What 47 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Volvo XC90 T8

The secondary hood latch release cable is not functioning, preventing the hood from opening. Thousands of owners complaining about that. There is a Volvo Service Bulletin Action but they are pretending to charge for that. Quality bulletin service action: S89651 What can I do?

NHTSA ODI 11514415

My 2018 Volvo XC 90 engine light came on with a green turtle light indicating engine impaired performance while I was driving on the NJ Turnpike. I got off the exit, pulled over and the car started to smoke from the right front hood. The smoke worsened and the car went on fire. At that point myself and my 8 year old daughter exited the car. I called the police. The car wsa completely burned. We were lucky to get out of the car safely. I was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, my daughter was ok. The car was inspected by the insurance company and is on hold pending further investigation. He indicated that the fire started in the engine compartment near the dashboard but he could not pinpoint why. The care is available for further inspection, for now. Please contact me if you would like to discuss further. I will provide all the documentation that I have available. Thank you

NHTSA ODI 11514328

The contact owns a 2018 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that after coming to a stop at a stop signal, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle failed to restart, and no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the starter motor fuse needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the parts for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

NHTSA ODI 11509748

The rear doors can inadvertently open in cold when driving down the road without warning. This has happened on a few occasions, even when the dash lights are showing the doors are closed and locked.

NHTSA ODI 11501518

The car starting leaking water into the rear view mirror in June. This wouldn’t be much of an issue, but the cars computer system for drive assist is located in this area and has caused the car to malfunction in all areas. This XC90 pilot assist is now malfunctioning causing a huge safety issue. This is apparently a known problem with their cars with the panoramic sunroof, but is now a safety hazard. The Volvo dealership did not fix the issue and is now happening again effecting all of the electrical system.

NHTSA ODI 11499816

CAR SUDDENLY ACTIVATED THE BRAKES, BRINGING IT TO A FULL STOP FROM 35MPH. IT WAS ON A CITY STREET. THERE WAS A 3-WHEELED MOTORCYCLE APPROACHING IN THE ONCOMING LANE, BUT IT WAS CENTERED IN ITS LANE, WITH NO RISK OF COLLISION. WE WERE APPROACHING AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION (NO SIGNAL, NO SIGNS) WHEN IT OCCURRED. THE CAR STOPPED SO SUDDENLY THAT THE SHOULDER HARNESSES CAUSED SOME DISCOMFORT. HAD ANYONE BEEN FOLLOWING AT A CLOSE DISTANCE, A REAR-END COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY.

NHTSA ODI 11415659

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON IN OUR SON'S 2018 VOLVO XC90 ON OCTOBER 14, 2020. WE SELECTED THE VOLVO BRAND SINCE IT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH "SAFETY". *BF I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO VOLVO SERVICE ON OCTOBER 15, 2020 AND LEARNED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL LEAK DETECTION PUMP WAS DAMAGED DUE TO RODENTS CHEWING THROUGH THE WIRING. SAFETY ISSUE #1: THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION UNLESS THE DAMAGE WAS FIXED. LEARNED THAT THE WIRING IS MADE OF A SOY BASED MATERIAL. I DID MY OWN RESEARCH AND LEARNED THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS INSTANCES FOR VOLVO OWNERS AND ACROSS OTHER BRANDS OF RODENTS BEING ATTRACTED TO SOY BASED WIRING AND CAUSING HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE. THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTIES THUS COSTING THE CONSUMER UNNECESSARILY FOR A MATERIAL CHOICE MANUFACTURERS ARE MAKING. SAFETY ISSUE #2: THE REPAIR WAS MADE WITH ANOTHER SOY BASED WIRE. HOW LONG IS THE PROBLEM REALLY FIXED FOR? SAFETY ISSUE #3: IF A FOOD PRODUCT IS BEING USED IN CAR COMPONENTS, THIS BECOMES AN ONGOING SAFETY ISSUE AS ONE CANNOT CONTROL RODENTS BEING ATTRACTED TO IT AND/OR PREDICT THE TYPE OF DAMAGE AND SAFETY ISSUE THEY MAY CAUSE TO A VEHICLE. MY RESEARCH UNCOVERED THAT SOY BASED WIRING HAS BEEN USED FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS. THE ISSUE OF RODENTS HAVING A FEAST ON THESE WIRES CONTINUES, AS SHARED IN ARTICLES BY VOLVO AND OTHER BRAND OWNERS TOO WHICH JEOPARDIZES THE INTEGRITY OF A VEHICLES SAFETY. SAFETY ISSUE #4: IN MY CASE, GIVEN THAT THE FUEL DETECTION PUMP HAS TO DO WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM/EMISSIONS AND FUEL IS WHAT IS NEEDED TO POWER THE CAR, THIS POSED AN ISSUE OF THERE BEING A POWER FAILURE IF THE PROBLEM WASN'T FIXED. I AM LUCKY THE CAR DIDN'T SUDDENLY STOP WHILE DRIVING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11382704

PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR IS THE TIRES. THAT IS THE MOST SEVER PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES. THE AIR IN THE TIRES WORK ON COMPARING THE AIR IN TIRES. IF ONE IS LOW IT SHOWS WHICH ONE IS LOW. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A TIRE.

NHTSA ODI 11307755

12,000 MILES ON CAR, REAR BRAKES ARE AT 2MM, FRONT BRAKES 4MM. VOLVO DEALER DOES NOT FEEL THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND INSIST THIS IS NORMAL WEAR. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A CAR THAT HAS NEEDED BRAKES SO QUICKLY AND WITH REAR BRAKES FAILING BEFORE THE FRONTS.

NHTSA ODI 11292570

EXCESSIVE PREMATURE WEARING OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND DISCUSSING WITH OTHER OWNERS, VOLVO IS AWARE THAT THE BRAKES ON THE XC90 PREMATURELY WEAR (AS IN AFTER 1K-20K NEW BRAKES NEEDED ON ALL TIRES). THE LOCAL DEALERS ALL STATE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THEN DEMAND $1,000 TO REPAIR THE BRAKES. VOLVO'S BRAKES AND/OR BRAKING SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS AS THE BRAKES PREMATURELY WEAR OUT COSTING CONSUMERS UNNECESSARY MONEY FOR ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WHEN VOLVO COULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11257744

WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, I UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR, THE TAILGATE OPENS ON IT'S OWN (POSSIBLY INTO TRAFFIC) THEN AFTERWARDS, EVERY TIME WHEN STARTING THE CAR, A "12V BATTERY CHARGING FAULT STOP SAFELY" ERROR OCCURS TWICE. IT SEEMS TO BE OK TO DRIVE, BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR AS TO WHETHER THE FAULT CAN CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE MESSAGE IMPLIES. SO MANY OF THE SYSTEMS IN THE CAR ARE ELECTRIC. THIS IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW, AND VOLVO HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT.

NHTSA ODI 11256252

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND DETERMINED THE FUEL FILLER PIPE HAD A LEAK WHICH WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (23K MILES). I WAS INFORMED THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE XC90 AND THEY TOO WERE SURPRISED A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED.

NHTSA ODI 11243142

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT A SPEED OF 15-40 MPH, THE SUV IS ACTIVATING THE CRASH IMMINENT BRAKING "CITY CRASH AVOIDANCE" WITHOUT ANYTHING IN THE PATH OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ACTION IS LOCKING UP THE VEHICLE AND SEAT BELTS LOCK UP SQUEEZE MY WIFE UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALOR CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WHEN RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS AND WILL NOT REPLACE THE MODULES THAT CONTROL THIS FEATURE WITHOUT THEM SHOWING BAD. THIS HAS HAPPENDED ON THE SAME ROAD ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ODI 11241056

SPONTANEOUS SUNROOF BREAKAGE

NHTSA ODI 11208577

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. FUEL FILLER PIPE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES AND HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE CAR ONLY HAD 13K MILES FOR THE THIRD REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11195745

ERROR MESSAGE SHOWED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, ' HEADLAMP SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SERVICE REQUIRED', HOWEVER THE LIGHT WORKS BUT BACKUP CAMERA STOP WORKING. IT ALSO SHOWS ANOTHER ERROR MESSAGE 'CITY SAFETY SYSTEM UNAVAILABLE'. ASK THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT IS AN SOFTWARE ISSUE. FIXED AFTER THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE.

NHTSA ODI 11183474

SOMETIMES WHEN THE START STOP SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED AT A STOP AND YOU START BACK OFF THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES FORWARD WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. ON 3 OCCASIONS IT CAUSED ME TO ALMOST RUN INTO THINGS. I REPORTED IT TO VOLVO AND THEY SAID THE SYSTEM IS FINE.

NHTSA ODI 11161200

I PURCHASED MY 2018 VOLVO XC90 T6 AWD (HEREINAFTER, THE '2018 XC90' OR 'THE VEHICLE') IN OCTOBER 2017, THROUGH LEASE AGREEMENT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I NOTICED THAT THE FUEL EFFICIENCY OF THE VEHICLE WAS WELL BELOW THE EPA RATING AND WARRANTED RANGE, BASED ON REPRESENTATIONS BY THE DEALER AT, AND PRIOR TO, THE TIME OF SALE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT, SO THE ISSUE COULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER. THE DEALER REPORTED THERE WAS A SOFTWARE UPDATE THAT ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM, AND THAT IT WOULD NO LONGER BE AN ISSUE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ISSUE CONTINUED TO RE-APPEAR AND THE FUEL EFFICIENTLY CONTINUED TO SUFFER. I AGAIN, ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS (BETWEEN 5 OR 6) BETWEEN DECEMBER 2017 AND NOVEMBER 2018, TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. IN EACH OCCURRENCE, EXCEPT THE FINAL ONE PRIOR TO THIS COMPLAINT BEING FILED, IT WAS AGAIN REPORTED THAT NO ISSUE EXISTED OR HAD BEEN REMEDIED WITH A SOFTWARE FIX. FURTHERMORE, IN (OR AROUND) JULY OF THIS YEAR, THE COMPRESSOR (OR ANOTHER COMPONENT CONTROLLING THE HVAC SYSTEM IN THE 2018 XC90) FAILED, WHILST DRIVING TO HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE HEAT INSIDE THE VEHICLE QUICKLY RAISED. THIS PART WAS REPLACED IN HOUSTON. IN OCTOBER 2018, I AGAIN, FINALLY, TOOK THE 2018 XC90 TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE (1) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON; AND (2) THE ELECTRONIC SAFETY SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE AUTO BRAKING, HAD AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED WITHOUT ANY CARS AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO DRIVING AND HANDLING IN A STRANGE MANNER. FUEL EFFICIENCY WAS AGAIN A CONCERN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD THE VEHICLE FOR APPROX. TWO-AND-A-HALF WEEKS. THEY, ULTIMATELY, DETERMINED THE FUEL PARTS, WERE DEFECTIVE. THEY REPLACED THESE PARTS AND NOTED IT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL PRIOR FUEL ISSUES. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED, BUT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE LIST. NO RECALL NOTICE EXISTS WITH THE NHTSA.

NHTSA ODI 11152941

VOLVO XC90 2018 MODELS WILL NOT ALWAYS DISPLAY REAR VIEW CAMERA CONTENT WITHIN 2 SECONDS OF SHIFTING INTO REVERSE AS PER FMVSS 111. THIS IS DUE TO REALLY SLOW AND LAGGING INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM. BEHAVIOR IS EVIDENT ON MULTIPLE MODELS AND VEHICLES WHICH SHARE SAME SENSUS INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM.

NHTSA ODI 11150284

WE HAVE OWNED OUR XC90 SINCE NOVEMBER 11, 2017. THE BRAKES WERE SQUEALING WHEN BRAKING IN NORMAL CONDITION(S), NO RAIN ON ROAD OR WATER ON BRAKES WHETHER WE WERE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, HIGHWAYS OR FREEWAYS. VOLVO SERVICE TECHNICIANS HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS ON 30 MARCH 2018, JUST A LITTLE OVER 4 MONTHS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. FOUR MONTHS LATER 8 AUGUST 2018, VOLVO SERVICE TECHNICIANS HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 ROTORS AGAIN, BUT NOT THE BRAKE PADS. THERE IS NEARLY 25,000 MILES ON THIS CAR, WHICH NORMALLY ROTORS AREN'T TYPICALLY REPLACED UP TO 70,000 MILES. I UNDERSTAND THIS VARIES BASED ON DRIVING BUT TWICE IN 8 MONTHS FOR ALL 4 ROTORS IS INSANE. THEY ALSO FOUND ALL FOUR ROTORS EACH TIME WERE WARPED. WE OWNED A 2012 VOLVO XC60 FOR 5 YEARS AND NEVER HAD THE BRAKES OR ROTORS REPLACED DURING THAT ENTIRE TIME. SECONDLY A GRINDING SOUND IS COMING FROM THE SUNSHADE WHEN IT IS BEING OPENED OR CLOSED. OUR VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE 14 AUGUST 2018 WHERE THEY REPLACED THE SUNSHADE, ONLY TO HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN 21 AUGUST 2018. WE WENT TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE AND THE GRINDING SOUND IS BACK AGAIN, WHICH NOW VOLVO WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE SUNSHADE FOR A THIRD TIME. I AM A VOLVO CUSTOMER FOR LIFE, BUT THESE ISSUES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED FOR FUTURE MODELS. I AM THANKFUL FOR THE COURTESY VEHICLE DURING THIS TIME, BUT I REALLY WANT MY VEHICLE BACK. I ASSUME MY NEXT COURSE OF ACTION IF WE GET THE VEHICLE BACK A THIRD TIME WITH A DEFECTIVE SUNSHADE OR BRAKES IS LEMON LAW.

NHTSA ODI 11121658

CRACKED WINDSHIELD EVEN WITH LESS THAN MINOR CHIP. THE CAR WAS DRIVING AT 68MPH ON A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY ON A 'CLIP' SOUND WAS HEARD HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. AFTER 10 MINUTES A 14 INCH CRACK WAS NOTED FROM THE TOP EDGE TO THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR HAS <2000 MILES ON IT. IS THE QUALITY OF WINDSHIELD WORSE IN CARS WITH DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGES. HAVE DRIVEN DIFFERENT VEHICLES WITHOUT DRIVER ASSISTANCE AND NEVER ENCOUNTERED SUCH AN INCIDENT. THE EXTENT OF CRACK WITH A CHIP (WHICH IS NOT EVEN VISIBLE), IS QUITE SURPRISING. I HOPE NHTSA WILL LOOK INTO THIS. IS THIS ISOLATED TO THIS VEHICLE MANUFACTURER OR WITH MOST MANUFACTURER WINDSHIELDS WITH DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGES. THIS MAY BE LIFE-THREATENING IF THE GLASS IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH AND SHATTER WITH SUCH MINOR ROAD HAZARDS.

NHTSA ODI 11080094

BRAKES CONTINOUSLY SQUEAK. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE BREAK SYSTEM TWICE AND MADE ONE ATTEMPTED REPAIR. ONE WEEK LATER THE BRAKES ARE BACKING TO SQUEAKING. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE LESS THAN 90 DAYS, I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES FOR MORE THAN HALF THAT TIME. THE CENTER DISPLAY COMPUTER SCREENS FREEZES CONSTANTLY, BUT RECENTLY FREEZES AND WILL NOT RESTART UNTIL AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED AND RESTARTED.

NHTSA ODI 11056836