VOLVO Complaints

Spark plugs, fuel injectors, cylinders and cylinder walls, pistons, oxygen sensor. Our safety was put at risk because the vehicles "reduced performance" was triggered and it affected the acceleration of the vehicle. The Volvo dealership was able to reproduce the issue because of the engine misfires.The only alert we received was the day prior our engine needed a liter of oil. We topped off the oil and that alert went away. The day we had the reduced performance we were alerted of that at the time on the highway. It's a little turtle icon. We were not able to accelerate efficiently and it was definitely unsafe to be driving but we had to get home.

The contact owns a 2019 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and or while the vehicle was parked, the A/C unit became inoperable, and the defogger failed to clear the front windshield. The contact stated that the A/C was shifted to the MAX setting to operate as needed to defrost the windshield with an abnormal odor blowing through the vents. The vehicle was taken a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the front evaporator core needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

TPMS system total malfunction. Wife started out of our garage for work and noticed that the vehicle wasnt driving right and fortunately stopped and back down our driveway back toward the garage. Called me out and I went around the vehicle and witnessed the right front tire was completely flat. The system had not alerted her and when I went through the menu it had a green checkmark and said all tire pressures were good. Pumped the tire up and turned vehicle around put back in garage, tire had went completely flat and still no indication from TPMS. Called dealer and was told I would have to bring it in, but I have a ruined tire and no confidence that if I fix the tire vehicle would be safe to drive the 25 miles to the dealership. The dealership had replaced the center information console and the one in front of the driver at 4000 and 7000 miles respectively because of total catastrophic failure, causing suspicion to me that there may be some cause and effect to that end. The vehicle only has 38,758 miles on it at this point. Just grateful the tire went down overnight in my garage rather than on my wifes commute home from work.

The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was directed downward towards the bumper and the ground. The rearview camera image was not displaying within a normal viewing range, making it difficult to park. No warning lights illuminated. A local dealer was contacted, but was unable to determine a related fault code. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.

Component/system: The gear selector system failed, triggering a “Gear Selector Service Required” warning. The vehicle is a plug-in hybrid and remains available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: During the first incident, the vehicle became disabled while being driven, losing the ability to shift gears. This created a risk of being stranded in traffic and loss of vehicle control/mobility on the road. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. The dealer diagnosed a rotary encoder signal failure (DTC: TACM U200902) on the first occurrence and performed a full software update. The same warning recurred a second time; the dealer then replaced the gear selector assembly and start/brake switch module, citing liquid contamination as the cause and charging the owner approximately $1,800 as a customer-pay repair. The same warning recurred a third time only 9 days after that hardware replacement. Inspected by manufacturer: A case was opened with the manufacturer’s corporate customer care team, and the dealer opened an internal technical helpdesk (TIE) case with the manufacturer’s engineering support. However, manufacturer corporate stated it does not have access to the detailed technical findings, which are held by the dealership. Warning signs prior to failure: The “Gear Selector Service Required” message appeared as the first and only warning sign before each of the three incidents, with no other symptoms noted beforehand. Summary: This is the third occurrence of the same gear selector fault within approximately 8 months, despite one software repair and one paid hardware repair. The recurrence 9 days after replacing the allegedly contaminated components raises doubt about whether contamination was the true root cause. No comprehensive engineering root-cause analysis has been completed.

After Volvo’s software update 5.1.17 was installed, all sound in the vehicle including all warning alerts, turn signals, stereo, etc. have no sound. If you reboot the system it MIGHT work, but it reverts back to not working once it is parked. Does not show any alerts when you’re close to an object. I have serious concerns about any of my safety systems working properly.

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.

Back to my Initial seat belt on the same car. The car went in for service. The seat belt data showed it was fine. Again the belt pulled so aggressively it tore off my insulin pump patch by sliding upward aggressive as possible. After I took the car to Volvo they had some guy from corporate come look at computer data about the vehicle and test drive it and deemed it safe. I get the car back and zero work was done to the seat belt. The seat belt is harder to pull than it was before it went in. Multiple people in the service department agreed it’s much harder to pull. And literally said there’s nothing we can do cause the data did not show a srs notification. It’s my only car, I’m pretty sure the seat belt shot off or partially did and because their computer data says it’s ok they did nothing to actually investigate it. Allowing me their customer to drive around with a broken seat belt. the belt has a permanent, severe mechanical resistance to being pulled out that occurred simultaneously with the unprovoked tightening event. the vehicle manufacturer is refusing to repair a structurally compromised, physically stiffened safety restraint due to a lack of digital software codes. Glitches in software data on cars can easily happen and Volvo is entirely relying on computer data rather then physical investigation. The worst part is that people in service agreed the belt does not pull right but will do zero to look at it.

Blindingly bright passenger-side map light came on for no reason, illuminating the car and startling the driver AND other nearby drivers (it was night). Light would not respond to touch-sensitive on/off control. Had to cycle dome lights (another distraction and even more light) to get light to turn off.

VIN: [XXX] •Make/Model/Year: 2018 Volvo XC90 •Mileage at time of each incident (58,385 / 58,480 / 68,261) •Approximate dates of each incident Vehicle has experienced recurring brake system failures. First, a seized rear brake caliper (Sept 2025) requiring caliper/rotor/pad replacement. Four days later, brake pedal became stiff and hard to depress; brake booster diagnosed as internally failed and replaced. Approximately 9 months and 9,800 miles later, vehicle experienced complete loss of braking ability while driving — brake pedal would not stop the vehicle, driver had to use the parking brake to stop, vehicle was towed to dealer. All repairs performed at authorized Volvo dealer. This is a repeat failure of the same brake system after a documented repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)