U.S. public vehicle records

2011 Volvo XC90: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

19 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

94,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 13 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 19 complaints (26.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	6	31.6%
Engine operation	2	10.5%
Braking behavior	2	10.5%
Steering behavior	2	10.5%
Transmission and shifting	1	5.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Engine

Engine And Engine Cooling

Power Train

Service Brakes

Steering

Air Bags

Exterior Lighting

Electrical System: 5; Engine: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Power Train: 2; Service Brakes: 2; Steering: 2; Air Bags: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 0

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 6 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2026

2011: 2; 2012: 2; 2013: 2; 2014: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 6 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10425590 · 2011-09-15 (September 15, 2011)

I FIRST EXPERIENCED THE DELAY IN RE-ACCELERATION ONE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP @ A STOP SIGN, I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO TAKE A TURN AND THE CAR HESITATED AT A VERY SLOW PACE TO TAKE OFF. I CHALKED IT UP AS THE CAR BEING COLD EARLY IN THE MORNING. IT CONTINUED TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY UNTIL ONE DAY IT HAPPENED AS I WAS STOPPED AT A BUSY INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN LEFT. WHEN THE INTERSECTION WAS CLEARED OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC FROM A REASONABLE DISTANCE I PRESSED THE GAS TO GO AND THE CAR LITERALLY DRAGGED IN SLOW MO…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10425590 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10428725 · 2011-10-04 (October 4, 2011)

SHORTLY AFTER WE PURCHASED OUR 2011 VOLVO XC90 BRAND NEW WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A LAGS IN ACCELERATION. WHEN ACCELERATING THE CAR WOULD ROLL VERY SLOWLY UNLESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS COMPLETELY FLOORED. WE WAITED UNTIL OUR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WAS DUE TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, AND WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE CIRCUMSTANCE. THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD UPDATE THE CAR'S COMPUTER WHICH SEEMED TO WORK BRIEFLY, BUT SHORTLY AFTER THE LAGGING BEGAN AGAIN. IT EVENTUALLY BECAME MORE AND MORE COMMON AND NOW IT IS HAPPENING MANY TIME…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10428725 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10456237 · 2012-04-20 (April 20, 2012)

2011 VOLVO XC90. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS SEAT BELT AUDIO SYSTEM DEFECT *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE SEAT BELT REMINDER CONSISTED OF AN AUDIBLE SIGNAL, AN INDICATOR LIGHT ABOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, AND A SYMBOL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THAT WOULD ALERT THE DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER IF THEIR SEAT BELTS WERE NOT FASTENED. HOWEVER, THE AUDIBLE SIGNAL ONLY OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST STARTED, WHICH WAS VIRTUALLY INAUDIBLE AND DID NOT OCCUR THEREAFTER EVEN IF THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER DISCONNECTED THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10456237 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10472427 · 2012-08-24 (August 24, 2012)

FROM THE BEGINNING THIS VEHICLE HAS DELAYED ACCELERATION, VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WHEN PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ON-COMING TRAFFIC, OR MAKING LEFT HAND TURN WITH ON-COMING TRAFFIC. BRAKES MAKE LOUD CRACKING POPPING SOUND WHEN BRAKING AND TURNING THE WHEEL, DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH IT MAKING SUCH AWFUL SOUNDS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10472427 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10515377 · 2013-06-05 (June 5, 2013)

EVERY TIME I DO NOT TURN MY CAR ON FOR 2 OR MORE CONSECUTIVE DAYS MY CAR BATTERY DIES. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 7 TIMES IN THE COURSE OF MY 2 YEAR LEASE. EACH TIME IT IS TOWED AND SENT TO VOLVO FOR SERVICE THEY REPORT THAT THEY HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. ONE TIME THEY CLAIMED IT WAS MY BLUE TOOTH DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE NEXT TIME IT WAS SIRIUS RADIO DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE LOST GOES ON AND ON. CLEARLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH NO SOLUTION AS MY VAR BATTERY DIES EVERY TIME IT IS LEFT UNATTENDED. WITHOUT FAIL! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10515377 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10519356 · 2013-06-11 (June 11, 2013)

TAILGATE STRUT MOUNTING BOLT BECAME DETACHED FROM CAR BODY AS I OPENED THE TAIL GATE.THE TAILGATE STARTED TO FALL CLOSED BUT I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT BEFORE IT HIT ME. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 23,540 miles reported. Look up ODI 10519356 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10668277 · 2014-12-26 (December 26, 2014)

THE BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE FAILS DUE TO A DRAIN IN THE POWER SYSTEMS BECAUSE OF A FAILURE IN SOFTWARE SYSTEMS ,THIS FAULT IS KNOWN TO VOLVO AND THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR .IF THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEN EVERY DAY THE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS SEARCH FOR BLUE TOOTH PHONE SIGNALS AND SATELLITE RADIO SIGNALS CAUSING A DRAIN ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ENOUGH TO KILL THE BATTERY ON A DAILY BASIS. VOLVO SAYS THEY HAVE A REPAIR FOR THIS AND SAY THAT I MUST PAY. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT TO VOLVO THEY SHOULD REPAIR THIS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 63,035 miles reported. Look up ODI 10668277 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10845870 · 2016-03-09 (March 9, 2016)

THE PROBLEM IS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V579000 MY CAR STALLED AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS TRANSMISSION WENT INTO PROTECTION MODE. IT STARTED FINE AGAIN WITH NO ISSUES AND SINCE THEN RUNNING FINE AND I PUT CLOSE TO 800 MILES. HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT INCLUDE XC90 IN THE LIST OF CARS AFFECTED FOR MODEL YEAR 2011. DEALER SIMPLY SUGGESTED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ($ 6681) AND VOLVO DENIED ANY HELP. I CALLED THE DEALER REGARDING UPGRADING SOFTWARE ON THE MODULES AND THEY SUGGESTED IT WOULD COST FEW H…

Owner-reported narrative. 133,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10845870 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

11V286000 · Steering

Reported: 2011-05-18 (May 18, 2011)

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 XC90 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 29, 2010, THROUGH AUGUST 16, 2010. THE POWER STEERING FLUID MAY LEAK FROM THE OIL PIPE CONNECTION AT THE STEERING GEAR VALVE HOUSING.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OIL PIPES ON THE POWER STEERING RACK FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.

NHTSA campaign record ↗