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U.S. public vehicle records

2016 Volvo XC90: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

197 owner complaints analyzed

8 distinct recall campaigns

20,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 89 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 86 of 197 complaints (43.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior2512.7%
Electrical and battery issues2412.2%
Engine operation94.6%
Steering behavior94.6%
Fuel system concerns31.5%
Transmission and shifting21.0%

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.

Engine
86
Electrical System
55
Unknown Or Other
36
Structure:Body
21
Service Brakes
14
Fuel/Propulsion System
12
Power Train
10
Vehicle Speed Control
10
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine86
Electrical System55
Unknown Or Other36
Structure:Body21
Service Brakes14
Fuel/Propulsion System12
Power Train10
Vehicle Speed Control10

Engine: 86; Electrical System: 55; Unknown Or Other: 36; Structure:Body: 21; Service Brakes: 14; Fuel/Propulsion System: 12; Power Train: 10; Vehicle Speed Control: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
48
25,000 to 49,999
13
50,000 to 74,999
9
75,000 to 99,999
10
100,000 to 149,999
7
150,000 and above
2
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00048
25,000 to 49,99913
50,000 to 74,9999
75,000 to 99,99910
100,000 to 149,9997
150,000 and above2

Under 25,000: 48; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 2

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (48). 108 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.

2015
5
2016
24
2017
14
2018
7
2019
11
2020
12
2021
14
2022
26
2023
25
2024
33
2025
13
2026
13
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20155
201624
201714
20187
201911
202012
202114
202226
202325
202433
202513
202613

2015: 5; 2016: 24; 2017: 14; 2018: 7; 2019: 11; 2020: 12; 2021: 14; 2022: 26; 2023: 25; 2024: 33; 2025: 13; 2026: 13

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 24 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 9 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 10759336 · 2015-08-26 (August 26, 2015)

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH NO CAR WITHIN 200 YARDS IN FRONT OF VEHICLE, NO OBJECT ON THE ROAD, AND NO COLLISION WAS IMMINENT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND SPONTANEOUSLY SLOWED DOWN TO ALMOST 5 MPH FROM ABOUT 60 MPH FOR NO REASON. THE SEAT BELTS PRETENSIONED, THE GAS PEDAL DROPPED OUT FROM DRIVER'S FEET. CITY SAFETY ACTIVATED. ALL OCCUPANTS DEVELOPED MILD WHIPLASH. IT TOOK SEVERAL SECOND TO GET CAR TO RETURN TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER CLAIMS IT WAS DUE TO A TOLL TAG THAT WAS PLACED TO CLOSELY TO THE CITY SAFETY SYSTEM NEAR THE REAR VI…

Owner-reported narrative. 379 miles reported. Look up ODI 10759336 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10778004 · 2015-09-28 (September 28, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLVO XC90. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE BRAKES INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING AND SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. THE CITY SAFETY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE BRAKES INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,200. ...UPDATED 12/03/15 *BF UPDATED 4/9/18 *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10778004 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10807990 · 2015-12-02 (December 2, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLVO XC90. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400.

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10807990 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10808864 · 2015-12-07 (December 7, 2015)

CAR WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH SPEEDOMETER SCREEN AND CENTER CONSOLE SCREENS. SCREEN WOULD BLANK OUT WHEN NAVIGATION SYSTEM WAS IN USE AND VEHICLE WAS MOVING. THIS WOULD HAPPEN TWICE AND SYSTEM WOULD NORMALIZE. SEVERAL WEEKS AGO THIS HAPPENED AND MY HUSBAND AND I SMELLED A WEIRD ODOR AND THEN SMOKE BEGAN BELLOWING OUT CENTER CONSOLE. UNIT WAS TURNED OFF AND DEALER CONTACTED. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN BUT AFTER THREE WEEKS STILL HAS ISSUES. WENT TO PICK UP CAR ON 12/5 ONLY TO FIND VEHICLE WAS HAVING ISSUE WITH RETAINING A FULLY CHARGED BATTERY. WE WE…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10808864 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10809071 · 2015-12-08 (December 8, 2015)

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN ECO DRIVE MODE WITH THE AUTO START/STOP FUNCTION ENABLED. THE AUTO STOP KICKED IN AND STOPPED MY ENGINE, BUT WHEN I WENT TO PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL, THE AUTO START DID NOT RESTART MY ENGINE AND THE GAS PEDAL WAS UNRESPONSIVE. NO ALERTS OR WARNINGS POPPED UP - EVERYTHING REMAINED ON (HEADLIGHTS, RADIO, ETC), AND NOTHING APPEARED WRONG EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE/ACCELERATE. I WAS GOING AROUND 1MPH AT THIS POINT, AND PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER, PARKED, AND RESTARTED THE ENGIN…

Owner-reported narrative. 650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10809071 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10861446 · 2016-04-26 (April 26, 2016)

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET I PUT THE CAR IN ECO MODE. THE CAR WAS MOVING AT THE TIME. I NOTICED THAT THE CAR SEEMED TO BE DRIVING LOUDLY. AS I TURNED LEFT, I SAW THE CAR WAS IN MANUAL MODE AND WAS IN FIRST GEAR. SO I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR AND TRY TO PUT IT INTO DRIVE. AS I TRIED TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER, THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE, SUDDEN STOP. IT FELT LIKE ALL FOUR WHEELS WERE SUDDENLY AND IMMEDIATELY LOCKED. I COULD NOT MOVE THEM, EVEN AS I HIT THE GAS. I DID NOT SEE ANY INDICATION ON THE DASHBOARD THAT TH…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10861446 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10864698 · 2016-05-12 (May 12, 2016)

2016 VOLVO XC90 WINDSHIELD CRACK I FOUND MY WINDSHIELD CRACKED RIGHT AROUND THE REAR LIP-END OF THE HOOD ABOVE THE WIPER RESTING POSITION, THEN CUTTING UP AT ABOUT THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD, THEREBY MAKING AN "L" SHAPED CRACK MEASURING APPRX 22 INCHES BY 8 INCHES. I'M THE ONLY DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE DURING THIS PERIOD, AND I THINK I SHOULD KNOW IF A DEBRIS OR ROCK HIT MY CAR, CAUSING SUCH A MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD. I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO LODGE A COMPLAINT, AND THEY RESPONDED BY SAYING THEY THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN A DEBRIS OR…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10864698 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10876773 · 2016-06-27 (June 27, 2016)

AROUND 10.30 AM ON SUNDAY, 26TH JUNE 2016, I WAS DRIVING ON I-95 (NEAR STAMFORD CT) WITH MY FAMILY WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER, SLOWED DOWN DRAMATICALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF I-95 AND STARTED TO CRAWL AT 10 MILES/HOUR. WE WERE IN DANGER OF BEING HIT BY A NUMBER OF VEHICLES WHILE I NEGOTIATED TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY ON EXIT 9 AND PULLED OVER INTO A SIDE STREET. THE INSTRUMENTATION PANEL OF THE CAR HAD BLANKED OUT. THE CAR COULD ONLY CRAWL AT ABOUT 10 MILES/HOUR. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT TO HIGHER GEAR EVEN IN MANUAL MODE. I CALLED THE VOLVO ON CALL AND TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10876773 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

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

15V342000 · Air Bags:Side/Window

Reported: 2015-06-03 (June 3, 2015)

Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 Volvo XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to May 19, 2015. The affected vehicles have front seats whose wiring harness for the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) may have been routed incorrectly.

Consequence: If the wiring harness is routed incorrectly, the wiring may be damaged, disabling the front seat side impact air bag, and increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front seat side impact air bag.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the routing of the SIPS wiring, correcting the routing and installing a protective sleeve as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89571.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
15V497000 · Air Bags:Side/Window

Reported: 2015-08-06 (August 6, 2015)

Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 Volvo XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to July 10, 2015. The third row seating side curtain air bags may not fully inflate.

Consequence: Underinflated air bags may not fully protect third row occupants, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will modify the D-pillar interior panels to allow full inflation of the third row airbags, free of charge. The recall began on September 21, 2015. Owners may contact Volvo Customer Care at 1-800-458-1552.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
16V268000 · Visibility:Sun/Moon Roof Assembly

Reported: 2016-05-04 (May 4, 2016)

Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016 XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to April 23, 2016. The sunroofs on the affected vehicles have a switch on the overhead console that may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from being unintentionally pressed. When pressed, the sunroof may fully close. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."

Consequence: If the switch is unintentionally pressed and the sunroof panel closes, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software upgrade that disables the auto-close function, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552 or by visiting http://Volvo.custhelp.com. Volvo's number for this recall is R89702.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
16V690000 · Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | Air Bags

Reported: 2016-09-26 (September 26, 2016)

Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Volvo XC90 and S90 vehicles manufactured April 15, 2015 through September 19, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the drain hose for the air conditioning may leak into the passenger compartment due to a drain hose installation error during manufacturing.

Consequence: Significant water drainage into the passenger compartment may adversely affect air bag deployment in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air conditioning drain hose for proper installation, replacing the hose as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November the 14, 2016. Owners may contact Volvo at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this campaign is R89707.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
16V798000 · Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Reported: 2016-11-02 (November 2, 2016)

Volvo Car USA LLC (Volvo) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 XC90, S90, XC60, V60 Cross Country, V60, S60 Cross Country, S60, and S60 Inscription vehicles manufactured February 16, 2015, to August 22, 2016. On the affected vehicles, the front passenger seat belt buckle attaching stud may loosen, allowing the buckle to separate from the seat belt bracket. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages" and number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

Consequence: If the seat belt buckle separates from the bracket, the front seat passenger may not be adequately restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front passenger seat belt buckle stud, replacing the seat belt buckle as needed, free of charge. The recall began January 2017. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R89708.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
19V308000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings

Reported: 2019-04-17 (April 17, 2019)

Volvo Cars of N.A., LLC (Volvo Cars) is recalling certain 2016 XC90 vehicles. Exposure to heat and humidity may cause the engine coolant bleeder hose to crack, resulting in a coolant leak.

Consequence: If the coolant leak goes unnoticed, coolant may accumulate in the catalytic converter heat shield insulation and catch fire when the vehicle is stationary, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Volvo Cars will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine side coolant bleeder hose, free of charge. The recall began June 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo's number for this recall is R29936.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
21V273000 · Electrical System:Software

Reported: 2021-04-21 (April 21, 2021)

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2016-2020 XC90 Excellence vehicles. Liquid or condensation on the rear seat control display may cause the front passenger seat to move back as far as possible.

Consequence: The rear passenger may become trapped by the front seat without the ability to cancel the seat's movement, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Volvo Car will notify owners, and dealers will update the rear seat control display software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 14, 2021. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-888-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10093.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
23V827000 · Seat Belts:Critical Fasteners

Reported: 2023-12-07 (December 7, 2023)

Volvo Car USA, LLC (Volvo Car) is recalling certain 2015-2024 XC90 vehicles. The second-row seat belt buckle and lower belt anchor bolts may not be tightened properly.

Consequence: An improperly tightened seat belt buckle may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing their risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the second-row seat belt buckle anchorage bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 19, 2024. Owners may contact Volvo Car customer service at 1-800-458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10259.

NHTSA campaign record ↗