VOLVO Complaints

View complaints related to VOLVO. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2018 VOLVO XC90
    - Bristol, TN

    My car completely locked up on the road and came to a screeching stop. This car is known for having the ERAD completely fail and it could have caused it to have a serious accident. It has also caused my car to plummet in value losing over 30k in just 3 years. Now my repairs cost nearly what it’s worth and aren’t guaranteed to actually fix it. It’s terrible. I’m so upside down n my loan due to this issue that they dealerships refuse to help on. The dealership acknowledges it is a design flaw but yet they won’t help. I have an email stating that it is a design flaw

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2023 VOLVO XC40
    - Catonsville, MD

    While driving, and slowly coming to a complete stop and if I drive over a pothole, the car will launched forward and I have to press the brakes fast in order not to jot out into traffic or run into the back of another vehicle. This is very dangerous

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2017 VOLVO S60
    - Franklin, TN

    The contact's son owns a 2017 Volvo S60. The contact’s son stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side door unexpectedly opened. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the driver’s side door latch had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact also stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side door unexpectedly opened. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the passenger’s side door latch also had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the vehicle could be associated with a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for further assistance. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000. The VIN was not available.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2023 VOLVO XC90
    - Manhasset, NY

    There was always an issue with the car software. On several occasions while driving the entire screen will black out. I would need to pull over immediately so that the screen can be reset manually. Other times the screen is on, but there is no sound, such as my signal lights when switched to left or right will not have any sound, just blinking. Other times, when I back up the car, the cameras will blackout making it impossible to know if there are cars approaching or any pedestrians behind the car. This has happened on multiple occasions since I took the car on Oct 15 2023. These issues were brought to the attention of the Volvo dealership where the car is leased, but the problem was never fixed.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2024 VOLVO XC40
    - La Jolla< CA, CA

    The complaint is for Software Update 7.3 and the previous update for the 2024 Volvo XC40. Those updates modified the rear backup camera view, directing the camera downward. This is a critical problem when backing out of diagonal parking, where an adjacent vehicle blocks the backup view. The revised backup camera setting directs the view downward toward the pavement directly behind the car. The critical view area is in the upper right-hand corner of the lower camera view and occupies a very small area. This format causes two flaws. First, the small area requires a greater focus, which takes the driver's eyes off the exterior surrounding events. Second, the rear view should be positioned above the overhead view, making it easier to check the camera view and double-check for pedestrians and vehicles that are outside the camera's field of view. I contacted the dealer and checked Volvo online, but there is no reporting method for this problem, and no fix to redirect the camera upward. Note the red box in the photo to see the difficulty in early awareness of approaching vehicles.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2019 VOLVO XC90
    - Overland Park, KS

    Rear evaporator coil (Failure) The rear evaporator coil failed on my Volvo XC90 purchased new at the dealership in 2019. This car only had 27,000 miles on it when the evaporator coil went bad. Refrigerant smells entered the cabin when AC was on while my 2 year old daughter was in the back. Having refrigerant leaking into the cabin is not great for health, especially that of a toddler. Additionally this could have caused an inability to defrost windows creating a safety hazard. All refrigerant leaked out leading to a condition where I had to drive in 90 - 100 degree temperatures with my daughter.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2021 VOLVO XC40
    - Riverside, IL

    Back up camera consistently does not turn off. Audio system, including turning signals and reverse alert do not activate. This continues to be a safety risk despite numerous software updates that have allegedly fixed the issues.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2025 VOLVO XC60
    - LOS ALTOS, CA

    Issue: Sudden, unexpected acceleration when in reverse. Details At about 10:15 am PDT on Saturday September 20th, 2025. My 2025 Volvo XC 60 car was in Pure mode with Creep mode toggled off. I put the car into reverse with the intent to back up 6-8ft. I lightly depressed the accelerator and the car lurched/accelerated backwards at a high rate of speed. I stopped the car by braking, and it is possible the Volvo automatic braking also engaged. I parked the car. When I came back to the car, in order to back out of the space safely, I engaged/toggled the creep mode on. The creep mode allowed me to keep my foot on the brake while backing up just it case the car rapidly accelerated again. I have asked the Volvo dealer for the EDR, but I have been told they are not allowed to provide this information. This was frightening and dangerous situation and I am fortunate no one was in the vicinity.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2025 VOLVO EX40
    - Albert lea, MN

    1st incident vehicle lost power while operating. No way to operate hazard lights, steering and control goes dead and wipers come on continuously. 2nd incident car was returned from dealership. 15 minutes into the drive on a busy highway in Minneapolis car began to replicate similar issues. No power, no hazard lights, SOS call button is inoperable as well.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2019 VOLVO XC90
    - Goldsboro, NC

    While driving, the brakes completely failed without any warning. There were no signs, alerts, or symptoms prior to the failure. The braking ability was suddenly and entirely lost, creating an extremely dangerous situation. Upon inspection, it was determined that the brake booster had failed. This component failure directly caused the complete loss of braking power. Because this occurred without warning or prior indication and such an unexpected failure not only poses a significant safety risk to the driver and passengers but endangers everyone on the road, and it represents a severe safety hazard. A sudden brake booster failure can easily lead to loss of vehicle control, accidents, injury, or even fatalities. Immediate action is required to address this serious issue that threatens public safety.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE