What 41 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Volvo XC40 B5

The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that the rearview camera image was directed downward towards the bumper and the ground. The rearview camera image was not displaying within a normal viewing range, making it difficult to park. No warning lights illuminated. A local dealer was contacted, but was unable to determine a related fault code. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11749318

I was driving northbound on XXX, driving from [XXX] to [XXX]. I was driving in the left most lane and was approaching an area of the highway where there was construction currently in progress to my left (this was where Chuckanut Creek intersects the interstate, I was told they were constructing a salmon run there). As my vehicle was approaching the beginning of the construction area, my car's Lane Assist feature activated and the steering wheel turns to follow the yellow dashed lines that were painted on top of the current highway lane I was driving in, and I could not turn the steering wheel to the right as it was locking and completely turning to the left following the yellow dashed construction lane markings. I could not control the car, and I ended up hitting a concrete construction barrier. After impact, I regained control of the wheel and swerved a bit until fully slowing down to pull over onto the right hand shoulder. The front driver side wheel was completely busted and the car was not drivable following the collision. No person was physically hurt, nor other nearby vehicles. We towed the car to the nearest Volvo dealership where it currently remains, and have received an quote of current damages (the problem of what caused the accident is not included in the report nor confirmed by Volvo. When I spoke to their service department manager, he ultimately said Volvo doesn't claim responsibility and says it's the drivers responsibility to respond to Driver Assistance features). I have opened a claim with my auto insurance, and am still waiting on their inspection/response. The car is available for additional inspection if needed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11747055

While I was driving, the infotainment system turned itself off twice during the same trip. First time was on a highway and was extremely scary. I wasn’t in a place I could easily pull over to assess. Both the main screen in the middle console and the screen behind the steering wheel went dark. Volvo NEEDS to figure it out re infotainment. It shouldn’t be turning itself off mid drive and then ultimately rebooting itself while the car is moving. I have already installed all the updates, but clearly it wasn’t enough/effective.

NHTSA ODI 11744378

NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint – 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge Plus Vehicle: 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge Plus BEV VIN: [[XXX]] Date of Incident: [XXX Approximate Mileage: [26,9333] Location: [[XXX]] – occurred while going downhill Component: Service Brakes, Electric; Parking Brake; Vehicle Speed Control Summary: I experienced complete loss of braking while driving my 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge on a highway. One Pedal Drive was active. After coasting downhill for approximately 1.5-2 minutes with no accelerator or brake pedal input, I applied the brake pedal to slow for traffic and discovered the vehicle had no braking capability. The pedal was firm but the car did not decelerate. There were no warning lights, messages, or alerts before or during the failure. This resulted in a collision with other vehicle Damage to my vehicle to the front left etc.]. Police responded and generated report #[XXX]. Additional Details: 1. Drive mode: One Pedal Drive was ON at the time of incident. This matches the failure mode described in NHTSA Recall 25V-392 for 2020-2026 Volvo BEV/PHEV models, which warns of total brake loss after 1 minute 40 seconds of coasting in One Pedal Drive/B mode. 2. No warnings: No dashboard alerts, sounds, or messages occurred before brake failure, inconsistent with a safe design. 3. After incident: Braking function returned intermittently after the vehicle came to a complete stop, also consistent with 25V-392. 4. Recall status: My VIN currently shows no open recalls on NHTSA’s lookup tool. However, 2023 XC40 BEV is explicitly listed in NHTSA Recall 25V-392. I was never notified to disable One Pedal Drive or that my vehicle was unsafe to operate. Vehicle Status: I still have possession of the vehicle and it has not been repaired. It is available for inspection. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11744615

I pulled into a parking spot with a concrete barrier pole at a pharmacy to pick up my sister. I had my foot on the brake while she was getting into the vehicle when the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward crashing into the pole. I have also had an incident where I tried to start the vehicle and could not get the vehicle to go from park to reverse. This is concerning that there could be some faults in the electrical system, sensors or brakes.

NHTSA ODI 11741990

I am submitting this complaint to report a persistent safety-related defect in my 2023 Volvo XC40. Since the vehicle was purchased, the infotainment system has repeatedly crashed while the vehicle is in operation, at times as often as every 5 minutes. The condition has existed both before and after completion of the recall/software update, and it was not corrected after presentation to an authorized dealer for inspection and repair. These repeated system failures materially affect the safe operation of the vehicle. When the infotainment system crashes, the rearview camera becomes unavailable. In addition, the windows and windshield may fog up, and I may lose access to the controls needed to restore visibility. The loss of forward visibility, combined with the loss of rear camera functionality, creates a substantial and unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. Although I suspect the problem may involve inadequate hardware or processing capacity, I am not asserting a definitive technical diagnosis. The critical fact is that the vehicle repeatedly loses important operational and safety-related functions while being driven. Because the defect persists despite the recall update and dealer intervention, I request that NHTSA investigate this condition as a potential safety defect in the 2023 Volvo XC40.

NHTSA ODI 11732029

Driver assist failed and brakes failed when vehicle veered to left on its own..Brakes and steering failed when trying to correct failure.. Overcorrection caused vehicle to veer off road and over a sign and continue for approximately 50 feet. Vehicle is currently at State Farm towing lot. My safety and others were put at risk with "reckless" driving. The problem has not been reproduced. A State Farm claims adjuster will inspect the vehicle today 2/18/26 or tomorrow. No warning lamps or messages appeared.

NHTSA ODI 11718766

The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera display intermittently was distorted or inoperative. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The contact stated that the infotainment system was intermittently inoperative and had to be manually reset to return to normal operation. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking and the Back Over Prevention: Automatic System Braking independently activated while there were no vehicles or objects in front or behind the vehicle. The contact was concerned that the failure was causing emotional distress for him and his children and could eventually cause an injury. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the rear taillights were dim and failed to provide adequate illumination behind the vehicle while in reverse. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis; however, the dealer stated that the vehicle was operating as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was performing normally. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11709773

The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the front passenger's side seat belt failed to latch as intended. The contact's mother was attempting to latch the front passenger's side seat belt when the failure occurred. The contact stated that the failure could have occurred while the vehicle was being driven. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the contact was not provided the result of the diagnostic test. In addition, the contact stated that four months prior to the failure, the front driver's side seat belt failed to latch as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that there was a failure with the latching mechanism. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 11697427

I am writing to provide an update on an existing recall, 25V282, for the rear-view camera image failing to display during the start of each reversing event. This issue was meant to be resolved via a software update, which my car received and installed. However, this did not solve the issue. I still receive the "Camera Temporarily Unavailable" message regularly when shifting my car into reverse, and I am unable to see the rearview camera image.

NHTSA ODI 11693063

While driving, and slowly coming to a complete stop and if I drive over a pothole, the car will launched forward and I have to press the brakes fast in order not to jot out into traffic or run into the back of another vehicle. This is very dangerous

NHTSA ODI 11691056

backup camera continues to say 'camera temporarily unavailable' even after software update from recall. latest software update has made the problem worse. Camera frequently fails when backing up

NHTSA ODI 11688785

The rear-view camera is cutting out and/or unresponsive. Upon going into reverse, the rear-view camera occasionally cuts out to a blank screen. In a recent instance, I was in reverse and was completely unable to get the rear-view camera to operate whatsoever. When this occurs it is impossible to see what is directly behind the car. My car was just at the dealership yesterday (8/18/25) and has the current version of the software (v 3.7) installed.

NHTSA ODI 11681683

When the vehicle was put into reverse, the rear view camera failed to be displayed on the screen.

NHTSA ODI 11681234

My name is [XXX] , and I am writing to escalate a critical and ongoing safety issue following a recent recall-related software update on my Volvo vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ). The recall was intended to resolve a defect involving the rear camera becoming unavailable. However, ever since the update—starting approximately two weeks ago—my car has begun to experience the very issue the recall was meant to fix. The rear camera frequently becomes non-functional, especially while reversing, creating a major safety risk. The latest incident occurred today, [XXX], and I have multiple video recordings clearly documenting the failure over the past two weeks. This malfunction has resulted in accident-prone situations, endangering my safety and that of others. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11675536

The supplied 240V Level 2 charger has a design defect that causes the J1772 handle to detach from the high voltage supply cable exposing the individual wires to a possible fire condition.

NHTSA ODI 11675339

On Wednesday, July 16, 2025 I was sitting at a stop light, using the Auto Hold system. A few minutes later, my car took off and accelerated on its own and hit the rear of a truck. I hit the truck so hard as he was sitting at the light as well, it pushed his vehicle into the vehicle in front of him. I was unable to stop my Volvo, it was like it took full control over.

NHTSA ODI 11674216

Going back to last year I have reported to Volvo the software issues on the car. 1. Automatic Emergency Braking - Currently the car is ABRUPTLY breaking in the streets thinking it there is a car in front. It's so incredibly dangerous. I've reported it and they have not done anything about it. (Most Recent Issues) 2. Electrical - the screen every other week needs to be reset - it reads that it does not have air-conditioning, airbags, and all the buttons are grayed out. I've reported this since December of last year. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE 3.

NHTSA ODI 11663690

The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated while reversing, the back-over prevention camera failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the camera displayed a black screen, and the back-over prevention camera was not functioning as needed with an error message displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was recently serviced at the dealer and the recall repair was performed under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V282000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 11661947

Cameras Temporarily not available when backing up from garage. This is the third time it has happened. I reset the software as instructed by the tech advisor each time. until it finally worked. Reset from EST to DST, Cameras were reset also. This is happening too often. Approximate mileage is 1000.

NHTSA ODI 11648726

Back up camera repeatedly fails. Often when put in reverse it says “camera temporarily unavailable “. Sometimes while actively backing up the camera fails. Service center says Volvo is aware but unable to fix.

NHTSA ODI 11646827

When pulling out my pack up camera often say camera is not available at this time.

NHTSA ODI 11641583

The rear reverse camera cuts out with a message on the driver display stating "Camera temporarily not available". This occurs ~10% of the time. Other times the camera will flicker in and out but both scenarios result in partial or complete obstruction of view while reversing. With my children and other little children on the street, this is very concerning. The issue was reported to the dealership and software was updated but the problem remains.

NHTSA ODI 11640000

On January 22, 2025 on a clear sunny day (no wind) I was putting groceries in the trunk of my car when the trunk lid came down on my head injuring me. I was leaning from the right side of my car across to the left side. My key was in my pocketbook on my right shoulder. Volvos should be "Mom" cars where one should be safe putting groceries in the trunk. Instead of popping back open with an obstruction, it continued to press down on my head before eventually popping back open. According to Volvo chat boards, this has happened to others. On January 6 my car had its two year servicing at the dealer on my leased vehicle. The service department's initial reaction to this malfunction was to BLAME me for having the key too close to the kick open sensor and to leave the key in the car while loading groceries. When I got the car, we were told (and it was demonstrated) that the kick open feature was on the left side of the trunk under the first "V". It appears that there was an update which electrified the entire back of the trunk without any notice to owners. Even so, I am 5 feet 2 1/2 inches tall. It is extremely difficult for me to kick open the trunk which is why I always open it from the button in the middle of the trunk and close it with the controls on the top right of the trunk lid. Buried in the owners' manual is a statement that you can kick the trunk lid closed, but no one ever told us that or that it can be kicked closed from the right side of the trunk. I did not kick the sensor to activate the trunk lid closing on my head. Only after a second call to the service department did the dealer agree to "look at" my car, but that they were booked up for the next two weeks.

NHTSA ODI 11639147

On Wednesday morning [XXX] at [XXX] I was parking my 2023 Volvo XC Recharge in the parking lot on Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara where I was meeting my walking group for our regular morning walk on the pier and along the waterfront. While I was slowly finishing pulling into a parking spot, with my foot solidly on the brake, the car suddenly lurched and accelerated. It jumped the parking spot wooden stop and then jumped the orange iron barrier that divides the parking lot from the pier road. It felt as if I were suddenly on a runaway horse. My instincts kicked in as the car bounced fully onto the pier road, and I immediately turned the car so that I would not crash through the other barrier on the ocean side of the pier road and dive into the ocean. I immediately drove the car back into the lot and parked it. The pier is not a standard asphalt/concrete road or lot. It is wooden beams placed one after the other. It is very bumpy and the speed limit is 10 miles per hour, but usually you cannot even drive that fast because it is so rough and bumpy. I was going the slowest you can go just before coming to a full stop in my parking spot, with my foot fully on the brake, when the sudden acceleration occurred. It is a very bumpy and uneven surface and maybe that contributed to a failure in the vehicle monitoring system or automatic braking system. I feel incredibly fortunate that this malfunction did not cause more damage than a blown tire. I am grateful there were no pedestrians or cars in the path of the car and that I was not parked on the ocean side of the parking lot. This could easily have been a fatal and catastrophic incident. My trust in the car to function properly is severely compromised. Volvo kept the car for 2 months while investigating. They said there was no malfunction, but refused to release any report substantiating their conclusion. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11637199