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2018 Volvo XC90 T5
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
47 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 21, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Electrical system problems dominate (26% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#151 of 477Among the 2018 models with a matured record, the 2018 Volvo XC90 T5 ranks #151, scoring higher than 66% of them. See the 2018 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2018 Volvo XC90 T5 SUV AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 18%
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2018 Volvo XC90 T5, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (12) · Fuel system (6) · Visibility & wipers (5) · Engine (5)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Electrical system
26%12 complaints · 5 in the last 2 years
“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. Th…”
Brakes
19%9 complaints · typically near 19k mi · 4 in the last 2 years
“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…”
Fuel system
13%6 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“The vehicle engine will fail while driving. The electronics reflect the vehicle is still running. Restarting is not immediate and is difficult. This is a known problem…”
Visibility & wipers
11%5 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“Wipers began to turn on randomly without driver command causing distractions in a vehicle with 38,000 miles. There is a technical service bulletin about this issue (32…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 1 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 47 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 5 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Volvo before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report brakes problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 19k miles). Has this car shown any brakes symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2018 Volvo XC90 T5 beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every XC90 T5 model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Volvo XC90 T5 against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.