2021 Volvo XC90 Owner Complaints

*WITH THE BOWERS & WILKINS SOUND SYSTEM* TWICE WITHIN 1400 MILES, THERE WAS A LOUD "POP" SOUND FROM THE SPEAKERS FOLLOWED BY NO SOUND FROM ANY PORTION OF THE VEHICLE. THE POP SOUNDED LIKE A WINDOW OR THE SUNROOF SHATTERED. ALL SOUND WAS LOST: SENSUS FEEDBACK, TURN SIGNALS, PARKING SENSORS, PHONE, ETC. THE ONLY THING THAT WORKED WAS THE BASS. AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED AND OFF, AND RE-STARTED, EVERYTHING WORKED AS NORMAL. ODDLY, THERE WAS THE FEELING OF STATIC ELECTRICITY JUST PRIOR TO EACH POP. THESE POPS WERE CAUGHT ON DASH CAM FOR PROOF. THERE WAS STATIC HEARD IN THE DASH CAM VIDEO TOO. THE DEALER PROVIDED A "FIX" WITH A SOFTWARE UPDATE DESCRIBED IN TECHNICAL JOURNAL. TJ 35554.20-2020 (IHU VOLUME RESTRCTION WITH ORANGE KEY). THIS SOFTWARE UPDATE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM I HAD. THE ORANGE KEY WAS NO WHERE NEAR THE CAR DURING ANY OCCURRENCE. SINCE THE UPDATE, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL IDENTICAL LOUD POPS, BUT THE AUDIO CONTINUED WORKING. THE SAME STATIC ELECTRICITY FEELING OCCURRED MILLISECONDS BEFORE THE POP. ALL INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHILE ON A FREEWAY OR MERGING ON A FREEWAY, WITH MY PHONE ON THE WIRELESS CHARGER AND THE AUDIO ON AT LEAST AROUND 50%. MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SAME ISSUE ON A REPUTABLE VOLVO FORUM.

1/14/2021

Check engine light illuminated at 11,000 miles. Diagnostics showed a software update was needed but the software update did not fix the problem. Volvo corporate said the IEM module needed to be replaced. The IEM module controls the rear axle / propulsion and this is a serious safety issue because sudden loss of propulsion while driving at high speeds increases risk of having an accident. After replacing the IEM module, the mechanic cleared the DTC codes, test drove the car, and re-ran the DTC - and the code indicating a software update was still needed was present. Also the hybrid battery doesn’t keep its charge and depletes at an extremely fast rate.

11/10/2021

ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGING VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT LEAST. 3 TIMES. RESULTING IN ABRUPT STOP IN MOVEING TRAFFIC! DEALER IN NO HURRY TO REPAIR SUGGESTING BRING BACK WHEN THEY ARE ABLE! AM NOTIFYING VOLVO, DEALER , THEY WILL ASSUME ALL LIABILITY FOR INJURY OR DEATH FOR THIS DEFECT AND LACK OF CONCERN IN REPAIRING ( TOLD A SOFTWARE PROBLEM , BUT ALSO TOLD CAUSED DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO VIOLENT AND ABRUPT STOPS! VERY UNCOMFORTABLE ESPECIALLY SINCE REPAIR MGR IS SO ARROGANT!

1/20/2021

My Xc90 is shuttering at interstate speeds as well as below. When I purchased, they had to machine the rotors and said they balanced the front tires. It did not help much. The brakes shake less. I'm sure the entire rotors are warped. All this with 12k miles on the vehicle.

9/27/2022

Vehicle is lurching on slow acceleration in Hybrid Mode. For example, lurching occurs when pulling away from a stop sign, pulling out into traffic, pulling into a parking spot. Issue started beginning of January 2023. In February Fields Volvo Service diagnosed issue as a software problem (Code IEM-P287100) and that Volvo hasn't written the software yet. Fields Volvo Service said software update should be available in Quarter 2. Advised that I do not drive my car in Hybrid Mode. I own a hybrid vehicle that I have been told not to drive in Hybrid. Unfortunately, Hybrid is the default mode so upon each start I have to manually change mode to AWD. There is also lurching in AWD on slow acceleration (not as bad as in Hybrid). On several occasions while driving in AWD the vehicle will spontaneously change the mode back to Hybrid resulting in decreased or no acceleration and lurching. This has happened several times in parking lots (minimal fear for safety) but also several times while pulling into traffic (e.g., making left hand turns which require acceleration) and acceralerating on onramps to the freeway (definite fear for safety). Problem has been experienced by sales staff at Fields Volvo because we are trying to get rid of the car because it is still under warranty (36,000 miles). Fields Volvo has not gotten back to us as to whether they will buy back the car. Volvo USA has been contacted via phone and email about the issue. I have received no response.

3/12/2023

On two separate occasions, while driving car on highway at high speed, the car has gone into a special shutdown mode, where a turtle icon lights up on the dash and the car begins to shut itself down rapidly, limiting maximum speed of vehicle to 35mph. There is no warning or advanced alert. Suddenly the car reduces speed and feels like it is dead, and the systems begin to alert you that they are going into a reduced function mode. This was extremely scary thing to happen at highway speeds with flowing traffic. I had to crawl to side of rose at very low speeds. I could have been injured. I took the car to dealer for service and they said it was a software issue. A few months after, this happened yet again, also while at highway speeds. I have read that others are having similar issues with the Volvo XC90 model. This is so dangerous and the dealerships are writing it off as a software matter! It is extremely dangerous.

3/13/2023

The infotainment system has locked up and has shut completely off while driving. When it shuts down (screen goes black) or glitches, the car actually loses power. Luckily it powered right back on but it was scary and could happen again and be much worse. The screen/ infotainment system has had this issue for awhile. We’ve even told Volvo of Tulsa about it when it was in for service but they said they couldn’t do anything about it because they couldn’t reproduce the issue. We have also had the brakes and rotors replaced twice at the dealership because they seem to be lemons or faulty. We are currently dealing with vibration once again (conveniently now the warranty is out).

7/16/2023

I plugged my usb to usb-c charging cable into my iphone 20 seconds after starting the vehicle. I proceeded to exit my driveway when the infotainment screen went completely blank and the same thing to the driver's display 10 seconds later. I drove to the end of my street to a stop light where the car completely shut off and automatically restarted within a few seconds. I was traveling with my wife and [XXX] daughter. I have yet to reproduce the problem but have an appointment scheduled with the dealership later this week. Zero warnings or messages were present before, during or after the incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

3/3/2025

ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGING VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT LEAST. 3 TIMES. RESULTING IN ABRUPT STOP IN MOVEING TRAFFIC! DEALER IN NO HURRY TO REPAIR SUGGESTING BRING BACK WHEN THEY ARE ABLE! AM NOTIFYING VOLVO, DEALER , THEY WILL ASSUME ALL LIABILITY FOR INJURY OR DEATH FOR THIS DEFECT AND LACK OF CONCERN IN REPAIRING ( TOLD A SOFTWARE PROBLEM , BUT ALSO TOLD CAUSED DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO VIOLENT AND ABRUPT STOPS! VERY UNCOMFORTABLE ESPECIALLY SINCE REPAIR MGR IS SO ARROGANT!

1/20/2021

The brakes did not work when the automatic emergency braking turned on. When I pressed the brakes all the way down, the brakes didn’t respond because it was still in automatic mode. I was able to swerve into the next lane to not hit the vehicle in front of me. The automatic emergency braking also turned on when I was reversing from a parked location when there was a vehicle waiting to park behind me and my vehicle stoped and didn’t come off of brake/park mode. I had to turn my vehicle on and off again to get it to move again. I have taken my vehicle in twice for shaking. My back rotors were replaced 2 weeks ago but my vehicle still shakes. This car only has around 21,000 miles to have so many issues already with rotors and shaking.

9/9/2024

Check engine light illuminated at 11,000 miles. Diagnostics showed a software update was needed but the software update did not fix the problem. Volvo corporate said the IEM module needed to be replaced. The IEM module controls the rear axle / propulsion and this is a serious safety issue because sudden loss of propulsion while driving at high speeds increases risk of having an accident. After replacing the IEM module, the mechanic cleared the DTC codes, test drove the car, and re-ran the DTC - and the code indicating a software update was still needed was present. Also the hybrid battery doesn’t keep its charge and depletes at an extremely fast rate.

11/10/2021

Vehicle steer violently on pilot assist and powertrain disabled, not allowing us to steer the wheel on a highway. (Last year) We were lucky no other cars were nearby, needed a reboot for the wheels to work again. Dealership isn’t sure what happened. Now we have a hybrid system failure which a lot of cars with the same model Xc90 T8 is having with the hybrid system. Please investigate into this

8/27/2024

On two separate occasions, while driving car on highway at high speed, the car has gone into a special shutdown mode, where a turtle icon lights up on the dash and the car begins to shut itself down rapidly, limiting maximum speed of vehicle to 35mph. There is no warning or advanced alert. Suddenly the car reduces speed and feels like it is dead, and the systems begin to alert you that they are going into a reduced function mode. This was extremely scary thing to happen at highway speeds with flowing traffic. I had to crawl to side of rose at very low speeds. I could have been injured. I took the car to dealer for service and they said it was a software issue. A few months after, this happened yet again, also while at highway speeds. I have read that others are having similar issues with the Volvo XC90 model. This is so dangerous and the dealerships are writing it off as a software matter! It is extremely dangerous.

3/13/2023

Vehicle steer violently on pilot assist and powertrain disabled, not allowing us to steer the wheel on a highway. (Last year) We were lucky no other cars were nearby, needed a reboot for the wheels to work again. Dealership isn’t sure what happened. Now we have a hybrid system failure which a lot of cars with the same model Xc90 T8 is having with the hybrid system. Please investigate into this

8/27/2024

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THE BACKUP CAMERA DISPLAY APPEARED VERY BLURRY AND DISTORTED CAUSING A VISIBILITY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200. *LN*JB

12/28/2020

With 2700 miles my XC90 has the Emission Control System light is on. The engine noise is considerably louder than normal (being a hybrid the SUV is pretty quiet) and it is not using the electric option.

1/4/2022

Took my car in because one of my backseat seatbelts no longer retracted properly and Was so loose that I couldn’t possibly buckle my daughter in safely in her car seat. I had noticed the seatbelt on the other side was also starting to retract more slowly. When the service center did the test they said the one that no longer retracted was covered under warranty but the other was not broken enough to be covered and that I could come back when it was. So basically I should keep buckling my child into a faulty seatbelt until it is completely broken. When I asked why the seatbelts were like this they told me it was “wear and tear” and when I said it’s a new car they said it’s because of the car seats. When I got home I did some googling and found that thousands of other Volvos have already been recalled because of the exact same problem I am having and when I told them this they said I would have to contact Volvos head office. When I did that Volvo had me wait for weeks and then finally agreed they would fix my other seatbelt as a gesture of goodwill. Even though this is obviously they same problem as the recalled cars neither the company or the service place is going to tell anyone else. There are clearly more cars affected and they are lying to people and saying the seatbelts are safe when they are not and they do not care that children are being buckled into their unsafe seatbelts. I am appalled and hope you will take action ASAP. Who knows how many kids are being buckled into these seatbelts that won’t save them.

11/2/2022

I brought a 2021 XC90 Volvo on 8/18/2022 with 12861 miles on it. The attached photo will show the current mile on the vehicle is 17421, so you can see I have only put 4560 miles on the vehicle. This vehicle was only brought 3 months ago. It's very concerning that I was driving down interstate 530 on Sunday 11/13/2022 and for the first time ever the low-pressure light comes on and then seconds later the vehicle starts the shakes and I almost lost control of the vehicle. I managed to get to the side of the highway to find that my back passenger rear tire had separated around the rim (pictures are attached). Perelli 275/40 R21 107V M+S Scorpion Verde All Season

11/15/2022

The harness can be loosened by lightly pulling on it without use of the harness release button. The harness is not holding the child in place and the car seat is therefore unsafe for use.

5/5/2023

Heat does not work in Hybrid Vehicle. Prevents windshield from being able to be defrosted in winter. Should be covered under warranty, however when I took it to the dealer they report that multiple Volvo have this problem and there is a part shortage. Because of this problem, the vehicle is unsafe to drive the vehicle in the winter because it won't generate enough heat to melt the snow and ice that hits the windshield.

1/8/2024

The brakes did not work when the automatic emergency braking turned on. When I pressed the brakes all the way down, the brakes didn’t respond because it was still in automatic mode. I was able to swerve into the next lane to not hit the vehicle in front of me. The automatic emergency braking also turned on when I was reversing from a parked location when there was a vehicle waiting to park behind me and my vehicle stoped and didn’t come off of brake/park mode. I had to turn my vehicle on and off again to get it to move again. I have taken my vehicle in twice for shaking. My back rotors were replaced 2 weeks ago but my vehicle still shakes. This car only has around 21,000 miles to have so many issues already with rotors and shaking.

9/9/2024

Title: Possible Defect – Uneven Airbag Deployment Description: On July 20, 2025, around 5:30 PM, i was driving a 2021 Volvo XC90 on a main road when another vehicle suddenly entered from the right side without stopping at a stop sign. I was unable to avoid a collision and my vehicle T-boned the other car (front impact on my vehicle). During the crash, I believe the front airbag system did not deploy properly or deployed unevenly. I felt like the left side of the airbag (from the steering wheel) was full of air but not the right side (that side was flat when it deployed), and I believe I hit my head on the steering wheel. I experienced severe injuries to my head, face, and right eye, including commotio retinae, lens displacement, corneal abrasion, corneal edema, phacodonesis, iridodonesis, and concussion. I am concerned that the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) malfunctioned, contributing to the severity of my injuries. No modifications have been made to the airbag system. I request that NHTSA investigate whether there is a defect in the airbag deployment of the 2021 Volvo XC90, particularly for asymmetric or partial deployment. The automatic emergency braking (AEB) system also did not activate despite the imminent collision. There were no warning lamps, messages, or unusual symptoms prior to the crash. The issue has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center, but The police was at the scene. My insurance company has inspected the vehicle. I have also reported this to the customer care team at Volvo.

7/24/2025

The vehicle’s Start/Stop system began displaying warning messages and malfunctioning prior to the expiration of the factory warranty. The issue first appeared before 50,000 miles and reappeared at 49,997 miles, when a warning was displayed on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. A diagnostic review confirmed the need to replace the Start/Stop auxiliary battery and repair the Park Assist system. A diagnostic fee was charged, and both system failures were documented. The Start/Stop system’s failure raises a potential safety concern because the vehicle may not reliably restart after automatically stopping at intersections or in traffic. This could lead to dangerous situations if the vehicle stalls unexpectedly or fails to re-engage power at a critical moment. Although the issue has not caused a crash or injury, it introduces unpredictable behavior that could compromise safe operation. The Park Assist system also failed, triggering system warnings and disabling parking assistance features. If a driver is relying on these systems during low-speed maneuvers, a sudden or silent failure may increase the risk of collision with objects, pedestrians, or other vehicles. The dealership confirmed the problem through inspection and diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was contacted and declined to cover the repairs under warranty, despite the vehicle being within the mileage limit when the issue was first documented and presented for service.

8/3/2025

The contact owns a 2021 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting to drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond unless the brake pedal had been released for 2-3 seconds. Additionally, the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and releasing the brake pedal to reverse out of the driveway, the vehicle rolled back at a faster speed, and the vehicle failed to respond as intended upon depression of the brake pedal. The contact noticed a pattern with the brakes malfunction. The contact stated that the brake pedal required to be depressed 2-3 seconds after the first depression for the brakes to operate as intended. The contact stated that he was a master mechanic and had concluded that the failure was considered a safety issue because the vehicle was only designed with electronic braking, which left the driver with no manual option for braking. The contact stated that the failure had only occurred upon starting the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V392000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Service Brakes); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brakes had failed and Software Update Number: 3.5.14 was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and it was confirmed that the repair was not covered under the recall or under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 78,500.

11/28/2025