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2018 Volvo XC90 T5 Fwd
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 16, 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.
The math, shown
Full methodology →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 Fwd, 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…”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
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 FWD beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2018? See how every XC90 T5 Fwd model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2018 Volvo XC90 T5 Fwd 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.