Volvo Car USA, LLC is recalling certain 2021 XC40

Sep 01, 2021 — Recall Campaign #21V682000

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 XC40, XC 40 Recharge, V60CC, V90, V90CC, XC90, and 2021-2022 V60, XC60, S60 vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 19,149 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

21V682000

Manufacturer:	Volvo Car USA, LLC
Recall date:	September 01, 2021
NHTSA Campaign #:	21V682000
Units affected:	19,149

Description:: Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2021 XC40, XC 40 Recharge, V60CC, V90, V90CC, XC90, and 2021-2022 V60, XC60, S60 vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequeces:: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Corrective action:: Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 13, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10111.
Notes:: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Affects the following:

2021 VOLVO V60CC Complaints
CONCERN: Volvo cars’ sunroofs are negligently designed, allowing sunroof drain obstructions to flood the vehicle’s internal electronics. This results in catastrophic and simultaneous system failures, including brake loss, airbag failure, and disabled traction control—posing an extreme and imminent safety risk. SUMMARY OF EVENTS: While driving at speed, I received a “BRAKE FAILURE / PLEASE STOP SAFELY” warning, followed by “ABS / ESC” and “SRS Airbag” failure messages. This led to a sudden and dangerous loss of braking power and airbag system failure, forcing me to pull over in an emergency maneuver. Diagnostics confirmed that water leaked into the car’s critical electronic systems via the sunroof. Like other manufacturers, Volvo sunroofs degrade over time and require drainage. However, Volvo’s design is fatally flawed—clogged drains lead to direct water ingress into the electronics, causing total vehicle system failure while in motion. No warning is provided before catastrophic failure occurs. This is not an isolated case. An identical failure occurred in our second Volvo (2020 V90 Cross Country), owned and operated in California. This proves a systematic design defect—the same critical safety failure occurred in two separate vehicles, in different environments, under identical circumstances. I am deeply alarmed by Volvo’s negligent sunroof drainage design, which puts drivers and the public at severe risk of fatal system failures. I am reporting this to NHTSA because I believe this fundamental design flaw in Volvo sunroofs endangers lives and demands urgent regulatory action. Thank you for your attention to this urgent safety issue.;
2021 VOLVO V90 Complaints
In our 2021 Volvo XC90, the hybrid battery has completely failed, which I suspect is a common issue in this model. The error message is Hybrid System Failure, and the dealership has confirmed that the entire battery will need replacement. Volvo has not listed this car as subject to a recall over this issue, and I suspect they are underplaying its frequency. We have been waiting weeks for a replacement to become available.;
2021 VOLVO XC40 Complaints
I own a 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge (pure electric). At 49,030 miles, while slowly driving in a parking lot, the vehicle suddenly began shuddering and jerking as if driving over rumble strips. A warning message appeared stating “Propulsion System Failure” and indicated the vehicle would reduce speed. The vehicle lost propulsion and came to a stop. After stopping, the vehicle would not re-enter Drive or Reverse and could not be driven. It was stuck in position in the parking lot but not in a parking space. The instrument cluster and infotainment systems still powered on, but the vehicle repeatedly displayed messages such as “Vehicle system check. Wait” and would not enter a ready-to-drive state. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealership with a dolly. It took 4 hours to move it because the first tow truck could not safely move it with the wheels stuck in place. This failure occurred without prior mechanical warning or other preceding symptoms. Dealer diagnosis identified an internal failure of the front axle inverter high-voltage assembly (IHFA). Service records document a 400A fuse failure, welded battery disconnect unit (BDU) contactor relays (R1 and R2), and overheating/damage to high-voltage battery disconnect components. Repair required replacement of the IHFA, BDU contactors, and high-voltage fuse. The dealership stated this was not a normal wear-and-tear issue. I have since found reports from other Volvo Recharge owners describing similar propulsion failures involving inverter and high-voltage battery disconnect components. My safety concern is the sudden loss of propulsion while the vehicle was in motion, with no warning and complete vehicle immobilization. Had this occurred at highway speed or in traffic, it could have created a serious collision hazard. The dealership service person agreed that my only chance to get the vehicle to a safe location was to coast. After that, it'd be stuck. I was unaware of this, which is itself an issue of concern.;
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);