2021 VOLVO XC90 Complaints

In February 2026, my 2021 Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 (VIN: [XXX]) experienced a hybrid battery cell failure. The failure was diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized Volvo dealership (Volvo of Tacoma) and is covered under the vehicle's manufacturer warranty. However, I have been informed that a replacement part may not be available until December 2026 or later — a delay of ten months or more from the original failure date. Volvo has advised me that attempting to charge the vehicle in its current state carries a risk of fire. As a result, I am unable to charge the hybrid system and have had to operate the vehicle on gasoline alone, with fuel costs increasing approximately 3.5x per month. Separately, an independent mechanic has advised me that continued operation of the vehicle without a functioning hybrid battery cell is causing ongoing, worsening mechanical damage over time, separate from the original defect. I have made extensive good-faith efforts to resolve this directly with Volvo Cars USA customer care, including phone calls, an online request form, and direct correspondence, with prolonged periods of no response despite written acknowledgment of the issue on XXX. Given that Volvo itself has identified a fire risk associated with charging this vehicle, combined with an indefinite repair timeline of ten months or more and mechanic-confirmed risk of continued mechanical degradation, I am filing this report to document a potential safety defect in the hybrid battery system of this vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I am submitting this complaint regarding serious safety concerns with my Volvo vehicle that may affect the safety of my family, especially young children. 1. Second-Row Center Seat Integrated Booster Seat Belt Failure The integrated booster seat belt in the second-row center seat is not functioning properly. The seat belt mechanism appears defective and does not secure the child as intended. This presents a significant safety risk. In the event of sudden braking or an emergency stop, a child could be thrown forward due to the seat belt’s failure to restrain the occupant correctly. This defect creates a serious risk of injury and should be investigated immediately. 2. Recurring Check Engine Light Following Recall Repair / Hybrid Battery Concerns Following a recent Volvo recall repair and/or work related to the hybrid battery system, the vehicle began displaying a recurring check engine warning light. The issue was reported to Weaver Brothers Volvo in Raleigh, North Carolina. The dealership performed repairs or adjustments, and the warning light temporarily disappeared. However, the same issue has returned, raising concerns that the underlying problem was not properly diagnosed or corrected. Given the vehicle’s purchase price of approximately $75,000, I am concerned about the reliability and safety of the vehicle, particularly if the warning light is related to the hybrid battery system, emissions system, or another critical component. Headlight Issue: Headlights provide inadequate illumination during nighttime and rainy conditions, reducing visibility and creating a potential safety hazard. Left Speaker Issue: The left-side speaker intermittently produces static and distorted audio during music playback and hands-free phone calls, causing distraction and affecting communication or music while driving Thank you for your attention to this matte

While driving, I experienced a sudden loss of braking assist with no warning. The brake pedal became extremely hard to press, accompanied by a hissing/air sound. Despite applying full pressure, the vehicle did not slow as expected and continued moving. At one point, after stopping, the vehicle began to move forward again while my foot remained firmly on the brake. The issue occurred immediately upon or shortly after starting the vehicle, with no prior warning indicators. This created a serious safety hazard.

Unintentional acceleration.First, I was in line at car wash proceeding slowly ahead as directed in line. Foot on accelerator lightly moving, when car surged rapidly hitting back end of Tesla about 6-8 ft ahead (2/26/26 12:30pm) Impact strong enough to push Tesla into truck hitch damaging it front of it as well. Applied brake, but impact was too rapid. Second incident with my Volvo was a month later(3/22/26 about 10:30 am) and my husband was driving. . Made right turn on green light and started to accelerate when it revived and surged forward until applied brake. Dealer could not replicate. No codes but repair shop had to recalibrate after 1st incident and may have lost code on 1st incident(wreck). Now that insurance knows what happened, I don't know if they will intervene. hopefully. No warnings went off or messages. Airbag did not deploy. I believe that this is an unintentional acceleration, especially occurring twice now. Dealership says car is safe and they will monitor. I guess it means when we have another incident. Hopefully not fatal to us or anyone else. Dealer says it is a transition from hybrid electric to gas. But I have had this car 4yrs10months and this never happened until now. And the transition never has thrown me back in my seat or had the engine rev. The battery was replaced last August because of bad cell and recall on it for fire hazard. Maybe this could have an affect. On first incident I was in shock so thought maybe in hit accelerator instead of break, but when second incident occurred and it was exactly like first except no collision. Thatshow I originally reported to insurance and police as my fault. But that's not true. Now I called insurance to report dual incidents, two different drivers with unintentional acceleration. SR-1 filed

I am reporting a failure of the fuel pump system in my Volvo vehicle, which currently has approximately 60,000 miles. The failed component is available for inspection upon request. The issue was confirmed by an authorized Volvo dealership, which diagnosed the fuel pump as defective and requiring replacement. This appears to be a premature failure given the mileage and proper maintenance of the vehicle. This failure presents a serious safety risk. A faulty fuel pump can cause the vehicle to stall unexpectedly while driving, increasing the risk of a crash, especially at highway speeds or in traffic. Loss of engine power without warning places not only the driver and passengers at risk, but also other motorists on the road. Prior to the failure, the vehicle experienced symptoms consistent with fuel system issues, including difficulty starting and intermittent performance irregularities. These symptoms escalated until the vehicle became unreliable to operate. The problem has been confirmed by the manufacturer’s authorized service center, and the vehicle has been inspected accordingly. No external factors or misuse contributed to this failure. It is my understanding that Volvo has issued recalls and/or acknowledged similar fuel pump defects in other vehicles of comparable models and years. Based on the nature of this failure and its alignment with known issues, I believe this vehicle should be evaluated for inclusion under an existing recall or be subject to further investigation. Given the safety implications of fuel system failures, I respectfully request that this issue be formally reviewed to determine whether a broader defect trend exists that could impact other vehicles. The failure occurred at relatively low mileage and under normal operating conditions, raising concern of a systemic defect rather than normal wear and tear.

My vehicle was recalled for a faulty battery module. I turned the car into the dealer (Palo Alto Volvo in Palo Alto, Ca) on December 18 and the dealer has not been able to provide any ETA on repairs.

I drove the car (2021 Volvo XC 90) without incident on Sunday March 8, 2026 and at the end of the day parked the car in my garage. Monday morning, I came out to use the car and found that the seat back on the driver’s side had folded all the way forward and was immovable in a position that was unsafe to drive. Had the seat spontaneously folded all the way forward while I was driving, it would have pitched my body into the steering wheel and the results could have been catastrophic. At the time of the incident my car was approximately four years and seven months old from date of purchase with just 30,315 miles on it. Volvo reported that the seat-back motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The Cost was $1249.82. Volvo offered no explanation of the seat-back motor failure but stated they were aware of one other similar incident. I have no details of that incident. I have photos of the seat position and the seat-back motor after it was removed, but was unable to upload them. I still have the seat back motor in the same condition it was in as provided to me by Volvo Cars of Sarasota.

The contact owns a 2021 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while retrieving items from the trunk, the contact became aware that there was water leaking into the cargo area. The contact stated that the holders were full of water. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the sunroof drain hose needed to be replaced and sealed, and the flooring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that upon shifting to Drive(D) while the vehicle was on an incline, the vehicle rolled back before moving forward as intended. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring, causing the vehicle to hit a garage door and a brick mailbox on two different occasions. The contact stated that the tailgate was opened and sustained a dent when the vehicle hit the garage door. The contact stated that upon shifting to Reverse(R) on a decline, the vehicle rolled forward before reversing as intended. The contact stated that the failure had caused the vehicle to hit two pedestrians. There were no reported injuries. No police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions, and several unknown repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had experienced difficulty starting on several occasions, leaving the contact stranded while the contact was in the process of taking his son to the emergency room. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The message "Press Knob To Start" was displayed. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stopped. The message "Hybrid System Failure - Service Required" was displayed, and the message "Performance Reduced" was displayed along with a turtle. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to exceed 5 MPH while driving. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that the failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where unknown repairs were performed; however the failure persisted. The dealer had recommended the vehicle sale due to the persistent failure. The vehicle was taken to Park Place Volvo(3515 Inwood Rd, Dallas, TX 75209), where the battery cells were recharged, and the hybrid system module and an unknown hybrid system part were replaced; however, the failure persisted.

Driving on a 45 mph road and brakes felt squishy, like air was going out of them. It was slow to stop and had to pump then stomp to get it to stop before crashing. Was fortunate to not hit anything. Pulled into gas station and had it towed to Volvo. There were no warning lights or other indication of problem- the brakes just failed. Volvo said the vacuum pump failed which pushed oil into the brake booster causing it to fail. The car has 74,000 miles and has been serviced regularly.