2025 Volvo EX90 Electrical Problems

On September 3rd 2026, my wife was driving our 2025 Volvo EX90 Ultra (approx.1560 miles) with our three children, ages 1, 4, and 6, in the vehicle when the air conditioning failed completely. Outside temperatures were over 100°F in Austin, Texas. The EX90 has a large glass panoramic roof, and the cabin heated rapidly once the AC stopped cooling. This created an extremely dangerous situation for young children. Along with the AC failure, the vehicle made a rumbling noise every 5–10 seconds and its charging was limited. Because these symptoms occurred together, I am concerned the fault may involve the vehicle's thermal management system, which could affect the high-voltage battery as well as cabin cooling. The vehicle has been at an authorized Volvo dealer, for approximately two weeks. The dealer replaced the AC compressor, but the problem is not resolved and they have not been able to diagnose the cause. Volvo customer care case number: 07200479. I understand other EX90 owners have reported similar AC failures. A total loss of cabin cooling in extreme heat is a safety hazard, particularly for families with children and in vehicles with large glass roofs.

NHTSA ID

11766759

Incident

Sep 3, 2026

Center screen goes black when driving. Driver display goes black when driving leaving me without speedometer or any data as everything is on those 2 screens. Misaligned passanger door that doesnt open properly. Dealership has fixed trim piece but not the alignment of the door. I have been back to the dealer several times - I bought the car XXX, it has spent at least 3 months in the shop. Volvo corporate on XXX said "At this time we do not have information on a permanent fix. Please rest assured that our technicians work on software updates to improve the infotainment center as well as the overall state of the vehicle. Once an update is available you will be notified with this information." The dealer (General manager) wrote me and said "We have done what Volvo recommends for the repair on this vehicle, unfortunately we have very few other options Have you opened a customer care case on this specific issue?" - I have 3 if not more customer care issues with Volvo. The dealer wont respond to messages, Volvo Corporate offers no help - they each say to contact the other these are well known issues with this car. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11766662

Incident

Sep 14, 2026

My husband and I were driving with our [XXX] son on the southbound [XXX] in the fast lane. There was some traffic so we were not traveling too fast, but in the fast lane nonetheless. An error message came on the screens indicating there was a critical electrical failure. At that moment, my husband realized that the car’s acceleration was no longer working. We went to turn on our hazard lights and those did not work either (as they are solely in the computer panel and not a separate mechanical button). Thankfully we were able to safely make our way to the side of the highway to wait for a tow truck. The car was towed to Galpin motors, and has been there ever since. As of today, we have been told the issue is with the VCU (hardware and software) and is on indefinite back order. Previously we had to have the entire TCAM module replaced twice on this same car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11765121

Incident

Aug 23, 2026

Failure of the onboard AC charging component, known as the Grid to High Voltage Converter A (GHCA) or onboard charger module. This vehicle would not charge on AC current, but could only be charged on DC current. This is a safety issue, as you may get stranded without access to a DC capable charger, since AC is the primary source for a majority of EV owners. Problem has been confirmed by the dealer. Volvo seems to be aware of the issue, as this is a common failure point according to other Volvo EX90 owners. Warnings that occur is a red illuminated light near the charge port when it is unable to accept a AC charge due to failure.

NHTSA ID

11762140

Incident

Aug 29, 2026

My 2026 Volvo EX90, with approximately 3,000 miles, experienced a complete vehicle failure while being used as our family vehicle in Phoenix, Arizona. While my nanny was driving my two young children, including my [XXX], the air conditioning stopped functioning during approximately 110–115°F outside temperatures. After she parked, the vehicle’s displays went dark and the vehicle became completely unresponsive. The exterior door handles also stopped functioning normally. My nanny was unable to open the rear doors from outside to remove the children and had to climb through the front seats into the rear passenger area in order to gain access and get them out of the vehicle. The vehicle would not respond to the key, would not restart, and did not respond to Volvo’s recommended reset procedures. Roadside assistance was required and the vehicle was towed to an authorized Volvo dealership. Several days later, the vehicle remains completely inoperable. The Volvo dealer has been unable to power the vehicle on, establish diagnostic communication with it, or open the doors normally. The vehicle is so immobilized that the dealership must place it on dollies simply to move it around the facility. This appears to involve substantially more than an infotainment failure. The incident involved simultaneous loss of climate control in extreme heat, complete vehicle shutdown, and loss of normal exterior door access while young children were passengers. I am particularly concerned about the potential safety implications if this failure were to occur again in extreme heat or in another situation where occupants needed to exit the vehicle quickly. The vehicle remains at the Volvo dealership for diagnosis, and no root cause has yet been identified. Vehicle: 2026 Volvo EX90 Mileage: Approximately 3,000 miles Location: Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona Injuries: None Crash: No Fire: No Police report: No Vehicle towed: Yes INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11761485

Incident

Aug 30, 2026

While driving the car on a state road (45 mph) the car suddenly notified me of an "electrical fault", a light that looks like a turtle came on, and the vehicle lost power and couldn't go any faster than 5 mph. Another vehicle almost rear-ended me around a blind curve because I was moving significantly slower than normal traffic. I pulled into a parking lot, shutdown and restarted the car and everything seemed fine. It happened again a few minutes later so we started to head back home. But the real issue happened a minute or so after the second fault - the fault cleared itself and all of a sudden the vehicle's speed shot up to over 60 mph with very little throttle response or control from me. I slowed the car down using the brakes and continued home. The fault happened again, and cleared itself again in the same manner but this time while I was turning causing me to almost hit a curb while trying to turn. The car is dangerous. These should be taken off the road permanently.

NHTSA ID

11758132

Incident

Aug 19, 2026

I was parked in a parking lot and when I released my foot from the break, the car accelerated on its own and crashed into the car in front of me. The automatic emergency braking did not deploy. It was most recently a safety risk and put others in the parking lot, particularly the driver in front me, in danger. I have reported this issue to Volvo and they instructed me to get the body of the car repaired and then the dealer will inspect it. I filed an insurance claim with my insurance company and the car is going to be repaired. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure.

NHTSA ID

11756276

Incident

Aug 10, 2026

I am submitting this complaint because I believe my Volvo electric vehicle has a serious and recurring safety-related defect that has not been permanently repaired despite multiple repair attempts. Since purchasing the vehicle new, it has repeatedly failed to operate as intended, left me stranded multiple times, and continues to display warning messages while driving. I purchased the vehicle new on November 20, 2025, for approximately $85,000 with zero miles. The first failure occurred on December 4, 2025, at approximately 578 miles when the vehicle stopped charging. Volvo attempted repairs, but the same charging defect returned. The vehicle required additional repairs on January 21, 2026 (1,304 miles), early March 2026 (2,846 miles), and April 27, 2026 (3,810 miles). Despite multiple repairs and component replacements, the same issue continued. By the fourth repair, the vehicle had been out of service approximately 80 days. Volvo later approved a manufacturer repurchase; however, while waiting for the repurchase process, the vehicle developed additional failures where it would completely lose power and become inoperable. The vehicle required towing on multiple occasions, leaving me stranded and without transportation. During a later repair visit, Volvo kept the vehicle for approximately 39 days and stated they could not duplicate the problem and that the vehicle was operating as designed. The day after receiving the vehicle back, the same failure occurred again. The vehicle has now required seven repair attempts. Even after the latest repair, I continue to receive dashboard warnings while driving instructing me to stop the vehicle. Due to the repeated failures, loss of vehicle operation, and unresolved warnings, I have lost confidence in the safety and reliability of this vehicle and have changed my driving habits to avoid being stranded. I believe these recurring failures represent a potential safety defect that warrants investigation by NHTSA.

NHTSA ID

11753723

Incident

Dec 4, 2025

This vehicle locks itself even with a fully charged key tag inside it. The driver is not able to open the car by lifting any of the door handles. It has occurred 3 separate times. It will only open with a key card. Should the driver not have a key card outside of the vehicle, it must be towed to the dealership for service. The dealer has been advised of the problem, although the service department is unable to identify why or how this occurs. This has happened at various times of the day, including late at night, and we reside in a rural area with very limited alternate transportation. No warning messages appear prior to the problem.

NHTSA ID

11752711

Incident

Jul 14, 2026

The vehicle has experienced repeated intermittent electrical-system-related failures since the start of the lease, which have remained unresolved despite eight months of formal engagement with Volvo and multiple service and software-related repair attempts by Volvo. Most recently, on May 15, 2026, while operating the vehicle in approximately 90°F Arizona temperatures, the vehicle displayed a “Limited Performance / Electrical System Temporarily Limited” warning message. Shortly afterward, the driver was temporarily unable to re-enter the vehicle, despite the exterior door handles deploying normally. Vehicle access was restored only after several minutes. The side view mirrors would not open. Driving for two minutes did not resolve this. After ten minutes of remaining parked the mirrors reconnected. This latest incident follows prior issues including: •Loss of charging capability during a long distance trip (which forced us to drive 50MPH on a 75MPH highway, putting our car and other drivers at risk.) •Multiple incidents involving loss of instrument displays while driving •Intermittent vehicle access and lock-related issues •Unexpected seatbelt tensioning while the vehicle was in motion Volvo previously indicated that software updates and related service efforts should address the issues. However, after the updates the vehicle continues to exhibit intermittent electrical-system-related problems affecting reliability and normal operation.

NHTSA ID

11738406

Incident

May 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volvo EX90. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, an over-the-air software update was attempted but failed. The vehicle locked during the update process and remained inoperable for approximately one hour after the update was completed. On a separate occasion, the vehicle failed to shift into gear while driving on the interstate. The message that the vehicle was not in gear was displayed. The download process took an extended period and after the update was completed the vehicle operated as intended. Additionally, the infotainment system turned black and was inoperable, while the instrument panel was dark, and caused the turn signal indicator and speedometer to become inoperable. The instrument panel was flashing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the battery was in low power mode. The vehicle was not repaired but was manually updated by the dealer, bypassing the over-the-air process. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 1,115.

NHTSA ID

11731480

Incident

Apr 8, 2026

Mileage

1,115 mi

On November 28, 2025, my 2025 Volvo EX90 displayed a headlight warning message on the dashboard and the headlights failed to function properly while parked and after starting the engine. The defect temporarily resolved but recurred on December 5, 2025. A headlight defect that is not immediately apparent to the driver poses a serious safety risk before or during nighttime driving. The symptoms are consistent with NHTSA Safety Recall No. 25V-071 (Volvo internal reference R10298), which covers 2025 EX90 vehicles and involves unexpected headlight malfunction. I request that NHTSA investigate whether my vehicle's defect is related to Recall No. 25V-071 and whether the recall remedy has been properly implemented. If unrelated to Recall No. 25V-071, I request that NHTSA investigate this as a separate unreported safety defect. Other 2025 EX90 owners may be experiencing the same issue without reporting it. Volvo has contacted me directly on multiple occasions to schedule a central computer replacement on my vehicle. I understand this replacement is being offered to all 2025 EX90 owners. I request that NHTSA investigate whether this widespread hardware replacement is related to the safety defect I experienced and whether it should have been conducted as a formal safety recall. When brought in for repair on December 13, 2025, the service department advised parts were on indefinite backorder with no estimated delivery date. The vehicle remained at the service center for 47 days while Volvo was unable to supply the necessary parts. I request that NHTSA evaluate whether this represents an adequate response to a safety-critical defect.

NHTSA ID

11727840

Incident

Nov 28, 2025

While driving the car the car will suddenly stop working, it will be unable to accelerate. When this happens a multitude of alerts display on the screen. The car is very dangerous to drive and I’m concerned someone may die if this car is not recalled for safety.

NHTSA ID

11725544

Incident

Mar 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volvo EX90. The contact stated that while using the house charger, the breaker tripped. The check connection message was displayed. The vehicle failed to charge at the residence. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer, who was unable to charge the vehicle. The contact eventually used a standalone charging system to charge the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Subaru of Melbourne Service Center (4340 W New Haven Ave, Melbourne, FL 32904); where it was diagnosed and determined that an unknown part needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 80.

NHTSA ID

11724715

Incident

Dec 15, 2025

Mileage

80 mi

My car will not charge at my home power charger or any L1 or L2 AC based power system. It will only charge at higher price fast DC chargers which are limited and not at my house. This is apparently a commonly known flaw with this vehicle that has not been addressed and I am now waiting more than 20 days for a replacement part to be ready.

NHTSA ID

11723637

Incident

Feb 19, 2026

Was given a 'critical brake fault' warning on the dashboard. Car defaulted into neutral and I was not able to put it park, drive, reverse or even turn off the car (had to keep my foot on the brake until someone could help me push it onto a flat surface). Could not open the car doors from the outside, no resets would work, had to be towed to dealership. Car was left "running" at the dealership for over 24 hours.

NHTSA ID

11723450

Incident

Feb 26, 2026

Unable to charge the car, interrupted charging

NHTSA ID

11719658

Incident

Feb 20, 2026

GHCA Failure that resulted in inability to charge the car.

NHTSA ID

11715857

Incident

Feb 4, 2026

While Level 2 charging at home from a NEMA 14-50 receptacle using the Volvo-supplied cable/adapter, charging stopped unexpectedly accompanied by a loud thunk. The central computer restarted and presented a profile setup routine as if the car was new. Stored settings were not retained. Repeated attempts to re-initiate charging resulted in ‘Charging fault’ notifications on the instrument panel and a solid red light on the charging port indicator. The car can no longer charge with AC power, but still charges with Level 3 DC equipment. Also, the car software doesn’t seem to recognize that there is a problem with the vehicle. It shows the status as ‘everything is OK’.

NHTSA ID

11715700

Incident

Dec 15, 2025

The onboard charger (ghca) failed, destroying my evse and tripping the circut breaker in my electrical panel. It took 3.5 weeks for the replacement part to come in and be installed. On another occasion, the pilot assist adas presented an error and was unavailable until the computer was rebooted.

NHTSA ID

11715687

Incident

Dec 19, 2025

AC charging failed.

NHTSA ID

11715649

Incident

Sep 15, 2025

The Grid to High Voltage Converter A (GHCA) is a critical, often failing, component in 2025+ Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3 electric vehicles that converts AC grid power to high-voltage DC for the battery has failed 5 times in my car with no fix from Volvo in the foreseeable future. There are some reports on reddit/ex90 and other owner forums that these failures can cause unsafe voltages and have blown up home chargers. It seems like it is getting to the point where they need to be forced to issue a recall for this part and compensate owners.

NHTSA ID

11715615

Incident

Jan 29, 2026

Ongoing Software Issues From shortly after delivery through now, the vehicle experiences frequent and recurring warning messages and system failures, including but not limited to: Suspension system warnings Driver assistance and self-driving feature failures One-pedal driving malfunctions Parking camera and sensor errors Other system warnings that appear to be software-related While the vehicle was often still technically drivable, these issues regularly caused the car to operate at reduced functionality, with key safety and convenience features disabled. Although software updates have reduced the frequency of these issues, they still occur intermittently and often require a vehicle reset or time to resolve. Because of these persistent and unpredictable warnings, my family and I have avoided taking this vehicle on long trips out of concern that the car may become unsafe or inoperable while traveling. The vehicle was brought in for service in December 2024 in an attempt to address these software-related issues; however, the service did not resolve the problem at that time. Hardware Failure #1 – GHCA In January 2025, the vehicle experienced a failure of the GHCA component, rendering the all-electric vehicle unable to charge. This occurred shortly after purchase. Service appointment booked: January 27, 2025 Vehicle in shop: aprox 30 days The vehicle was out of service for approximately one full month. During this time, I shared my experience on Reddit due to the severity of the issue and the vehicle’s newness. That post received over 350,000 views, and numerous Volvo EX90 owners reported experiencing the same GHCA failure—many stating they had required multiple replacements of the same component. This strongly suggests a widespread defect rather than an isolated incident. Hardware Failure #2 – GHCA (Repeat Failure) On February 3, 2026, the GHCA failed again, and the vehicle was returned to the dealership for service with no ETA on a fix.

NHTSA ID

11715573

Incident

Jan 27, 2025

I am writing to file a formal safety complaint regarding my Volvo EX90, which experienced a complete and dangerous shutdown while driving on a LA freeway on Christmas Day. While traveling at freeway speed, the vehicle suddenly lost power and displayed a warning stating “Critical Electrical Fault.” The car shut down in the middle of active traffic. Two vehicles narrowly avoided colliding with us, and we were extremely fortunate to be able to turn the car back on, maneuver the vehicle to the shoulder of the road before being struck. The vehicle had to be towed from the shoulder of the freeway. This incident posed a serious risk of severe injury or death, not only to my passengers but also to other motorists. This was not an isolated incident. This is the second time this vehicle has experienced a sudden shutdown. The first incident involved a warning reading “Critical Propulsion Fault,” which also resulted in loss of vehicle function. Following the Christmas Day incident, the vehicle has been at an authorized Volvo dealership for over three weeks. As of today, Volvo has been unable to identify the root cause or provide a clear explanation or repair. The uncertainty surrounding the failure of a brand-new vehicle (1,754 Miles) further reinforces the seriousness of this defect. A vehicle that can unexpectedly lose all power at freeway speeds is fundamentally unsafe. Based on my experience, I believe the Volvo EX90 presents a significant safety defect, and I am deeply concerned that these vehicles continue to be sold and driven on public roads. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this matter to determine whether a broader defect or pattern exists and to take appropriate action to protect the public.

NHTSA ID

11711504

Incident

Dec 25, 2025

While driving on I-5 north by Castaic (exit 176A) the car displayed "electric system temporarily limited" then "critical electric fault" at which time it rapidly decelerated while on the freeway. The hazard lights were pressed but did not work. There was no shoulder and cars nearly rear ended our vehicle, with our family of 4 (including 2 kids) inside. We were able to navigate the vehicle to a small shoulder at the freeway exit and called CHP for support to ensure our safety while we seemed roadside assistance. Volvo roadside assistance contacted a tow truck and walked us through a "hard reset" of the vehicle. After about 15 minutes we were able to drive the car with a CHP escort off the freeway ramp to a nearby parking lot. The "electrical system temporarily limited" fault remained. Our car was towed to the nearest dealership where the fault was observed. At this point (8 calendar days later) no fix has been identified. This vehicle has had repeated electrical system faults since we leased in on 9/5/25 and has been serviced 3 previous times. This was the first time it stopped while driving.

NHTSA ID

11710154

Incident

Jan 2, 2026