the vehicle serviced at their facility Findley Volvo dealership. I’ve been taking this vehicle there for two years, with an oil problem. They never did an oil consumption test or correct the piston issue. I am appalled at this action and behavior by the dealership.A well documented issue with this vehicle. They told the program has expired, I’d have to pay for service . I have photos as well of the issue.
Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed Apr 24, 202690,000 miles00
The contact owns a 2016 VOLVO XC90. The contact stated that while coming off a red light at 10 MPH, the contact was involved in a vehicle accident. The front end of the vehicle impacted the vehicle on the passenger side, which impacted more of the contact's front side on the passenger side. The vehicle came to a full stop in the middle of an intersection. No air bags were deployed in the vehicle. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. A police report was filed. The contact stated there were 2 subjects injured. The passenger in the contact vehicle was injured, and the driver of the vehicle that was impacted was also injured. The passenger injuries had been medically treated. The passenger was hurt in the knees, back, neck, and head; no severe injuries were reported. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V342000 (AIR BAGS) as the cause of the failure; the VIN was never included in the recall repair. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Engine
Filed Apr 21, 2026NV
Since moving here to Nevada in 2023, I’ve had several oil changes. After about 1200 I have to add mother oil to the car. I’ve gone back three times to 5 min oil change to get free refills since they offer free top offs after your initial oil change. I than took a deep dive on the internet and discovered that the Volvo XC90, 2016 had issues with oil consumption, but never informed me of this issue. I’ve been to the dealership several times and not once did the inform me either. I mentioned to Bailey Anderson at Findlay Volvo in Las Vegas that this car consumes a lot of oil. He said no it didn’t without even checking for facts. I read that Volvo knew about this issue and we’re fixing the issue, however when I inquired they wanted me to pay for their mistake. How is that so when they knew there is and was an oil consumption matter and did not inform me of the matter. I’m furious with Volvo for hiding or concealing this issue. How can I get them to correct the matter, at this point?
EngineFire
Filed Apr 20, 2026TX
About a month ago I received an Engine Coolant Low warning from the vehicle so the fluid was topped off. This past Friday, April 17th as I was driving home around midnight, I received an Engine Temperature is High, please pull over notice so I stopped the vehicle and had it towed home. Saturday evening, as the car was sitting in my driveway, the vehicle caught fire. The entire engine bay ignited and basically melted.
Engine
Filed Apr 16, 2026NC
Hey I purchased a Volvo xc90 2016 seven months ago and I currently still have this car. Also others with the same model, are having problems with oil consumption who is the problem that I’m sadly dealing with, My car burns so much oil and I’m only 19 I got this hoping for a reliable car but in stead in burns oil just has much as I burn fuel every 500 miles, if that probably less miles. it tells me to had a liter of oil because it says I’m out of oil. I just need some one to help me it hasn’t had anything done to it it’s all original with only 127,000 miles on it and this probably has been happening since I purchased it with only 118,000 miles.
Unknown or OtherFire
Filed Feb 27, 2026CA
My car started smoking on the road, I parked it. It smoked, Then it caught on fire.
Engine
Filed Jan 23, 2026NC
*the engine is the part that failed due to excessive oil consumption. *it became a safety risk once it started selecting its own driving speed after dropping driving speed to 31mph on [XXX in Raleigh. *the problem was confirmed by the dealer, Volvo of Cary *it has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others *upon a service visit our technician, Ray Rancell of Volvo of Cary advised that the engine was leaking oil and engine failure would occur if we didn't take care of it so we did to a total of $2879.74 which would keep the engine from seizing. That means we paid to prevent exactly what happened anyway and as I found out later he did not perform an oil consumption test so he had no way of knowing the shape the engine was in but charged for this work anyway. The repair invoice says the customer stated oil leaking on timing belt but that is incorrect. I would have no way of knowing that as the only thing i know about cars is replinishg fluids. We did have to replinish oil often and advised Ray of that but he said it was normal. Thank God I was able to get into the slow lane and prevented any accident but my and my daughter's life was certainly put at risk. There is a known recall for excessive oil consumption which I fould out about later. When I questioned Volvo they said my VIN number was not included in the recall. Clearly, it should have been. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine
Filed Jan 23, 2026MD
My vehicle was signaling me to add oil every 600 - 1000 miles around 85,000 miles. The dealership charged me for a chemical treatment to stop the oil burning around 90,000 miles. At about 95,000 miles, my engine failed while driving on the interstate. There was no warning light or degradation of power. Suddenly, the engine lost power, went into limp mode and I could not maintain highway speed. The display flashes "Engine Performance Reduced." My SUV is now parked in my yard. I have paid two Volvo dealerships and a Volvo repair shop to inspect it. They reported oil burning, cylinder scoring and spark plug failure. There is scoring in the #3 cylinder and there is also no compression in the #3 cylinder. They further advised me that ALL engines that fit in my vehicle will experience this oil burning issue and the subsequent pathway to failure. I see evidence that this is a known issue with 2.0L and 2.5L Volvo engines between 2013-16. Of particular note is that several other owners have experienced failure in the #3 cylinder. There is an issue of clogged rings causing oil burning. Oil burning leads to damage to internal engine components like pistons, spark plugs, valves and etc..causing engine failure and ultimately engine fires. Oil burning extends into the exhaust system and also damages catalytic converters leading to failure of those components and even fires. I understand Volvo issued Tech Journals to dealerships but, to date, this information has not been published to the c
Engine
Filed Oct 20, 2025IN
On September 30, 2025, a 2016 Volvo XC90 T6 experienced sudden engine failure while driving westbound on I-75 (Alligator Alley) at highway speed. The vehicle abruptly went into reduced power mode (“turtle mode”) without warning. This forced the driver to stop on the roadside, creating a serious safety hazard in fast-moving traffic. Component/system that failed: Engine / Power Train. An independent repair facility performed diagnostics on October 6, 2025, including a compression test. Results confirmed that one cylinder had lost compression due to a failed cylinder head. The mechanic attributed this to excessive oil consumption from defective piston rings, a condition documented in Volvo technical bulletins. Inspection: The vehicle was inspected by an independent service center. Photos and test results are available for inspection upon request. The manufacturer was contacted and denied assistance, citing mileage, despite known oil consumption defects in this engine family. Safety risk: The sudden loss of power at highway speed put the driver and other motorists at risk of collision. With no advance warning, the driver was left stranded on a dangerous stretch of interstate. Reproduction: The failure has been confirmed through diagnostic testing and inspection by the independent service center. Manufacturer/police/insurance inspection: The manufacturer has been notified, but no inspection by Volvo has occurred to date. No police or insurance inspection was performed. Warning mes
Power Train
Filed Sep 9, 2025CA
Known supercharger leak on 2016 Volvo XC90 at 60,000 miles. Numerous reports of the same failure. Dealer and Volvo declined goodwill repair. Potential safety/fire issue if oil leakage worsens
Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 3, 2025IL
The rear two car doors will not open. It started months ago with the left side and now is both doors. This is dangerous if anyone in the rear of the vehicle should need to exit in a timely manner. The dealership knows this is an issue, but says they are not obligated to fix it for free because there isn’t a recall yet.
Air Bags
Filed Aug 26, 2025IL
SRS warning light and was told that is is due to a faulty misassembled wiring in the seat harness. Possibility of the airbags not deploying correctly in case of a crash. The dealer has confirmed that it is the seat harness that needs to be replaced. Due to the Month/Year of the vehicle it does not fall under the original recall which was only for vehicles that were manufactured between Jan/May 2015.
Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera
Filed Aug 23, 2025TX
Backup camera not activating when in reverse sporadically. My recorded video of this happening: [XXX] Issue has been brought to the Volvo dealership service department. Remedy from the Volvo service has been to update software but it has not corrected the issue. Multiple of owners have encountered the same issue which is widely documented online. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Structure › Body
Filed Aug 12, 2025SC
I am filing a safety complaint regarding a failed rear door latch actuator in my 2016 Volvo XC90. This is a known issue among Volvo owners, yet there appears to be no recall or corrective action. The defect causes the door latch actuator to seize, rendering the affected rear door completely inoperable from both the inside and outside. This means passengers seated in the rear are unable to open the door to exit the vehicle. This is an extremely dangerous and potentially life-threatening hazard. In the event of an emergency—such as a fire, collision, or submersion—rear seat passengers would be trapped inside the vehicle with no way to escape. This failure compromises basic vehicle safety standards, as all doors should be fully functional to allow for emergency egress. I strongly urge the NHTSA to investigate this recurring defect in Volvo vehicles and require Volvo to address it promptly before it results in serious injury or death.
Engine
Filed Aug 12, 2025VA
This car is consuming oil and has the potential to catastrophically fail, or catch fire.
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Dec 7, 2023. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.