UNKNOWN OR OTHER07/13/2026
The air conditioning evaporator core has been widely known to freeze and crack on 2016-2021 models of the xc90 which sends toxic refrigerant smell thru the vents. This is a big safety hazard and should be recalled. Volvo knows about this but only does a goodwill repair to loyal customers who purchased the vehicle new and have all service records from the dealership. This is a $4000 repair for everyone else for a manufacturer defect and safety issue
SERVICE BRAKES07/07/2026
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)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKEScrash06/23/2026
I am reporting a serious safety concern involving a 2018 Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV. On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] CT, the vehicle experienced a sudden multi-system safety and actual brake failure while in a parking-lot/low-speed setting near [XXX} in Austin, Texas. The vehicle displayed multiple urgent warning messages and indicators, including power steering failure / stop safely, brake/ABS warning, SRS airbag service urgent warning, stability/traction warning, battery/electrical warning, check-engine warning, and tire-pressure warning. The vehicle ended in an irregular/distressed parking position after trying to locate a concrete block to force stop the car due to ABSOLUTE BRAKE FAILURE, E BRAKE SEEMED TO NOT WORK EITHER. The concern is not simply that a warning light appeared. The event involved steering, braking, airbag/SRS, stability, and electrical warnings at the same time, making the vehicle unsafe to operate AND SOMEHOW THE BRAKES WEREN’T OPERATING DUE TO THE LACK OF FUNCITONING. Photos were taken of the warning messages and vehicle position. Prior related history:
This vehicle has prior safety-system history involving SRS Airbag Service Urgent warnings and braking/vehicle malfunction and movement concerns. Earlier review and discussion involved Volvo engineering, VDDM replacement, CAN/network concerns, calibration requirements, voltage/12V battery considerations, software/module updates, and post-repair validation. The VDDM is understood to participate in vehicle dynamics, stability control, brake coordination, and PHEV regenerative/hydraulic brake interaction. Prior documentation also raised concern that intermittent brake, SRS, VDDM, CAN, and calibration issues may not reproduce during a short dealer test drive. Safety risk:
The safety risk is that the vehicle may experience sudden or intermittent loss, degradation, or warning of systems involved in steering, braking, stability control, and airbag readiness. A simultaneous power steeri INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM06/16/2026
At approximately 6:30 PM, after normal driving and parking at a local park, our family was unloading children from the vehicle. One child was standing next to the vehicle while we removed a younger child from the rear seat. The child suddenly screamed and stated that he had burned himself. We later determined that he had accidentally come into contact with the exterior exhaust outlet. As we continued walking, we noticed the injury was more severe than initially believed. We took photographs of the burn and later sought medical evaluation. The physician determined that the injury was a second-degree burn due to blistering and provided treatment recommendations. The vehicle was operating normally, and there were no warning lights, messages, or signs of a malfunction before the incident. The concern is that the exposed exhaust outlet becomes hot enough during normal vehicle operation to cause a serious burn from brief accidental contact. We believe the location and accessibility of the exhaust outlet may present a burn hazard, especially to children during routine loading and unloading activities around the vehicle. The vehicle and photographs are available for inspection. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer or a dealer regarding this incident.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL06/16/2026
My 2018 Volvo XC90 T8 Plug-In Hybrid experienced a catastrophic, premature component failure of the Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) propulsion system while driving. The ERAD unit suffered a total failure of internal bearings and sensors, completely disabling the electric rear wheel propulsion system and suddenly forcing the vehicle into a reduced-power "limp mode" on the road. This sudden loss of hybrid propulsion creates an immediate highway safety hazard, removing expected acceleration and vehicle control in traffic. Volvo has documented this exact engineering flaw internally under Technical Journal TJ 36665, recognizing a manufacturing vulnerability in these specific hybrid components. However, the manufacturer is refusing to provide remedy or financial cost-sharing to repair this vital propulsion and safety defect, leaving a hazardous, compromised vehicle on the road.
SERVICE BRAKES04/17/2026
My Volvo's XC90 brakes have failed twice. At around 95,000 miles, my brakes stopped working, and then I had them repair it. They charged me close to $3,500, which they said they were able to cover under warranty, and I only had to pay the deductible, which I don't remember. In less than nine months, at about 104,000 miles, the same problem persists. Both times I was driving the car, by God's grace and luckily, I was under 10 mph. I literally parked and started driving after that, and I realized the brakes weren't working again. I'm just thankful to the Almighty that I was not at 55 or 60 mph on a freeway when the brake stopped working.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER04/11/2026
2018 Volvo XC90, VIN [XXX] , 54,618 miles. Original owner. All service performed exclusively at Volvo Cars West Houston (same dealer, all three failures). Volvo Technical Journal TJ 34648.1.2, titled "Prior Approval - Lack of airflow causing poor cabin cooling," is classified as a Product Fix and explicitly lists the 2018 XC90 as an affected vehicle. This TJ required the dealer to submit a Prior Approval report to Volvo Corporate when installing the resistor fix. At 12,017 miles (August 2020), the dealer installed the evaporator resistor per TJ 34648.1.2, Part No. 32241228, under VST Operation 98734-2 — meaning Volvo Corporate has documentation of this vehicle's evaporator vulnerability on file since 2020. At 15,930 miles (March 2021), the AC compressor failed and was replaced under warranty, consistent with refrigerant starvation from the same underlying evaporator leak. The evaporator has now failed completely at 54,618 miles despite Volvo's own corrective measure being applied at 12,017 miles. The current failure (April 2026) includes a confirmed front evaporator refrigerant leak and AC discharge hose leak, documented by dealer borescope inspection showing corrosion on the evaporator fins and visual evidence of refrigerant oil residue at the discharge hose fitting. Dealer repair estimate is $4,406. This is a documented pattern failure across 2016-2018 Volvo XC90 models. Volvo Cars USA was contacted for goodwill assistance and denied the request within 24 hours without meaningful review. Case number [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
SEAT BELTS02/26/2026
2ND row, center seat, seatbelt lock will not work, will not latch/lock, cannot use seatbelt. Since owning car, the seatbelt locked intermittently, as of today, it does not work at all.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES02/03/2026
Rear Drivers door (left) fails to latch. Volvo has an updated part for better water ingress prevention, then the part that was used to build the car. The problem is that water enters the moveable window, runs down the metal channel separation gthe fixed and moveable window, and enters the door latch mechanism. This is extremely dangerous, in that the door may appear closed, and the vehicle may allow the driver to move forward or backward, but the door is not latched and can fly open leading to death! This is an issue known by Volvo, hence the updated OEM replacement part, however they are grossly negligent in not reporting or self recalling vehicles for this issue.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES01/15/2026
At random times the back doors will not open, from the inside or outside…hit all the unlock buttons and will NOT open. If this is not a massive safety issue, I don’t know what is…. If we get in a wreck and our car is on fire and we cannot instantly get ourselves or our children out quickly that’s a problem… if we wreck on the freeway and we see vehicles coming at us and we cannot quickly exit. This is a problem. For a car company to not address this it is gross negligence… we own a Ford focus it’s been taken in about three times for door recalls, but we never even actually had an issue…Volvo being a luxury car company and choosing to ignore this issue at the expense of the consumer has went on too long! This hasn’t happened only once, has happened sporadically multiple times
POWER TRAIN10/05/2025
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
POWER TRAIN09/19/2025
On 8/20/2025, my 2018 Volvo XC90 T8 suffered catastrophic failure of the Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD). The vehicle suddenly developed a loud whining noise from the rear and became undriveable. This ERAD had previously been replaced under warranty at Boston Volvo Cars. On 10/28/2025, Queens Volvo inspected the vehicle and confirmed the failure was caused by improper prior service. Their technician documented that the ERAD housing was likely not properly torqued, which led to transmission fluid leaking over time, sludge buildup, and internal damage to gears and motor. The failure was sudden, confirmed by an authorized Volvo dealer, and the ERAD is no longer serviceable. This created a safety risk by causing immediate loss of propulsion and stability. If it had occurred at highway speeds, the risk of crash would have been significant. The failed component remains available for inspection.
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